What We Believe

You don’t have to be an entrepreneur to think like one. You just have to be open to new ways of doing things. You have to be bold. You have to be ready to go out on a limb and try something different. Because different is good. Different gets you noticed. Different moves the needle and makes customers interested in what you are selling. You won’t increase your sales 12% over last year by doing the same thing everyone else is doing.

Very few of our clients are genuine entrepreneurs, but they all act like it. Roy Rogers is completely viral and social, and is posting an increase in same-store sales. National Geographic Museum is heavy into guerilla, interactive and environmental and they had a sell-out exhibit. It takes courage, but the rewards are measurable.

Karen Riordan,
President

Karen Riordan brings 25 years of account management experience to SmithGifford, working at top creative agencies such as Arnold Worldwide, Pagano Schenck & Kay, and Hill Holliday Connors Cosmopulous.  

In her role as President of SmithGifford, she oversees client relations, marketing strategy, and business development.

Over the course of her career, Karen has led iconic brands, including The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Staples, Royal Caribbean International, The Hartford Financial Services, Volkswagen, John Hancock, USA Today, Colonial Williamsburg, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Celebrity Cruises.

Matt Smith,
Chief Executive Officer

Matt’s special talent is putting together lots of diverse points of view and distilling them into one simple, big idea. Every department and every consulting company has a different point of view, but somebody has to make the big decisions. That’s what Matt does. He herds everyone with an opinion into one place, figures out the big idea, and then makes sure everyone follows through on it.

It’s been the key to Matt’s successful career, helping launch and strengthen brands throughout the country. He’s done it for cars, hotel chains, newspapers, beer, banks and about a hundred other categories.

Bruce Gifford,
Chief Creative Officer

If there is a product category, Bruce has probably worked on it. Throughout his 20 years of writing ads, he has launched new brands, revitalized old brands, and just kept some good brands running smoothly. As Creative Director, Bruce is able to solve even the most complex problems with a clean and simple idea, based on a human truth.

That’s where Bruce’s skill lies – pulling outstanding ideas from his staff of writers, art directors, designers and artists, and then making sure they are executed at world-class standards. Where most creative people are happy with a great TV, radio or print campaign, Bruce insists the idea works in all areas – inside the store, on the Web, on the back of a bus, on an employee T-shirt, on business cards or a bumper sticker.

Fred Krazeise,
Director of Social Media

Fred Krazeise is the Director of Social Media for SmithGifford. His personal belief? “Social media marketing is not new. It’s just enjoying a renaissance because of new technology. All marketing is social. It’s a contact sport. It’s about connecting directly with your customer, giving them information that is relevant, and communicating that information in a way that allows the customer to make meaningful connections. Like all great marketing, social media marketing starts with a grand idea; a strategy. Without a grand strategy, social media marketing devolves to simple tactics. Tactics are easy. Anybody can do that. Grand strategy is hard, and that is what we do at SmithGifford.”