Jennifer Johnson
Jennifer Johnson is a creative director with nearly twenty years of advertising experience, yet she still considers herself a student of the craft. She believes that constantly learning and developing as a student of advertising is critical to identifying opportunities to grow brands. And this philosophy has led Jennifer to evolve her own career into new areas.
Her experience is wide and varied. She was North American Creative Director at Leo Burnett on Procter & Gamble’s Luvs diapers. A new campaign got moms and Adweek talking about Luvs and brought the brand from a flat share to a 14% share in only 6 months. As a Group Creative Director/Senior Partner at Carmichael Lynch on Brown Forman wines, she introduced a new Australian wine to America. Her efforts were recognized and rewarded by Communication Arts. Jennifer’s career was launched at Ogilvy & Mather on brands like Nutrasweet and Sears. And as a Creative Director at Campbell Mithun, she led initiatives on Alberto Culver, which subsequently opened up additional assignments on various other brands for the agency. She also gained a bit of local notoriety, becoming one of the first female Executive Creative Directors in Minneapolis.
Jennifer’s educational background includes being an instructor as well as a student. At DePauw University, she studied political science and at the University of Texas at Austin she graduated with a B.S. in advertising. Additionally, Jennifer had the good fortune to be part of a select management team at Leo Burnett to train with Red Spider, an international strategic brand group headquartered in the U.K. Her love of mentoring young talent and guiding experienced teams eventually led her into teaching. First, at the Miami Ad School in concept and strategy classes, and currently as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota teaching strategic communication and creative development classes in advertising.
Jennifer lives in Minneapolis with her husband Dave and their spirited pre-schooler, Greta. She enjoys threatre at the Guthrie, shopping for shoes, collecting vintage posters, and sipping great wine from her husband’s collection.
A partial list of clients Jennifer has worked on:
Packaged Goods: Secret deodorant, Luvs diapers, Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Bars, Alberto Culver St. Ives, General Mills Betty Crocker baking, Kraft cheese and salad dressings.
Retail: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, McDonald’s, Department 56, Sears, Harrah’s Casino’s, The Minnesota State Lottery, Gingiss formalwear.
Automotive: Sears Diehard, Robert Bosch sparkplugs, Oldsmobile.
Technology: Sears Business Systems Centers, Mid-Wave
Beverage: The Nutrasweet Company, Korbel Champagne and brandy, Bolla Wines of Italy, Miller Brewing, MvPherson’s Wines of Australia.
Financial: American Express, Norwest Banks, Western Bank.
Media: Wenner Media, The St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Medical: Medica Health Plans, Kimberly Clark International.
Pro-bono: The United Way, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Jacob Wetterling Foundation, The Tubman Family Alliance, Air Lifeline, The Minnesota Zoo.