Jamie Venorsky of Marcus Thomas on Daring to Innovate

Brand building and architecture are his two great passions

Jamie is currently president and chief creative officer at Marcus Thomas.

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

Jamie, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in a Rust Belt steel mill town known for organized crime activity. Today, I live in a quaint Normal Rockwell-esque village that makes you think of Bedford Falls.

How you first realized you were creative.

In sixth grade, I convinced a group of classmates to form a rock band even though I couldn’t play an instrument or sing. I just liked the idea of being in a band. That’s when I discovered my ability to persuade people, and it felt pretty cool. The band had some brief success, but they kicked me out as soon as they learned I couldn’t play or sing. Not cool. 

A person you idolized creatively early on.

My first CD was born on Madison Ave., having spent most of his career at shops like McCann, Y&R and Wells, Rich & Green. He was a great example of what a great CD wasn’t, but he did introduce me to Howard Luck Gossage, “the Socrates of San Francisco.” A true visionary. I admired his approach and a lot of what he believed as a creative in the 1950s is still relevant today. Maybe even more so.

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

Freshman year of college. I was convinced I wanted to be an architect. My dorm was split between architecture majors and design majors. The walls of were plastered with print ads. They always interested me. Everyone was convinced I was a design major. Before the first semester was over, I had fallen out of love with the idea of becoming an architect. I started asking the design majors questions about advertising. These conversations resulted in the decision to become an art director. 

A book, movie, podcast, or TV show that you recently found inspiring.

Book: The Life Brief – a playbook for no-regrets living by Bonnie Wan.  Podcast: The Firehouse Salon – Tales of Howard Luck Gossage

Your favorite fictional character.

Ty Webb of Caddyshack – Independently wealthy, brutally honest, bad with names and full of wit and wisdom. “Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left.”

Someone or something worth following on social media.

Anniset – Anna Devís + Daniel Rueda – Hasselblad Ambassadors and Forbes 30-under-30 honorees. Anna and Daniel are Spanish photographers. They met at the Universitat Politècnica de València, where they graduated from the School of Architecture. By combining their spatial awareness and artistic vision, they have succeeded in establishing magnetic narratives that smartly suggest both the nature of human relations and a fascination with the urban environment.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

BMW Films/David Lubars. The early 2000s represented a transformative time in our industry. Technology and the internet were evolving quickly, impacting everything we did as humans and consumers. Many agencies resisted evolution, choosing instead to cling to the traditional TV-driven model of engagement. David and the team at Fallon bravely experimented and broke the mold. Work like this had a major influence on what I try to create at Marcus Thomas.

A recent project you’re proud of and why.

“Playable Radio” created for the Ohio Lottery. We blended terrestrial radio and mobile technology to create the first-ever interactive radio game. To do it, we hijacked the well-known functionality of Shazam and Siri to turn phones into gaming devices. We pushed the limits of what you can do with a very traditional medium, and helped to engage a much younger audience segment that the lottery desperately needs to remain relevant.

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

Rethink’s work for Heinz Ketchup. Having to fight off cheaper substitutes for years, Heinz reinforced its iconic standing in culture. Leveraging everything from packaging to AI, this campaign was a 2024 Cannes Lions Grand Prix winner. 

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Your main strength as a creative person.

Not being smart enough to know what can’t be done.

Your biggest weakness.

Knowing when it’s time to put my pencil down.

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

Joanne Kim. She’s the second CD to ever hire me. She made her mark in this industry at a time when it was still a boys club. She taught me how to be brave, bold and strategic. She taught me how to take intelligent risks and that it’s more important to be a contributor to greatness than the sole owner of mediocrity.

How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.

I always carve out time for anyone interested in this industry and share whatever wisdom I’ve collected along my journey. A few of my business partners and I created the Marcus Thomas Legacy Education Fund. The grants don’t fund tuition, but cover expenses traditional scholarships don’t. We give special consideration to any candidates who want to pursue a path in advertising.