Leadership

Managing Partner, Co-Creative Director Ed co-founded Red in 2004 with his long-time creative partner, Art Nagano. He brings over twenty years' experience in providing insightful brand strategy and award-winning creative to clients in a wide variety …
 

Ed Ball

Managing Partner, Co-Creative Director
Ed co-founded Red in 2004 with his long-time creative partner, Art Nagano. He brings over twenty years' experience in providing insightful brand strategy and award-winning creative to clients in a wide variety of categories, and serves as Co-Creative Director on all Red client projects.

Before starting Red, Ed served as Senior Vice President, Creative Director at McCann Erickson Worldwide Advertising on numerous global brands including Nestle, Allied Signal, Boeing, Coca-Cola and Honeywell. Ed's creative talents were brought to life in all media at McCann, from digital experiences to TV, radio, outdoor and print.

Prior, Ed was Partner & Creative Director of Henderson Associates, ADWEEK's Southeast Agency of the Year, and Creative Director at the legendary Los Angeles health and beauty agency Eisaman, Johns & Laws, two posts that brought him key creative and management experience on the Neutrogena, Michelin, Black & Decker and Pennzoil accounts among others. He has also held senior creative posts at two Omnicom agencies.

An honors graduate of UCSB, Ed enjoys giving back to his alma mater. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Marketing and a member of the Marketing Department Advisory Board there.

 
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Art Nagano

Managing Partner, Co-Creative Director
Over 15 years ago, Art co-founded Red with his long-time creative partner, Ed Ball. Co-Creative Director on all of the agency accounts, he applies nearly two decades of creative, strategic planning, and agency management experience from both the consumer and healthcare marketing worlds. Having held senior creative posts in major advertising agencies and design firms in both the US and Japan, Art is recognized for his award-winning work around the globe. Prior to co-founding Red, he was Executive Vice President, Creative Director for Omnicom’s 1Health Communications, a leading marketing communications firm specializing in professional healthcare and patient communications. There, Art spearheaded work on oncology, respiratory, and ophthalmology in broadcast and print advertising, direct mail, online and patient education.

Before Omnicom, Art was EVP Creative Director of McCann Erickson’s Torre/Lazur West [formerly The BioGenesis Group], the innovative satellite of the highly regarded New York healthcare agency where he was responsible for multiple product launches in the categories of obesity, oncology, HIV, HCV, dermatology, and neurology. And earlier, he held the top creative post at the prestigious International Design Associates in Tokyo, Japan, where directed all of the shop’s efforts for All Nippon Airways, Royal Park Hotel, and ANA Hotels.

Art was educated at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena California, and has served on the Art Center Alumni Board of Directors.

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Linda Jackson

Partner
Linda joined Red in October, 2009 following 16 years with McCann Erickson Worldwide Advertising. At McCann, Linda was Senior Vice President, Group Account Director where she developed particular expertise in marketing to women/moms, CRM programs, qualitative and quantitative research, and the ins and outs of navigating highly regulated industries.

With a wealth of experience working with packaged goods clients including Nestle, ConAgra, E&J Gallo Winery and Bumble Bee Foods, Linda has a successful track record strengthening established and building new brands. She has led campaigns across a variety of other categories including software, sporting goods, travel/hospitality, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fashion, education, insurance and retail.

Linda is proud of the numerous EFFIE and AME awards she has won for marketing and advertising effectiveness. She also feels strongly about using her skills on behalf of non-profits and has created campaigns for the UCLA Rape Treatment Center, Rett Syndrome Research Trust and the Pacific Institute for Women’s Health where she served on the Board of Directors for six years.

Linda earned her bachelor’s degree from UCLA and her master’s from Northwestern University.

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Jason Carignan

Advising Partner
Jason joined our team almost 10 years ago as part of Red's merger with Tonic, the design and brand consultancy he founded. He is an experienced design and strategy thought-leader who has led innovation projects for clients like Blue Cross, Four Seasons Hotels, Countrywide Bank, First Marblehead and Sprint. Whether he's helping to launch a new brand, reinvigorate a company’s identity, or map out an end-to-end brand experience, Jason is known for challenging conventions and motivating clients to overcome perceived innovation barriers.

Earlier in his career, Jason worked for a boutique brand studio in Southern California and served for many years as a VP of Marketing at several leading financial services firms like Citibank, Cal Fed and Glendale Federal Bank where he gained insight into client-side marketing and intra-organizational systems and processes.

Jason graduated from Cal Lutheran University with a degree in Advertising and has since returned as a guest speaker presenting topics ranging from entrepreneurship to the future of branding. He is also the co-founder and managing director for Vapur, an innovative line of eco-friendly collapsible water bottles sold around the world.

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Jeff Merkow

Advising Partner
Jeff joined Red in 2015 as an Advising Partner to the firm and its clients. Prior, he co-founded of The Identity Group in 1989, and before that held senior level marketing communications and public relations positions with a number of major healthcare and insurance organizations. With nearly 30 years of experience, Jeff brings a keen understanding of the economics and the competitiveness of today’s business environment and applies this understanding toward cost effective, action oriented promotional campaigns.

Jeff is the past president of the Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Association of Southern California and continues to serve as a consultant to the board. He holds a masters degree in Public Relations from University of Southern California’s School of Journalism and is a part-time faculty member at California State University, Fullerton.