Berk Wasserman of BarkleyOKRP on Working With Amazon and Slice

Hometown pride for the motherland: Kansas City

As an ECD at BarkleyOKRP, Berk works with clients like Planet Fitness, Red Lobster, Suja Organic and AMC Theatres, spanning TV, film, writing, directing, pitching and leading creatives. Earlier, he was a CD at FCB Chicago and Crispin Porter + Bogusky, where he created campaigns for Coors Light, Miller Lite, Kmart, Taco Bell, Edge Shaving Gel and Windex. Outside of advertising, Berk runs Archer, makers of the first home products created for men. 

We spent two minutes with Berk to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired. 

Berk, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I hail from Kansas City. I then lived in Chicago for over a decade, hit Miami long enough for a beautiful tan, and then came back to K.C. to join BarkleyOKRP.

How you first realized you were creative.

The first time I made a group of strangers laugh without having to take my clothes off. I was in a Second City comedy writing class, and I had to read my first sketch. When people started laughing, I was like: maybe I should try this writing thing.  

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

The day I met Mr. Grey. He was my high school TV and radio production teacher. He taught me that you could wear a leather sport jacket unironically, but also made my obsession for movies and television seem important. 

Your most important creative inspirations, and some recent stuff you love.

I’m a child of the ’80s, so all things John Hughes color my world: Ferris, Vacation, Breakfast Club. Hughes’ ability to make the ordinary totally extraordinary is with me every time I get a brief I’m not that excited about. And for the things I love today, anything A24, Ryan Coogler and HBOMax, specifically The Righteous Gemstones.

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.

I love Kansas City almost as much as I love reading and writing ridiculous customer reviews on Amazon. Those two worlds collided when Amazon was looking to create their second HQ and considered K.C. I called the mayor, had him purchase 1,000 random products and then my team wrote reviews for each one. We somehow tied them back to K.C. We won billions of earned media impressions and a few Lions, but unfortunately we lost the Amazon bid to move to Kansas City. 

A recent project you’re proud of. 

We just re-launched Slice, which is one of my fave sodas from back in the day. The brand came back as a better version of itself, taking on the healthy soda category, mixing the prebiotics of today with the yummy taste of yesterday. We leaned into this “retro refresh” and launched the brand with the most future-forward/analog-1990s idea ever by creating a real radio station powered by AI. 

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

Just so jealous of the Tubi work. Specifically the small business owners work. The writing. The casting. The thugs and cronies. So perfect. 

Play

Your main strength as a creative person.

My enthusiasm hopefully rubs off on my teams and clients. And the love shows in the work, because I truly love doing it. 

Your biggest weakness.

Potato chips. They control me and I can be creatively motivated by them in unhealthy ways. 

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

My long-time partner Todd Durston and our producer/creative confidant John Bleeden were the big advertising brothers/role models I desperately needed when I started. Outside of them being genius, handsome and insanely hard working, they were always honest. Honest with feedback. Honest with clients. Honest about my fashion choices. No bullshit. No gross politics. No pompous antics. Just honest. Oh, and nice. Really nice. I’ve tried to imitate them for the last few decades. 

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

I’d love to be a game show host. It seems like a light lift for easy money. Wheel of Fortune—How hard could that be?! But if I could do something else in a creative field, I’d love to do anything on South Park. Season 27 is giving me life.