I am a very creative, entrepreneurial, and experienced advertising professional. I have created noteworthy campaigns in all media, for a diverse mix of clients. I have been an agency owner, and worked at a very senior level on the client side. I am a motivational team builder, and can comfortably bridge creative staff, account managers, and client-side marketing staff.
I am a Canadian citizen. I’m comfortable, but not fluent, in French. I currently reside in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA (about 300 yards from Cardiff reef.)
I’m open to relocation, though if your office is more than an hour from the nearest surf break, you’ll have to be doing some pretty solid work.
In 2002, I dramatically reduced the amount of advertising work I was doing, in order to devote more time to one of my passions: motorcycle racing. I moved to the Isle of Man to prepare for and race in the world’s most dangerous organized sporting event, the Isle of Man TT. That adventure was the subject of the acclaimed documentary film One Man’s Island, produced and directed by Peter Riddihough.
After living my TT dream and (pretty much) retiring as a professional motorcycle racer, I wrote a memoir, Riding Man. I’ve spent the last five years, as one of the world’s most widely published motorcycle journalists.
Although I’ve principally been a journalist over that time, I’ve consulted and written for a number of businesses, including Capital One, Capital One Auto Finance, Proflowers.com, Elixirs du Monde (wine importer), and Aliane (vintner). I’ve recently had occasion to explore several web-based marketing models, including “long-doc” sales letters, affiliate marketing programs, and viral videos, and have been a strategic consultant to Tantramar Interactive - the amazing web developers who I worked with to create this site.
Education
Banff Centre, School of Fine Arts, Certificate in Photography
University of Calgary, Bachelor of Arts in General Studies, (Minor English)Experience
Motorcycle test rider & feature writer–Road Racer X magazine; Columnist–Classic Bike Magazine (UK) and roadracerx.com ('Backmarker' appears each Thursday.) Freelance copywriter, creative director, and business strategist.Senior Editor
Motorcyclist Magazine, El Lay, CA
I was the senior writer at one of the world’s largest-circulation motorcycle magazines.Associate Creative Director
Muller and Company,Kansas City, MO
Rated "one of the six most creative shops in the US" by Adweek, Muller was without question one of the Midwest’s top boutiques. As a full-time contractor, my job at Muller was to extend their high level of creativity into broadcast projects. I worked for new clients (the Bolle, and Serengeti sunglass brands) and old ones (Tivol Jewelers, North Kansas City Hospital, Kansas City Clinical Oncology Program…) I was the senior staff writer on print projects, and CD on broadcast assignments.Creative Director
SGCI, Sackville, NB, Canada
As CD at this up-and-coming Canadian agency, I handled all copy, plus broadcast creative direction on Aliant, Pizza Delight, Star Choice Digital Satellite Television, BPI Mutual Funds, and TD Bank (projects). I drove new business pitches, including the acquisition of Aliant (corporate); I wrote the strategy that inspired the creation of 'Allies', the advertising joint venture that subsequently won Aliant's telecom-sector work.Creative Director,
MacLaren-McCann, Calgary
Copy and Creative Direction on all MacLaren-McCann work done in Calgary. Principal client was General Motors.Exec. Dir. of Multimedia Marketing,
Axia Multimedia Corp., Calgary
Writing and editing a wide range of material for a multimedia publisher, including writing all packaging and promo materials, as well as all investor relations materials.Creative Director, Partner
Shepherd & Associates, Calgary
As Creative Director at Shepherd and Associates, I shaped overall marketing strategies for Coconut Joe Clothing Company, First Calgary Financial (Credit Union), Drummond Brewing, and Heartland Homes (Residential construction). I conceived and took full responsibility for production on literally hundreds of advertising and promotional campaigns.Vice President of Marketing,
Mark's Work Wearhouse, Calgary
Mark's Work Wearhouse is a 200-store retail clothing chain. I provided overall strategic direction, in order to ensure that the marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts of MWW were consistent. I oversaw the broad efforts of Cooper Hayes Advertising, our in-house agency, and assumed direct creative control of key projects, such as network television advertising.Personal
Author, Classic Motorcycles (Michael Friedman Publishing Group, NY)
Author, Riding Man (bikewriter.com, Calgary, AB, Canada)
Interests: Surfing, motorcycles, flyfishing.Contact:
Mark Gardiner,
(Country Code 01) 619.335.3821 markegardiner@yahoo.com
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©2000–2010 Mark E. Gardiner.