Ellingsen Brady Names Dar Hackbarth President
He comes to EBA after a stint leading marketing, branding, loyalty programs, and communications for the country’s fifth-largest movie theatre chain.
Dar Hackbarth. Photo courtesy of Ellingsen Brady Advertising.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Milwaukee-based Ellingsen Brady Advertising (EBA) today announced the appointment of Dar Hackbarth as its new president. Hackbarth is considered an innovative builder and pioneer in the fields of marketing, branding, digital, customer loyalty, public relations, and social media. In his multifaceted career, he has straddled the corporate and agency worlds – working with some of the world’s most successful brands, across 20-plus industries.
In various management and consulting roles, Hackbarth has worked with world leaders like Harley-Davidson, MGM Resorts, Aria Resort and Casino, Baylor Scott & White Health, Microsoft, Boeing (Aviall), NCR Retail (Retalix), Apple, Tesco, Walgreens, Rolls-Royce, Super Bowl, Target, FedEx Office, Intuit, MillerCoors, Northwestern Mutual, American Red Cross, HP, IBM, Downtown Dallas, Technicolor, MedSynergies, Honeywell, Bridgestone, Eurocopter, Oscar Mayer, Atmos Energy, and the Milwaukee Bucks, as well as several start-ups.
He comes to EBA after a stint leading marketing, branding, loyalty programs, and communications for the country’s fifth-largest movie theatre chain, New Orleans-based VSS Southern Theatres, including its fast-growing eatertainment brand, Movie Tavern. While there, Hackbarth implemented new-to-the-industry ideas like trivia night and live music/karaoke; created a new chef-inspired menu and introduced brunch; redesigned customer loyalty programs; built partner marketing with major movie studios like Disney, Warner Brothers, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, and others; developed the popular Halloween-themed Terror Tavern series of events and programming; and established a long-term partnership with a well-respected film festival.
Hackbarth’s broad background brings a unique set of perspectives to the region’s marketing. “Much of my career I’ve sat on the client side of the desk, so I understand their pressures, goals, and strongest opportunities to win,” said Hackbarth. “I am them, with the added benefit of understanding the best practices of many different verticals and successful brands. We think that’s an advantage most other agencies can’t offer. It allows us to truly work as one with them, as a team.”
Hackbarth’s diverse personal achievements include naming Aria Resort and Casino and writing a white paper leveraged by Bridgestone-Firestone to drop Firestone from its corporate name. In the digital world, he conceived of and pioneered web multi-item ordering, a project named on Computerworld’s Premier 100 Best in Class list. He has also been the recipient of numerous creative awards as both a writer and creative director. A Wisconsin native, he returns to the state after two decades. “The business community in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest is becoming increasingly dynamic. It’s an electric place to be, and the world is starting to take notice,” said Hackbarth.
The hiring also signals a new period of activity for the firm as it enters its 25th year. Plans underway include build-out of a personalized new Water Street space, as well as potentially evolving its own brand. “We’re bringing new energy to the business community and we plan to grow. We are going to leverage a wide variety of skills, experiences, and partnerships to bring new and interesting ideas to our clients, plus offer them new services. We want them to be at the forefront of their fields, and we’re going to do it in ways that create excitement,” Hackbarth added. “More importantly, our ideas will make practical sense. If you’re a client, we think you’re going to appreciate both the added value and extra sizzle.”
About Ellingsen Brady Advertising Ellingsen Brady Advertising (EBA) is a Midwest-based, full-service integrated marketing and communications firm located in downtown Milwaukee, in the heart of its creative hub – the Historic Third Ward. The firm specializes in advertising, branding, public relations, content development, digital, and corporate design for business-to-business, special events, and consumer markets. Founded in 1994, its innovative professionals work as a team with a variety of local, regional, and national clients. For more information, visit www.ebadvertising.com.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
