A collection of essays on creativity, culture and AI.
Listen, Substack is literally just my emotional support turquoise Rhodia for all the thoughts I’m too anxious to let die. It’s like how I used twitter for fifteen years, but much longer than 280 characters–less dissociation, more luxurious self-indulgent long-form trauma dumping exploration, daydreaming, processing and theorizing of implications. We’re all trying to make content out of our ongoing existential crisis, right?
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JoRoan transcends traditional creative leadership by masterfully bridging tech-driven innovation with human-centered storytelling, demonstrating an unprecedented ability to deliver breakthrough ideas across both product design and brand campaigns while driving profitable agency growth.
His transformative leadership is defined by standout achievements like launching NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service to 15 million subscribers and leading Burger King’s “Million Dollar Whopper” AI-driven campaign – initiatives that not only drive commercial success but also generate strategic insights through innovative approaches.
By consistently transforming complex technological potential into compelling, measurable experiences, JoRoan represents a new paradigm of creative leadership that doesn’t just respond to market demands, but proactively reshapes them through a unique blend of strategic vision and narrative craft.
Currently an Executive Creative Director at experience.monks, JoRoan helps lead a 100+ person creative team across the Americas, sharing leadership for a substantial 8-figure portfolio of projects and accounts. Monks' groundbreaking work in AI earned Adweek's inaugural "AI Agency of the Year" recognition in 2023. His leadership has helped secure millions in new business from clients like Burger King, Google, Samsung Mobile, Coca-Cola.
With millions of minutes of experience rooted in Product Design for emerging technologies, JoRoan has been instrumental in industry-defining moments. As Design Director at AOL during the internet's formative period, he created the iconic AOL Running Man & led the design of software that introduced millions to the internet (instant messaging, email, shopping, news). Recognizing VR's potential early, he became Second Life's first Creative Director, pioneering VR experiences. His product design leadership continued at Elephant, where he led the team that designed & launched NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service, which achieved 15 million subscribers in its first 2 months.
His strategic transition into advertising at prestigious agencies like Crispin Porter + Bogusky, BBH and The Martin agency, accelerated his evolution, offering rapid learning opportunities & the ability to deploy insights at scale. And ECD roles at AKQA, BBH & Havas, JoRoan has consistently demonstrated his ability to build and mentor creative teams while driving substantial business growth.
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