Occupation Creative Manager Website mekanism.com | Name Jason Harris | |
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Jason Harris is president and CEO of Mekanism, an award-winning global creative agency based in San Francisco and New York City that specializes in innovative marketing campaigns. The company has been profiled by The New York Times, Fast Company, ABC’s Nightline and the Harvard Business School.
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Career
Harris began his career working for 10 years in business and strategic roles at TBWAChiatDay and Leagas Delaney, where he led accounts and notable campaigns for clients like PlayStation, Levi's, and Disney. Harris also worked at Ketchum Advertising. He later founded Plan C, an entertainment company that focused on producing branded television projects including Adidas Superstars, which aired nationwide on Fox Sports, as well as projects for Xbox.
Mekanism
Harris joined Mekanism in 2005 as an executive producer. He was later named President and CEO. Since joining Mekanism, Harris has helped the agency produce campaigns for such companies as HBO, Muscle Milk, The North Face, PepsiCo, MillerCoors and Ben and Jerry's. Accounts won by during Harris's time as CEO include Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, Jim Beam, Nordstrom, and the United Nations.
In 2014, Mekanism spearheaded the White House's "It's on Us" campaign to raise awareness of campus sexual assault. The campaign is currently in its third year.
In 2015, Mekanism acquired Epic Signal, a company founded in 2013 that works with brands like Bud Light and NBC to run video campaigns with YouTube, Snapchat, Vine, Periscope and Instagram.
Awards
During Harris' time as CEO, the agency has twice been named the "Small Agency of the Year" by Ad Age, won 4 Effie Awards, 3 Cannes Lions Awards, 3 London International Awards, 1 D&AD Award, and 4 Webby Awards. Mekanism has also been listed as one of the top 50 most creative companies by Creativity magazine. In January 2015, the company was named to Advertising Age's A List and was named one of the most effective Independent Agencies in America later that year.
In 2014, Mekanism created an ad for Pepsi which ran during the Super Bowl and was ranked by USA Today as the tenth best Super Bowl ad that year.
Mekanism was named as one of Advertising Age's best places to work in 2016.
Influence
Harris is on the board of directors for Advertising Week, the United Nations Social Impact Leadership Council and an advising member of the Brand 50. He is also a co-chair and founding member of Civic Nation Creative Alliance in partnership with The White House. Regarding his work with the United Nations, whose goals are to end poverty and hunger and achieve gender equality, Harris has said, "The campaign, in a way...is sort of re-launching what the UN stands for and how the UN helps solve problems in the world."
His methods have been covered and studied by Harvard Business School. He a frequent lecturer on topics such as brand storytelling and involvement marketing. Harris is also a judge for the Effie Awards, Webby Awards, and the Favourite Website Awards. In 2015, Harris was named the fifth most influential social impact leader.
In 2017, Harris was named by the 4As (American Association of Advertising Agencies) as one of the top "100 People Who Make Advertising Great."