Creative

Cases

News

Clients

Client Start Year End Year
North Carolina Education Lottery 2021 Current
Colorado Lottery 2012 Current
Commonwealth Care Alliance 2022 Current
Westerra Credit Union 2021 Current
University of Miami Herbert Business School 2022 Current
Umpqua Bank 2020 Current
Hart House 2022 Current
Man Therapy 2011 Current
Arapahoe Basin 2021 Current
Cochlear Americas 2021 Current

About

Cactus is a strategically-driven creative agency specializing in consumer behavior change. For over 32 years, the agency has existed to work exclusively for the brands that help people thrive in their lives. Purposeful brands that truly make the world a better place to live, work and play. We call the brands we partner with "Thrive Brands" and you could say Cactus was a purpose-driven agency about 25 years before it became a thing in the agency world.

Our full service agency capabilities span brand strategy and research, integrated creative, brand design, strategic comms planning, performance media planning buying and planning, digital strategy and experience, and behavioral analytics - all in-house. Over the years, we've developed deep expertise in several verticals like healthcare and behavioral health, CPG and retail, financial services, travel and tourism, and gaming.

Driving behavior change is at the heart of everything we do at Cactus. The agency’s Belief & Behavior Design® strategic process is built on decades of experience combining behavior change models with breakthrough creativity to achieve our clients’ desired outcomes. Using it we unpack the inhibiting consumer beliefs and brand behaviors that are blocking clients from reaching their business goals.

Our team of 60 employees that we call the Cacti are characterized by fierce independence and tenacious optimism, united by a shared belief that small agency creativity and innovation can solve some of the world's biggest problems - including yours. Learn more about us at cactusinc.com.

People

  • Joe Conrad

    Joe Conrad

    CEO & Founder

    Joe is the Founder and CEO of Cactus. When he couldn’t find exactly the kind of job he wanted or the place he wanted to work at or the people he wanted to work for, Joe started Cactus. He’s worked with a lot of brands and on a lot of projects over the years, including Sierra Club, The Children’s Hospital, Colorado Lottery, Man Therapy, and UCHealth. Joe brings an earnest desire to make the world a better place and a respect for critical thought and the ability to always find the path forward. He sets high standards for the Cacti, holds us to them and provides us the means to achieve them. You want Joe on your team.
  • Norm Shearer

    Norm Shearer

    CCO & Partner

    Norm leads all the creative at Cactus, where he actively and enthusiastically reminds us that people hate ads, so we’re not going to make them. Instead, we’re going to befriend people, make their day a little easier and be useful to them. Prior to Cacuts, Norm worked at Sukle, McClain Finlon and Rhino Records. He also freelanced a bit and once had his own agency, Twig. Norm’s portfolio includes: Smashburger, Dish, Co Lottery, Community America, Vail, Odell Brewing, Jackson Hole, Whole Foods and Man Therapy. Cactus wouldn’t be Cactus without his eternal optimism, encouragement and direction to play well with clients and produce the best creative solutions that blow through walls, knock down challenges and deliver exponentially on objectives. You cannot help but do your best work around Norm.
  • Jeff Graham

    Jeff Graham

    President & CMO

    Jeff guides account leadership, brand strategy, agency operations, and business development. Prior to Cactus, he served as SVP/Managing Director of Barkley, and was co-founder of Boulder-based creative boutique Grenadier. He brings more than 25 years of guiding account leadership teams in some of the country’s most creatively-driven agencies like CP+B, Arnold, CORE and TBWA\Chiat\Day. Jeff’s experience spans some of the world's most iconic brands — Microsoft, Volkswagen, Jack Daniel’s, Best Buy, the NFL, Gibson, Virgin Mobile, Bass Pro Shops, Indian Motorcycle, Under Armour, and Old Navy (where he served as interim CMO). He's been an adjunct professor of advertising at both the University of Colorado-Boulder and the University of Missouri-Columbia, a frequent guest speaker for Ad Clubs nationwide, and a past-president of Ad Club CO (AAF).
  • Ainslie Fortune

    Ainslie Fortune

    VP, Account Leadership

    Ainslie is the VP of our account team, and brings her leadership skills to manage the team. Ainslie has worked on many financial brands throughout her career, and knows how to problem solve and get things done. She is adept at guiding her team to solutions and maintaining momentum from start to finish. She brings an idealistic realism to her work, which is a bit of an oxymoron, but we rely on her to bring a healthy dose of both to all she does at Cactus.
  • Kelly Rowntree

    Kelly Rowntree

    VP, Chief Strategy Officer

    Kelly leads the brand strategy discipline at Cactus – activating our Belief & Behavior Design® process through the lens of deep curiosity and empathy for the humans and brands we are building bonds between. Kelly’s robust client list includes: Sleep Number, Factory Motor Parts, HyVee, CITGO, Domino’s, Vrbo, American Airlines, Fruit of the Loom, Subaru, Harley Davidson, Burger King, and Xbox, just to name a few. Kelly will lead Cactus’ Belief & Behavior Design® process, and work directly with Rob to oversee and provide guidance on all strategic resources, processes and projects.
  • Chris Shewmake

    Chris Shewmake

    VP, Comms and Media

    Chris leads Cactus’ communications strategy and planning discipline. Chris has always had one foot in the outdoor industry, and has more than a decade of experience as a media-misfit inside some of the world’s most famous creative agencies. Chris has an insatiable appetite for decoding consumer behaviors, uncovering unconventional insights, and finding creative magic where media and message overlap.
  • Brian Watson

    Brian Watson

    Executive Creative Director

    As our ECD, Brian sees everything that goes out the door. If it doesn’t meet his standards, we keep working. Since joining Cactus in 2002, he’s worked on every kind of project for every kind of client who has walked through our door. His talent for creative problem-solving, love of sports metaphors, and even deeper love for our people make him the heart, soul, and beacon of Cactus’ culture. He passionately encourages us to make quality work – even when the odds are stacked against us – and helps us fearlessly pursue our boldest ideas. Any good meeting with Brian is liable to feel like a great halftime speech.
  • Sarah Berkheimer

    Sarah Berkheimer

    Design Director

    Sarah leads our designers into making great design. She has a knack for asking the right questions to produce work that balances pragmatism and inventiveness. Her work is rooted in a life-long passion for creating. She loves making, drawing, designing and doing. Prior to Cactus, Sarah worked with The Martin Agency and her portfolio includes some well-recognized brands: Oreo, Benjamin Moore, Geico, PING Golf, Sabra Hummus and TIAA.
  • Martha Douglas

    Martha Douglas

    Production Director

    A producer who can do it all. Martha brings creative ideas to life as the production director at Cactus, leading the production team and supporting all broadcast and video-related production including bidding and estimate creation, pre- and post-production. She works with the creative and strategy teams to implement best practices and find efficiencies in video and radio executions.
  • Shun-Luoi Fong

    Shun-Luoi Fong

    Director of Digital Experience

    Shun-Luoi leads our digital strategy and experience discipline, bringing a passion for guiding cross-disciplinary, collaborative work that transforms brands and culture. His thoughtful integration of design, technology, and shared human experiences work toward that end, all while being led by his empathetic and strategic mantra – listen, learn, love, create. He has partnered with clients such as Movember, Colorado Lottery, North Carolina Education Lottery, Vail, Finance of America, Perfect Day, Smartwool, Ladder Financial, and (ISC).
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