Kansas City’s Newest CCO Wants to Build the Best Independent Agency in the World

BarkleyOKRP made a strong commitment to creativity with the appointment of Brad Jones as chief creative officer earlier this month. Succeeding Katy Hornaday, who was promoted from CCO to CEO earlier this year, Brad joins from independent agency Mojo Supermarket, where he led the creative department as ECD.

He’s swapped the big-city life for Kansas City, where he’ll oversee the agency’s creative, design, production, PR, and FUEL teams, looking after over 200 team members across Kansas City, Chicago, New York, Austin and Denver.

A proven creative leader, Brad held leadership positions at ATTN: and Laundry Service prior to Mojo Supermarket, and also spent time working at Iris Worldwide and Belgiovane Williams Mackay (now Dentsu Creative). He’s built a portfolio of work that spans every marketing medium, from SMS-based storytelling to short films and social-first campaigns, working on some of the most talked-about campaigns of recent years including ‘Real Rivian Adventures’ and Facebook’s ‘Yes, Couch!’ cultural hijack.

He’s intent on making BarkleyOKRP “the best independent agency in the world”, a place where people want to come and make the best work of their careers and have fun along the way. His goal, he explains, is to do it all: “great work, great culture, and great performance.”

Speaking of his appointment, Katy shared, “Brad is a rare kind of creative leader: ambitious, human and endlessly curious. He’s made work that pushes culture forward and delivers real results for brands. But more than that, he’s the kind of person who makes everyone around him better. His range across the modern marketing landscape – from social to storytelling to innovation – makes him the perfect creative leader for what we’re building at BarkleyOKRP: a fully integrated, modern agency with creativity at our core.”

So, to find out more from the man himself, LBB’s Abi Lightfoot sat down with him for a chat.

LBB> What are your primary goals and objectives coming into the role, and how will you measure your success in achieving them?

Brad> My biggest priority is getting everyone across offices aligned in terms of creative mindset and ambition. Of course, I’m here to raise the creative bar and get some wins under our belt, but that can’t come at the expense of getting the house in order. I want everyone to buy into the kind of work that excites me – work that moves both culture and business forward, with creative and media working in lockstep. We’ll know we’re succeeding when teams from Kansas City, Chicago, New York, Denver, and Austin come together and we’re all genuinely enamored by what we’ve collectively created. My long-term goal is to evolve what’s already one of the largest independents in America into one of the very best independents in the world. That’ll take time – but we have to aim high.

LBB> You’re joining from Mojo Supermarket, where you were ECD working on brands such as Rivian, Facebook and Pinterest. What lessons from your time there will you be bringing to your new role?

Brad> I learned so much at Mojo. I went from being a group creative director on a few key accounts to leading the entire creative department within nine months of walking through the door. I could go on about everything I learned – building teams, nurturing culture-defining work – but the biggest thing Mo [Said, founder and CEO] taught me was to believe in myself.

LBB> You said on LinkedIn, “I knew I wanted to stay independent.” What is it about working at an independent agency that you find so fulfilling? Does independence help creativity and innovation to thrive?

Brad> When you work at an independent agency, you’re working in service of the work and the people – not a balance sheet. Sure, we have a P&L like anyone else, and we need to make money to keep the lights on, but the work always comes first. The other thing is the environment. Creatives do their best work when they feel safe – when they’re not looking over their shoulders or bracing for the next wave of holding-company layoffs. That sense of security and freedom is what fuels real creativity.

LBB> You then went on to say, “We might be ‘big indie’ but we’re only getting started building the best independent agency in the world.” In your opinion, what does ‘the best’ independent in the world truly look like, and how will you set about building that at BarkleyOKRP?

Brad> The best independent agency in the world is one where people are making the best work of their careers – and having a hell of a lot of fun doing it. Recognition still matters, of course. I’d be lying if I said it’s not about winning at Cannes or earning Agency of the Year honours – those things are important too. But so is the financial health and growth of the business. The goal is to do all of it: great work, great culture, and great performance.

LBB> You’re based in Kansas City, but will oversee creative, design, production, PR, and FUEL teams in offices across the country. How will you keep your finger on the pulse of what’s happening in each office to ensure close collaboration and communication?

Brad> We have an incredibly talented group of senior leaders across departments and offices, and I meet with them weekly to stay on top of progress and momentum. I’ll also be spending time in each office regularly – getting the face time we need, meeting clients, and staying close to the work.

LBB> Part of your role is to drive deeper integration between creative and media alongside Sean Corcoran, president of MissionOne Media. How will you set about doing this?

Brad> It’s actually simpler than you might think. Too often, comms planners join the process only after a big platform idea is already baked. At BarkleyOKRP, we have MissionOne team members sitting in creative reviews from the start – workshopping with creative teams on where the ideas should live within the media landscape.

LBB> Why is this deeper integration across creative, strategy and media key to helping BarkleyOKRP consolidate itself as a fully integrated, modern agency with creativity at its core?

Brad> Our industry is at an inflection point. The value of creativity is being challenged, and the media landscape is becoming more fragmented and commoditised. Clients aren’t just looking for a great strategy, idea, or media plan – they’re looking for a holistic point of view that connects all the dots to solve brand and business challenges. True integration means rallying around ideas that come to life in culture – where real people are – through brand actions, behaviors, and content, not just traditional advertising.

LBB> Your new clients include Burger King, Planet Fitness, Metro by T-Mobile, Slice Soda and Inspire Sleep, what most excites you about these new clients and creative opportunities?

Brad> I’m excited about all of them for different reasons, but the common thread is that each has an appetite for honest, audacious ideas that move both culture and business forward.

LBB> Any final thoughts?

Brad> Everyone keeps asking if I really moved to Kansas City – and my answer is a resounding fuck yes, I did. I’ve only been here a week, but I’m already loving it. The city’s full of great dining, breweries, galleries – and genuinely nice people. Highly recommend it for anyone ready to take a breather from big-city life.