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Dan Thorne, Writer & Creative Director

To me, nothing is boring. And when you bring genuine curiosity to work with you each morning, it really makes a difference (especially when kindness and empathy are also in the mix). It helps you create award-winning work for clients like Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola, Purina, Jack Daniel’s, Barilla, and Walgreens. It gets you experience across tv, print, and outdoor ads, digital and social content, live events, and brand identity. And it lets you enjoy pretty much every minute of it. Let’s work together. I promise it’ll be interesting.

Creative Director | SpotOn - San Francisco, CA (Remote) | 6.2021 – present

SpotOn is making work and life better for busy restaurant owners. It’s my job to elevate the way SpotOn tells our story—and our clients' stories—across every channel we're in. Overseeing our talented in-house creative team, managing agency partners, and rolling up my sleeves to make things happen. Mostly ads, social & digital content, and brand identity. Also: website, trade shows, sales materials, and even the product itself.

Creative Director (from ACD) | Edelman - Chicago, IL | 2.2015 – 5.2021

Edelman was a PR agency that wanted to be more. I got to be part of the more. I worked to infuse a new kind of creativity into the world of earned media, influencers, and PR, as well the usual digital, social, and traditional work. We took this unique approach to everything from CPG to public parks, creating award-winning work on Barilla, Warrior Games, Skittles, Go-Go Squeez, Wolverine, Bel Brands, Butterball, and The 606.

Senior Copywriter | FCB - Chicago, IL | 1.2014 – 2.2015

At FCB, I became the writer that people were "fighting over in resourcing meetings" (not physically I hope), while hatching interesting ideas in digital and social media for Meow Mix, Jack Daniel’s, Budweiser, and Milk-Bone.

Senior Copywriter (from Junior Copywriter) | Leo Burnett/Arc - Chicago, IL | 4.2007 – 1.2014

Got my first paying gig working on one of the world's biggest brands—Coca-Cola. From in-store to outdoor, sporting events to sustainability initiatives, we did it all. I soon moved on to expand my experience and my client list, pitching in and winning pitches on clients like Walgreens, McDonald's, Miller Lite, and Purina. Our digital work on the Purina Pro Plan account won us AOR status, and I got to make even more cool stuff for them, while also jumping in on print, radio, and digital work for Special K, Kellogg's CSR, Sprint, and Allstate.

Intern/Freelance | Two by Four - Chicago, IL | 9.2006 – 1.2007

I got free on-the-job training. They got free ideas for Wrangler, The Chicago White Sox, and Grainger. After my internship ended, they realized I was doing real work and offered to pay me for awhile.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bachelor of Science, Advertising

Bachelor of Arts, English

GPA: 3.8/4.0 

8.2002 – 5.2006

Second City Training Center

Comic Writing

3.2009 – 5.2010

In both on and off-hours, I’m an explorer, a sandwich enthusiast, a bike dad, a little too optimistic, and constantly curious.