Kathleen Hanson
Creative Director

What got you started in advertising?

I graduated with a degree in Fine Arts and didn’t know what kind of job I was qualified for. The only “art” jobs advertised in the paper were for advertising agencies so that’s what I applied for. I got a job as a production artist at the first agency I went to in Milwaukee and was hired on the basis of my portfolio of illustrations, but had no idea what the job entailed. I was fortunate to have a sympathetic and very experienced co-worker who showed me what to do and never “ratted” on me. I never did any illustration work in that position, but the owner, who hired me, purchased several of my pen & ink drawings for his personal collection.

Who was a big influence in your career?

An uncle who was a fine artist and a teacher at Creighton University influenced me greatly to pursue Art, but I felt that I let him down by going into Advertising…that was considered “selling out” among fine artiste circles. However, I enjoyed the hectic pace and challenge of bringing quality creative to the work and I spent several years hoping to prove to my uncle that I could be artistic AND in advertising. He told me years later that he’d been proud of my career from day one and had never looked down on the road I chose, but thinking I needed to earn his approval brought out a drive to excel that I’ve never lost.

What was “your finest moment,” the thing you’re most proud of?

Establishing my own agency with two partners in Milwaukee and staying in business for four years in a very competitive market. Our downfall was our lack of business experience and an aversion to bill collecting. We never lacked for work and learned a lot about a wide variety of industries that we worked with. The experience made me very appreciative of a regular paycheck and I realized that I’d rather do creative work than run a business.

What was your most embarrassing moment in this business?

Do you really think I’m going to answer that?!? Those things are best forgotten.

What attracted you to Ovation?

The energy and risk-taking environment. When we moved to La Crosse for my husband’s job and I started looking for work, Ovation wasn’t advertising a position. However, they agreed to an interview and offered me a position because they were in a growth mode and didn’t want to chance losing a qualified candidate just because they hadn’t planned to hire right at that time. I was offered positions with two other companies at the same time, and although the Ovation offer was the lowest paying, it was the most attractive to me because it felt like it was going places. The low pay was soon rectified and the positions with the other two companies have seen high turnover in the 19 years I’ve been with Ovation. I know I made the right choice.

How do you come up with ideas and solutions for clients?

By reading and observing a lot about what other companies are doing. It’s particularly helpful to look at other industries and think about how something could be changed to work in the client’s industry. Most clients are very isolated within their industry and need someone who can take an idea that seems completely unrelated and turn it around to help their business.

What makes a great brand?

Relevancy to the target market and a deep appreciation for, and connection with, their customers.

What driving career goals do you still have?

To always do my absolute best at anything I work on. The more experienced I become (translation: the older I get!), the more I desire to pass my knowledge on to younger advertising creatives. I used to want to be in the spotlight, but I’m finding great satisfaction in being one of the people behind the person in the spotlight.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? (work or personal)

People who won’t take responsibility for decision-making. They want to be “off the hook” if a decision doesn’t turn out to be the best.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about advertising?

That we are all in sales and should always treat the end customer with respect. They make our jobs and incomes possible.

What talent do you wish you had?

A photographic memory. I read constantly but I know I retain only a small portion of it. I wish I could remember everything I’ve ever learned.

If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most?

Books.

What can’t you live without?

I’d have to say books/learning. Books can take me anywhere I want to go and help me constantly learn. If I couldn’t learn something new or discover a new way to view the world and the people around me every day, I’d wither away.

What are your plans for after advertising?

I’ve always dreamed of illustrating children’s books. During college I interned at a children’s publishing company in Minneapolis and illustrated a series of children’s science fiction books, getting my name on the title page next to Isaac Asimov’s, who wrote the foreword for the series. I still get a thrill thinking of that and know it would be very satisfying. After spending a lifetime “selling,” I’d like to spend some time doing something that just brings enjoyment to others.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively?

I don’t know if it helps me creatively, but I’ll eat chocolate any time of day or night!

What’s your favorite sports team?

Any team or sport that any of my sons are playing on. All three are good athletes and we’ve had many years of great fun watching them.

If you could spend a day with any person, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?

It would be with my father, who died 1-1/2 years ago. I would get him talking about his childhood and life and learn about his dreams and desires. With so many children in our family, I always had to share him. The older I get, the more I wish I knew about him and regret that I couldn’t find the time to ask him to share his views on life with me. I always loved and respected him, but didn’t really know who he was inside.

What’s your point of view about politics?

I’m mostly conservative, but as a child of the ’60s, I retain a lot of the idealism of that time.

Do you have any pets?

We have three cats, and I’ve had at least one cat in my life for as long as I can remember. My parents have told me that as a child I was such an animal-lover that they thought I would become a veterinarian. However, I’m not into dogs, only cats. I can identify with their nature and independence and my cats have always been very affectionate with me.

What was growing up like for you?

I am the third oldest in a family of 13 children. I never lacked playmates or something to do. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but I never felt that we were lacking anything. My parents were very religious and loving, and instilled in all of us a desire to be the best we could be. When I get together with my siblings and we reminisce about our childhoods, we tell story after story that makes us all laugh and appreciate our rich experience. I wouldn’t trade my childhood for the world.

What do you do for a good time when you’re not working?

I read, garden and watch my boys play sports. I love warm weather and spend as much time outdoors as possible during the summer.

Do you have any kids?

We have three sons, ages 22, 20 and 14. They have been my life for the past 22 years, and I’m learning that they will always be my “little boys” no matter how old or accomplished they become. I still worry and want the best for them every day.

What advertising/catalogs do you most admire?

I love the Sundance Catalog. I respect that it has a purpose and that it helps artisans by selling their artful items. But I wish it wasn’t so expensive because I can’t afford anything in it!

What are your favorite Internet sites?

This is like asking “what’s your favorite kind of music” which I can never answer because I have very eclectic and ever-changing tastes. I like sites that are visually beautiful but I also like some sites that are visually lacking but contain lots of information. I typically use the Internet to find something and learn things, and don’t return to the site on a regular basis.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Africa and Australia because they are both completely different from anything I’ve ever experienced in person. I’ve read many books, fiction and non-fiction, about both countries and I’m fascinated with the descriptions of beauty and raw power of their landscapes and people.