Platypus Advertising + Design

Mary brings to Platypus a wealth of creative experience matched only by her relentless commitment to produce breakthrough design solutions. Mary creates work that excites, motivates, inspires and rewards — sometimes all at once. Her talents have been called upon time and again by such leading names as BorgWarner, Johnson Controls, Sensient Technologies, Bayfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau, Kesslers Diamonds, Azana Salon & Spa, Prairie Orthodontics and more. And if it weren’t for their ticky-tacky age limits, the judges of “American Idol” would also get to experience Mary’s talents as a singer extraordinaire.

Meticulous. Thorough. Detail-oriented. Amy has been known to watch over her accounts like a mother bear guarding its young. Combine that unwavering vigilance with Amy’s years of media experience and you have an Account Supervisor that makes sure every dollar you spend is spent wisely. Clients also appreciate Amy’s strategic insights and ability to keep projects running on time and on strategy. Not to mention her proactive approach of constantly offering new ideas to squeeze the most out of their budgets. As a result, she manages many of the agency’s largest accounts, including Noah’s Ark, San Jamar, and George Webb Restaurants.

When not planning his Halloween Horror extravaganza, Tim spends his time creating truly moving experiences. Motion graphics that is. Images that dance and twist and captivate the imagination of all who watch. Each of these Spielbergian productions is riddled with subliminal messages that convince our clients' customers to buy a certain product, attend a certain event or just think nice thoughts about the topic at hand. He's done it for a wide array of clients including, BorgWarner, Zebra Technologies, ESPN Radio, Marcus Theatres, George Webb Restaurants and the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) awards.

Marty’s robust programming skills are an exciting addition to Platypus' expertise in web design, strategy and marketing. His award-winning efforts include developing database applications, writing code and search engine optimization. All of which adhere to current web standards and best practices. In addition to his web skills, Marty is an accomplished designer who has developed award-winning packaging for such national consumer brands as SC Johnson's Windex and Edge Shave Gel. He taught graphic design at UW-Parkside and has designed CD packaging for numerous local, national & international musicians & record labels.

It's not a coincidence that a "No Practical Jokes" sign hangs in Walter's area. Left to his own devices every phone receiver would be hot-glued down, every photo would have a mustache drawn on it and the train that occasionally stops behind our office would constantly be adorned with large magnetic pictures of Gary. But don't get the wrong idea. When he sets his mind to it, Walter has no equal. His design captures the imagination and delivers the message with streamlined, visually powerful statements that matter.

A perfectly timed sound effect. A soundtrack that rises to an exhilarating crescendo at just the right moment. A deep baritone that puts more inflection into a radio soliloquy than Shatner could ever imagine. That's Rick. He has consistently created magic in our sound editing booth for such well known clients as Noah's Ark Waterpark, Schlossmann's Auto Group and San Jamar.

What if you could craft a message in such a way that the content was on target and the delivery was totally engaging. That's been Gary's mission from day one. It’s not enough to just understand what a client wants to say, you need to understand what they are trying to accomplish. Only then can you hone that message down to its essence and package it in a manner that will not only attract attention, but enhance meaning and understanding. Done right, intelligent design can be a powerful tool.

Catherine is our newest addition and is a real team player. In fact, as Director of Corporate Communications for the Arizona Diamondbacks, she oversaw internal communications, publicity and corporate public relations. In her nine seasons with the club, she also worked in corporate sponsorship, marketing and advertising. Catherine is also a member of the Branch Development Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix and the Phoenix Alumni Board for the University of Arizona. She is a mentor for the Girls Education Project and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Arizona Chapter. We told you she was a team player.

Over the course of his 17-year career in advertising, Rich has helped define and shape such leading national brands as Comcast, Cablevision, Adelphia and popular cable networks Bravo and American Movie Classics. Recently, he has created award-winning campaigns for Noah’s Ark Waterpark, the Milwaukee County Zoo and George Webb Restaurants. Somewhere buried in Rich’s basement is a box of industry awards, including two EMMY Awards, which he hopes to one day sell on eBay in order to fund an expedition into the Himalayas to prove the existence of the Yeti. In his spare time, Rich trains for an occasional Ironman competition.

As a student at UW-Whitewater, Sandy interned for Platypus and assisted with the madness that creative firms juggle on a day-to-day basis. She amazed us with her ability to handle everything we threw at her. Consequently, we hired her as a Project Coordinator, where she uses her strengths of interactive and social media marketing to bring new heights to projects for clients such as Marcus Theatres, George Webb Restaurants and others. Her skills are only surpassed by her positive attitude and infectious smile.

Even from his earliest days Tony knew how to make the most of a situation. With a casual tilt of his head and a subtle glance to the left, he would explode through the slightest of holes. Defying gravity. Dazzling the competition. Dishing the rock. Delivering results. He did it flawlessly at Marquette and with the Los Angeles Lakers. And now he’s at Team Platypus making the most of every opportunity, finding the open man and making all of his teammates look better as a result.

When it comes to media planning, negotiating and buying, Kathy has more than 22 years of experience. No one’s better at ensuring clients get rock-bottom rates and every last value-added bonus possible. Just ask Dan, our president. He used to have to negotiate with Kathy from the other side of the table. In fact, that’s why he hired her to direct all of our media efforts. Her extensive broadcast experience includes purchasing network TV, national spot TV in major markets, network cable and spot radio for such noteworthy brands as Ameritech, Pepsi, Master Lock, Wisconsin Bell, Noah's Ark Waterpark, Olive Garden Restaurants and George Webb.

C-c-c-c-courage. Starting with his exhilarating performance as the lion in his 5th grade production of the Wizard of Oz, Chris has always had a passion for the arts. Originally he came to us as a design intern, but he quickly proved his worth and upon graduating became a full-time Art Director. Today, he works on projects ranging from email marketing to web design to print production and more. His talents can be seen in work for Noah's Ark Waterpark, George Webb Restaurants, Indian Summer Festivals, BorgWarner and others.

For more than 20 years, his name was on the door prior to our becoming Platypus. And for good reason. Dan brings a formidable array of talents and insight to the table in the areas of emerging media, strategic planning, market research, and media planning. One of his lifelong dreams was fulfilled when he finally got the call he’d been waiting for from the Milwaukee Brewers - only they didn’t want him to bat clean-up, they wanted him to lead consumer focus groups and analyze reaction to several new marketing concepts. Dan’s skills and marketing insights are also called upon by Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Indian Summer Festival, and PyraMax Bank.

While many people—even those in marketing—are still trying to figure out what the heck “Social Media” means, Crystal has been Tweeting, YouTubing and Facebooking in HerSpace for, well… a short eternity in the online world. After the Social Media strategy is determined, Crystal is responsible for managing and monitoring social media efforts, Pay-Per-Click campaigns and other web marketing initiatives. Beyond her organizational skills and strong work ethic, Crystal also brings years of media coordination experience to the table for such clients as George Webb Restaurants, Schlossmann’s Honda City, and Pneumatech.

Every well-run office seems to have a Tracey – that one point person who seems to do it all, know it all, and just gets things done. From balancing the books, to getting the invoices out, to keeping track of who has vacation time left and who doesn't. She makes sure all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed. Her energetic personality doesn't quite fit the stereotype of the buttoned-down, pinstriped accountant. Maybe that's why she's here at Platypus.

If a product, program or service becomes the talk of the town, it’s often because Nancy made it so. A veteran of Public Relations and TV Production, Nancy knows how to create a buzz. As our PR Director, Nancy keeps Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Professional Plumbers & Contractors, PyraMax Bank and other clients in the news & on everyone’s lips. Prior to joining us, Nancy served as an independent public relations consultant for a long list of clients in the public service sector, financial and healthcare markets and more. Her experience includes media relations, community relations, image enhancement, brand repositioning and TV / Radio promotion.