David Wilgus has won many of advertising’s top awards including CLIO, New York Art Directors Show, ADDYs and a host of international festival awards. But he may be most proud of being named the “Best Creative Director” recently by the Dallas Ad League.
“It’s a great honor. I’m also extremely humbled by it; Dallas has an incredible talent pool and I’m flattered to be recognized by my peers here” said Wilgus, a principal at the Launch Agency. Wilgus is one of a rare breed: he’s a native Dallasite, graduating Richardson High School and the University of North Texas. Wife Jeanne and his four children – ranging in age from 3 to 20 years old – are also Dallas born and bred.
Before forming the agency with partners Diane Seimetz and Michael Boone, Wilgus was in creative management at Temerlin McClain and Tracy-Locke, where he led efforts on such blue chip clients as American Airlines, Subaru, JC Penney, Bank of America, Frito-Lay, KinderCare and Paris Las Vegas accounts. The trio “launched” Launch in late 1999 to assist in developing new brands, and revitalizing mature brands. Clients such as dating giant Match.com, online supermarket GroceryWorks, travel site Hotels.com, gourmet hot spot eatZi’s Market and Bakery, Blockbuster.com and the Fort-Worth Star Telegram were among the company’s highly successful case studies.
Creative partner Seimetz also was nominated for a Dallas Ad League Eagle Award “Best Of,” as well as two of its clients: luxury car purveyor Park Place Dealerships and the Fortune 500 Rent-A-Center, based in Plano.
Wilgus is quick to cite his agency compatriots, clients and creative philosophy as major contributors to his success. “It’s our strong belief that it’s not about ads, it’s about the power of big ideas. Our passion is building brands that make a strong emotional connection with the consumer, and working with clients who share that passion. Consumer relationships consistently deliver proven business results.”
Wilgus’ most memorable local campaign was for GroceryWorks, one of the first web-based grocers in the country. “The convenience of ordering groceries online and having them delivered to your home was highly appealing,” explains Wilgus. “But we had to overcome the fear of ordering apples and steaks over the Internet.
Through consumer research, it became clear that lowering the barrier to entry – rather than capitalizing on convenience, or dislike of grocery shopping – became Job One,” Wilgus continues. Working with photo illustrator Saxton Freymann to create whimsical fruits and vegetables in the shapes of octopuses and hummingbirds, Launch was able to communicate simplicity and freshness, winning the hearts and wallets of time-poor shoppers. Shattering early traction records with more than 85 percent awareness in the first four months, the award-winning campaign caught the attention of packaged goods giant Procter and Gamble, among others. The company was ultimately sold to Pleasanton, California grocery chain Safeway.
“Successfully launching and re-launching brands is a culmination of spot-on insight, years of experience and a constant flow of new thinking. I love it,” said Wilgus. Based on his latest accomplishment, it shows.
More information on The Launch Agency is available at www.launchagency.com.
