Today we’d like to introduce you to John Gardner.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
While studying political science and military history at the University of Alabama, my interests started shifting to business, and I decided to pursue an MBA with concentrations in both marketing and technology. There is just something about the intersection of science and data with the creative process that always appealed to me. My first job was at Southern Progress, and then as dot-coms started to boom, I moved to Dallas for a stint at an explosively growing Internet company, then back to Atlanta, eventually starting a company named Integrative Logic in 2000. We became part of Luckie & Co. in 2011 and I became president of the agency in 2013, overseeing what is now a team of more than 150 in our Atlanta and Birmingham offices. Atlanta is one of the hottest markets for our industry, and Luckie ranks in the top 25 largest independent agencies in the city.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I once found myself in a “no man’s land” for entrepreneurs – the space between fast-moving startup and being too small to be big. It was a time ripe with opportunity but filled with landmines that could have killed our young and successful business. Navigating through that was one of the most challenging professional periods for me. I was named Small Business Person of the Year by the Gwinnett Chamber, so we obviously made it through, but the experience taught me important lessons.
Some of the best professional advice I received, which I continue to preach to the team at Luckie, is to fail fast. I encourage everyone to take risks, to make mistakes, and make them BIG, but learn from the process and don’t make that same mistake twice. By taking risk, there is forward momentum. The more you fall down and pick up yourself, the greater your confidence to take bigger risks. In an organization like Luckie, it allows us to make bigger incremental business impacts, faster.
In my 25-year marketing career, the industry has experienced immense change. If you are not proactive in seeking and accepting change, eventually you’ll be overwhelmed by it. In 2011, Luckie recognized how the digital world was changing business and very smartly addressed gaps in our services by acquiring Integrative Logic. That change worked very well for us. We are constantly looking at technology and capabilities to acquire that will keep us on leading edge of data analysis.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Luckie & Co. story. Tell us more about the business.
LUCKIE is a marketing agency that uses data and consumer insights to architect solutions for our clients’ toughest business challenges.
The company has been privately owned – and fiercely independent – for 66 years. When Luckie & Co. started, we called ourselves an ad agency, but today that’s a colloquial term that doesn’t accurately reflect the sea change our industry has endured. Marketing today is driven by content that inspires consumers to engage with brands, so we use a data-centric approach to tell brand stories and create very personalized experiences for customers. We are marketing architects, strategically solving issues through technology, media, creative and analytics.
Our clients include top brands in healthcare, hospitality, finance and consumer packaged goods including Regions Bank, Marlow’s Tavern, Piedmont Healthcare, Visit Panama City Beach, Little Debbie, Express Oil Change, Alabama Power, the Alabama Tourism Department and Williamsburg, VA.
A recent source of pride is our work to launch CivilRightsTrail.com, a web-based travel and history site we created through a partnership with Travel South USA. The site connects 14 states and over 100 landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement. It functions as part travel planner, part history lesson and part catalyst for carrying on the important work so many have dedicated their lives to. CivilRightsTrail.com is great for families and for travelers who have a high interest in historical/educational adventures and there are many sites to visit in Atlanta.
What do you like best about our city?
I love the Atlanta region. It has a southern grace with a diverse soul. For Luckie, Atlanta has fueled our growth and improved our client value in terms of access to great talent, diversity of experiences and availability of resources. Atlanta has a thriving advertising and marketing community, filled with smart, creative people. Of course, I am biased, but I believe we have some of the smartest in the industry at Luckie. As we like to say, “We are a sweet tea agency with Madison Avenue talent.”
Contact Info:
- Address: Luckie & Co., 3160 Main St Suite 200, Duluth, GA 30096
- Website: www.LUCKIE.com
- Phone: 678-638-2600
- Email: John.Gardner@luckie.com
Image Credit:
Luckie.com
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