STEVE SPENCER
Matter
Kansas City 2020 - present
Creative Director, partner
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Sandbox
Chicago / NYC / Toronto / KC / St. Louis 2016-2020
SVP, Executive Creative Director
Two West
Kansas City 2014-2016
EVP, Chief Creative Officer
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Barkley
Kansas City 2000-2014
SVP, Group Creative Director
VP, Creative Director
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Temerlin McClain
Dallas 1993-2000
Associate Creative Director
Senior Copywriter
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Bozell
Dallas, TX 1990-1993
Copywriter
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J.C.Penney Company
Dallas 1988-1990
Copywriter
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Jobs Before Advertising
Surgical Orderly
Stereo Salesman
Zoo Reptile House
Record Store Clerk
X-Ray Developer
Beach Club Valet
Furniture Warehouse
LA Hilton Front Desk
Waiter

(like you care)
Bands


ToeJam Dub Republic
Old Band Wallace Code Red
The Chupacabrahs Darbo Shankahhh
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LAST 6 YEARS
CLIO, Archive, National Addys, New York Festivals, London International, Telly, Adweek Best Spots, Print, Mobius, NAMA , Who's Who in Shopper Marketing: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS
SANDBOX
In June 2016, Two West became Sandbox, and shifted from a local Kansas City retail agency ($20 million revenue, 60 employees) to a full-service integrated agency with seven offices across North America ($60 million revenue, 350 employees).
Highlights:
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Helped structure and execute a unique creative model based on cross-location collaboration.
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Developed the creative org chart, creative vision and beliefs, and all processes that combined seven independent creative departments (in seven different geographical markets) into one single collaborative team.
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Member of the Sandbox Senior Leadership Team (top 5% of company) and was a key contributor to the development of the new company mission, vision, and culture credo.​
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Key contributor to both new business growth and organic growth for existing clients.
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TWO WEST
Joined Two West, LLC as Chief Creative Officer.
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Highlights:
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Over an 18-month period, re-tooled and restructured the creative department (25 people), raised the creative bar, significantly improved the agency's creative reputation, and mentored what became one of the most competitive and consistent creative teams in the market.​
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Shifted the agency’s creative capabilities from retail collateral to branding, activation, live-action video and above-the-line content.
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Established a renewed agency culture of high creative standards, open creative thinking, trust, collaboration and inter-agency cooperation.
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Helped position the agency for a healthy acquisition, managing creative output for $20 million agency revenue and serving as a member of the executive leadership team.
CLIENT SUCCESS
LG Electronics
Since 2014, led creative that grew LG revenue by over 125%, including securing business as shopper agency of record for home electronics through two mandatory (procurement) agency reviews, and scaling business to become a strategic and creative partner to the home electronics brand team and home appliance team.
LG Electronics
Led creative for the largest marketing launch in LG’s history. Launched their OLED TV in retail, leading to significant increase in sales, and surpassing Sony to reach the #2 premium TV brand in North America.
Sprint
Since 2014, led creative that helped grow Sprint's revenue by 50%, scaling the partnership from retail and brand collateral materials to retail agency of record and strategic brand partner.
Blue Bunny
Led creative that resulted in +68% sales and +89% profit growth over a 14-year span in a declining category helping Blue Bunny become the 3rd largest ice cream brand in America with over $1.2 billion in sales.
Blue Bunny
Led creative that enabled Blue Bunny ice cream to capture an 84% national brand awareness (equivalent to Nestle' and Unilever) while being outspent 12 to 1 and with less than half the ACV (distribution).
Blue Bunny
Led the Blue Bunny Champ Cone New York City launch that achieved more than 73 million impressions for less than $150,000 total spend.
Donutology
Led the team that sent a donut 97,000 ft into the upper stratosphere via weather balloon (6 months 23 days before the infamous KFC chicken sandwich flight). Entire trip was documented with two 4K GoPro cameras. The "Space Donut" is still on display to this day.
Missouri Lottery
Led creative that enabled Missouri Lottery to generate and transfer over $3.3 billion in profits to Missouri educational programs between 2000 and 2014.
Marmot
Led creative initiatives that increased Marmot's total sales by 200% in less than 3 years.
Subaru
Was an integral part of the creative team that helped drive Subaru from the edge of bankruptcy to become the number one all-wheel drive car company in the world.
Super Bowl TV
Slick 50 Engine Treatment - 1997
TBD
...
From my last CEO:
"In my 20 years of hiring and managing exec-level CDs, I have to say Steve ranks at the top of my list when it comes to both creativity and creative leadership. A writer by background, he's a natural conceptual thinker who knows how to expand good ideas into big ones. As importantly, that genius comes with zero ego, which makes him an incredibly effective partner both inside and outside of the agency. As a creative leader, his genuine love for the art of advertising is infectious and inspiring to his people. It's also his superpower when it comes to charming clients and attracting talent.
Bottom line, Steve is a creative's creative who also understands we're in the business of business. He's a rare combo and someone who would make any growth-minded agency better." -- E. Whitehill

AWARDS
CLIO, Archive, Effies, National Addys, New York Festivals, London International, Telly, Adweek Best Spots, Print, Mobius, NAMA , Who's Who in Shopper Marketing: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
EDUCATION
Pepperdine University Malibu, CA BA Communications
Ad Center portfolio school - Los Angeles, CA
Oklahoma University Norman, OK MA Journalism
ACCOUNT EXPERIENCE
TRAVEL / HOSPITALITY
American Airlines
American Eagle
Windstar Cruises
Las Vegas Hilton
Kansas City Tourism
Airshare Jets
Paramount Parks
Kansas City Chiefs
Sporting Kansas City
Dallas Mavericks
Hollywood Theaters
AMC Theaters
FINANCIAL / TECH
American Express
Bank of America
First National Bank
Community America
Nationsbank
NCNB
Sprint
Cellular One
Revol Wireless
GTE
CONSUMER GOODS
Subaru
LG Electronics
Nationwide Insurance
Quaker State
Citgo
Missouri Lottery
Kansas Lottery
Marmot
Coleman
Zebco
Rawlings
Adam’s Golf
Payless Shoes
Long John Silver’s
Sonic Drive-Ins
Donutology
7-11
Mapco
Casey’s General Stores
John Deere
Make-A-Wish Foundation
KCPT Public Television
Terminix
Trugreen-Chemlawn
Stockyard's Brewery
Stearn's Lifejackets
Build-A-Bear Workshops
Bennigan’s
Bayer
Elanco
Union Gas (Canada)
Nikon (Canada)
CPG
Blue Bunny Ice Cream
Cadbury Ice Cream
Yoplait Frozen Yogurt
2nd Street Creamery
Weight Watchers Ice Cream
Marley Coffee
Roasterie Coffee
Habitue Coffee
Pace Picante Sauce
Muller's Pasta
Minute Rice
Success Rice
Three Dog Bakery
PHARMA/MEDICAL:
Abbott Nutrition
Spoonful One
MannKind
Pearle Vision
Montefiore Hospitals
UT Southwest Medical Center
Saint Francis Health System
Some think I'm a hard read.
I made this to help them out.
