Brian Franks is described as a creative visionary whose biggest passion is creating and fixing brand identities. From playing an instrumental role in American Eagle Outfitters’ early 2000s boom to redefining marketing at the helm of Where Eagles Dare (WED), this artist’s story revolves around pushing boundaries, curating tailored strategies that emanate every client’s unique essence, delivering creative excellence, and going where no one has been before. For Brian, reinventing brand identities is more than a job; it’s a lifelong passion deeply woven inside his DNA. A creative soul since youth, he enrolled at an arts university in Pittsburgh, graduating with a Graphic Design degree. In college, while refining his skills, WED’s founder met his roommate—an American Eagle Outfitters employee who introduced Brian to this environment. A junior student, he started freelancing for the acclaimed fashion powerhouse, joining what back then was a marketing department of four. Brian was brought in as a full-time employee after graduation, riding the Dawson’s Creek-sparked wave of popularity alongside American Eagle to the very top. From his initial role as a graphic designer, Brian was promoted to senior designer, art director, and senior art director, all the way to VP of the creative, evolving alongside the business as it expanded from a national chain to a global phenomenon. Looking back, he compares this time to “getting an MBA in retail by jumping straight into the fire.” At the peak of his American Eagle career, Brian was given the choice of becoming the creative director of all AE sub-brands – already established names that emerged during the company’s rapid growth – or becoming the VP of creative to help develop a kids brand by AE. Enticed by the opportunity to put his entrepreneurial aptness to the test and inspired by his most recent adventure – fatherhood – Brian lifted 77Kids off the ground, infusing it with his unique flair and brand narrative he felt was lacking in the market. For more than two years, Brian nurtured 77Kids like a child, proudly watching it become a favorite brand for cool kids and fashion-forward parents. After the launch of 77Kids, Brain returned to AE to revitalize the existing brand. During this time, under new leadership, he was part of a small team chosen to vet agency partners – an experience that first dawned the realization that Brian could create his own unique creative agency to help other brands reach new heights. “When I was starting my career, I promised myself that if I ever had the financial freedom to take a calculated risk and start my own agency where I could leverage my talents and experience, I would” Brian reminisces. “It was almost like all stars had aligned, and the opportunity emerged at the right moment.” In 2015, Brian harnessed the lessons he learned at American Eagle, combined them with his innate passion for all things pop culture, from film to music and writing, and founded Where Eagles Dare. Since its launch, WED has been curating tailored, captivating, fresh strategies for brands, amplifying or rediscovering their unique voices. In a full-circle moment, this vibrant agency’s first client was American Eagle—the very brand that helped shape Brian’s identity and marketing approach. A labor of love and passion, WED is the culmination of Brian’s life, blending the things he enjoys the most under one umbrella. For him, the company and the craft of creating brand identities are almost medicinal, healing his soul in dire times. To illustrate the connection between him and WED, Brian shares a story of adversity – a stroke he had survived in February. After a blood vessel ruptured in Brian’s brain causing a hemorrhagic brain stroke, and his wife – luckily home at the time – called 911, he was taken to the ICU for two weeks—an event he had no recollection of. His memory struggle continued while at a rehab center, filling him with the determination to recover and alleviate the pain of this life-altering trauma, not just for himself but for his family. “Everyone kept saying, ‘You are a walking miracle!’ and I knew they were right,” he adds. Inspired to regain his full joy in life, Brian returned to work in March, still attending his strength training classes. “Jumping straight back in is what saved me. I was back in my groove, doing what I love the most, and it helped me reconnect with who I was before the stroke,” Brian shares. “When you do something that is truly a part of your soul, magic happens. I’m just grateful I get to be alive and do what I love the most, and I’m going to do it right.” The post Passion, Pop Culture, & Innovation: Brian Franks of Where Eagles Dare—Creating Brand Identities as Part of His Identity appeared first on LA Weekly.