ThinkNW Now: Thank You, Dan Wieden
Portland and advertising industry icon Dan Wieden passed away on September 30th, leaving a legacy of genius that transformed creativity as a powerful force for change. After his partner David Kennedy’s passing a year ago, it marks a new era for the eponymous agency that was founded on April Fool’s Day, 1982 and built some of the world’s most iconic brands.
But Dan was much more than a unique creative mind; he led with passion and compassion, understanding that there is a huge world outside of advertising that grows talent holistically. Thousands of professionals directly or indirectly benefited from Dan’s brilliance and largesse, especially the young people he impacted after founding Caldera in 1996.
ThinkNW took a moment to reflect on Dan’s impact with a conversation featuring Wieden + Kennedy alumni Mira Kaddoura, founder and ECD of Red + Co. and Nilesh Ashra, Pragmatic Futurism founder and CEO.
Topics include:
- How Wieden + Kennedy got on their radars
- Some of the public tributes by industry professionals
- The first time meeting Dan
- How Dan impacted the Pacific Northwest and the industry at large
- The importance of developing diverse talent
- Dan’s legacy
