Primer 180 Scores Walt Burns as New Creative Director
OutdoorHub 06.03.14
Minneapolis brand innovation and go-to-market agency, Primer 180, welcomes Walt Burns as its’ new Creative Director. Burns on-boards with 20 plus years of creative visioning, and directing imaginative high impact solutions for brands like Mountain Hardware, Timberland, Nike, BMW, Vasque, and Stormy Kromer. “So many firms just hammer away at outdoor enthusiasts with a singular voice and a commercial message focused exclusively on the hunter, the fisherman, or the camper. My hope is to engage folks as humans first; to make our work really thoughtful, so that people feel the experience”, commented Burns.
“We scored big when Walt agreed to join the firm”, said Sarah Donnell, President of Primer 180. “Early on, when he was with J. Walter in Chicago, and Mullen in Boston, he chiseled his way into opportunities that focused on outdoor clients; we’re talking BIG outdoor clients. He was an early adapter in blending vocation with avocation. The result has made him a highly sought after creative expert in the outdoor niche”, Donnell continued. “One of Walt’s greatest strengths is his ability to communicate a message quickly, while at the same time communicating a deeper thought that stirs the reader, or viewer. That’s finesse. That’s art. And it’s a remarkable skill”, Donnell adds.
“The flexibility I have had in my career to pursue personal interests like getting my Level 3 Professional Ski Instructor Certification, learn the mandolin, and stand in cool mountain streams enticing trout with hand-tied flies, has made me a better ad-guy. I’d like to think I am more well rounded than somebody who sits behind a desk all day.” Burns reflects. “And while I won’t be able to catch the lunchtime ski runs I came to enjoy in Montana, the team at Primer 180 in Minnesota tells me there is a sport here that is every bit as thrilling. It involves ice, a hole, and a line. Have you heard of it?”
Why, yes, yes we have, Walt. And as a result of one of your brilliant campaigns, it often includes a legendary Stormy Kromer wool cap.
