benjamin n. marion

Brand storyteller, musician, painter, road warrior, writer, director; Ben has enjoyed 35 years in the thick of marketing communications.

He cut his teeth in the big houses of marketing communications – starting as a writer/producer and moving up to Senior VP/Creative Director at Young & Rubicam. He led the creative efforts in everything from re-branding and revitalizing the NFL’s Buffalo Bills to creating specialized markets for Lincoln-Mercury.

After 20 years at Y&R, Ben lit out for the territories, repositioning a struggling advertising agency in Southern California. As Executive Creative Director of Red Lizard, Ben led the re-branding efforts for Scripps Hospitals and Clinics, the San Diego Chargers, and many other clients in the automotive, hospitality and CPG markets. 

He returned to the Midwest in 2003 and formed a creative boutique with a highly talented gang of Madison Avenue refugees. Working as The Creative Gene, this group has introduced dozens of new products and created campaigns for clients across the spectrum of B2B and B2C. In 2012, Ben joined Beautiful Land as a co-founder of the advisory group.

A ‘Fresh-Veteran’ in the field of marketing communications, Ben weaves vocabulary of campaign, both voice and visuals, into buying ideas that resonate with customers and engage prospects. From the start-up garage to the corporate boardroom, Ben specializes in big ideas, big results and big fun for all involved.

Ben has not strictly limited himself to the practical application of communications. He was invited to develop a curriculum and teach Integrated Marketing Communications as an Adjunct Professor for a joint venture of the School of Journalism and Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa – where he thoroughly enjoyed invigorating a new generation of communications professionals.