Hi.

I don't go around carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, 'cause I know if I did I wouldn't make it with anyone anyhow. I'm a Copywriter, originally out of James Madison University in my home state of Virginia. After college I bummed all around Europe and the Colorado ski resorts for a few years. I then dodged law school to go to The Portfolio Center.

I started off writing with Arnold in San Francisco, then EURO RSCG in Prague, then The Jupiter Drawing Room in South Africa and finally Downtown Partners in Toronto - (The Wandering Years). I then met my lovely wife and moved to Park City, Utah where I settled down to work at Richter7 in Salt Lake City: (The Honeymoon). Then I went to The Richards Group in Dallas: (The First Child – My Son, Indiana). Then back east to Ogilvy & Mather in Durham: (The Last Child – My Daughter, Autumn).

I've had more than my fair share of experiences in my decade plus in advertising: Bono once told me to “F-off” because U2 didn't like Utah's Mormon drinking laws. (In the name of love.) While I was the Senior Writer on Nike in South Africa, I actually had the pleasure of following in my father's FBI hostage negotiator footsteps when I talked an art director into giving up a .38 he pulled on an intern at a company party. (Art directors = Danger.)

I’ve also survived illegally whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River during high water season in Zimbabwe and being Michael Jackson's bodyguard at Disney World. I'm even better in person, thus I hope we speak soon.

Jeff Van Zandt