a little about me

I enjoy telling stories and solving problems. I like to learn new things and make new things. I enjoy breaking rules, but doing it in a deliberate way. I like to be adaptable and always approach things in a different way. I don’t have a “style.” I prefer smart over funny, but prefer stupid over smart. I believe advertising can help people and be more than just advertising. I found you need to get people excited about your ideas, and teach others how to do it too. But most of all I learned you can’t do it alone. Even if you start a bunch of awkward sentences with the word “I.”

I pride myself on adapting to anything that's thrown my way in order to solve the problem at hand. This adaptability has allowed me to work with some immensely talented people (like my partner Jonathan Richman) to make everything from low budget integrated campaigns to Super Bowl spots to culture impacting activations. I’ve been fortunate enough to craft award winning comedy to emotional story telling film to tech-forward innovation work to complete rebrands for start ups to Fortune 100 companies.

I’m from Chicago and actually grew up in the city. My mother was a Cuban refugee and my paternal grandmother a Holocaust survivor – both came to the US in their teens. My father is a studio photographer, so I have been around the business for as long as I can remember. All of this has informed my POV. I am married to a wonderful woman who is also in the business, we met at work. We have two young boys who like to eat a, which is good because I love to cook.

contact

alex@zamiar.com  | 312 404 0804

recognition

Cannes Lions, Art Director’s Club, One Show, AICP, New York Festival Gold, Webbys, Clios, Creative Review, Communication Arts, Sabre Awards, Effies, Addys, Web Marketing Association Award, Detroit Creative Awards, 2 Time FWA Site of the Day, #1 on the USA Today Super Bowl poll 2022

Agency Awards
Martin Agency 2016 Ad Age/ Creativity: A-List Innovators of the Year
Martin Agency 2016 One Show: Agency of the Year
Highdive 2021 FastCo Most Innovative Companies
Highdive 2022 Ad Age Small Agency of the Year
Highdive 2024 Ad Age A-List (#2 on List)

press

My work has been featured on the Today Show, in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Esquire Magazine, Vanity Fair, Forbes, USA Today, Adweek, LA Weekly, AdAge, Lurzers Archive, Mashable, Buzz Feed, Forbes, Complex, The Source, Advocate, OUT, Contagious, Shoot, Brandweek, BestAdsOnTV, Screen, Fast Company CoCreate, Business Insider, Coudal, Communication Arts, Creativity Online, Quipsologies, Creative Review, the twitter feeds of celebrities, sparked debate on ESPN's SportsCenter and Bill Simmons played our commercial on HBO's Any Given Wednesday saying when Lebron James fictionally signed with the Cleveland Browns it was the best thing to ever happen to them in franchise history.

clients

Skittles, Starburst, Jersey Mikes, BetMGM, Rocket Mortgage, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Milky Way, Oreo, Mentos, Door Dash, Benjamin Moore, GMC, Wheat Thins, Hanes, Timberland PRO, Experian, Sling TV, tracfone, Walmart Family Mobile, GEICO, Discover Card, Microsoft, Stoli, Carmax, Chevy, Boost Mobile, Lay’s, Allstate, The Desire Company, New York Knicks, Subway, AMC television network, Optimum Cable, Chips Ahoy, Ritz Crackers, Donate Life America, Juicy Fruit, Combos, LifeSavers, McDonald's, State Farm, Volkswagen, Walmart, Budweiser, Bud Light, Cars.com, Sierra Mist, Aquafina, The Field Museum, Breyers, Temptations Cat Treats, The William Jefferson Clinton Foundation, The Ad Council GED, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USVA), KFC, Taco Bell, Coors Light, Keystone Light, Coors Banquet, Motorola, Ziploc, Off!, Raid, Shout Wipes, Pledge, South Beach Diet, Glade and AAA.

experience

ADVERTISING

High Dive Chicago  / Group Creative Director / August 2021 - Present
Allstate  / Creative Director / August 2020 - August 2021
The Desire Company / Creative Director Consultant / Spring 2020- Present
Impact BioSystems / Creative Director Consultant / Spring 2020- Present
High Dive Chicago / Freelance Creative Director/ February 2020- October 2020
Martin Agency  / Creative Director / Fall 2014 - February 2020
DDB Chicago /Creative Director / ACD / Art Director / Summer 2007 - Fall 2014
FCB Chicago /  Art Director  / Spring 2004 - Summer 2007
DDB Chicago / Art Director  / 2003
Eric Mower & Associates Rochester / Intern / 2001 & 2002
Mad Dogs & Englishmen NYC / Intern / Summer 2001
Publicis Hal Riney Chicago / Intern / Summer 2000

EDUCATION
Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Communications / 1998-2002
B.S. Advertising, Fashion Design, Social Theory

University of Chicago Laboratory School / 1994-1998
Second City Training Center / 2005-2006

OTHER
Northwestern University Advertising Portfolio Professor 2011- 2014
Chicago Children’s Museum Metropolitan Board – Marketing Chair
Art Institute of Chicago Modern Wing – Young Modern Host Committee 

Thank you for your time.