Merrick

Photo of Merrick

President, ECD

Throughout his career, Merrick has been a key creative and technology director for hundreds of large accounts, and has collected a list of blue chip clients including Budweiser, BP, Motorola, Virgin and Unilever.

His short list includes stints at DDB, Euro RSCG, Ogilvy and marchFIRST before founding Lakonic in 2000. Known as The Silent Creative Partner, Lakonic is an interactive creative and production agency that partners exclusively with creative service agencies. With a debt-free, 500% growth in 2007, and a quickly growing list of international clients, Lakonic is one of the world's fastest-growing independent interactive agencies.

In 2008, he split and expanded his group's competencies by founding Tangible Worldwide, a design and lifestyle communications agency,
The Volume of Silence, a motion design studio, and The Funnel, an agency collective that unifies all of his companies—along with a handful of production and creative agency partners—to create a truly integrated agency-to-agency offering, based on Lakonic's successful model.

Before life as a serial entrepreneur, Merrick was trained as an architect, 3D modeler and designer, and toured in a punk band. A glutton for pain, he collects tattoos—completing a full body suit—and trains as a boxer with ambitions to expand into mixed-martial arts.

And, yes: he goes only by Merrick.

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Birthday: July 1, Canada Day

Mac or PC: There is nothing about me that is PC

Favorite color: M:99

Favorite number: 333

Brand loyalties: UFC, Everlast, Jeep, Crocs, Audi, Exile Motorcycles, Apple, Amazon, Cubs, Bears, Effen Vodka, Sierra Nevada, Sony, Nintendo, Denon, KEF, AudioEngine, Design Within Reach, Crate and Barrel, La Croix, Fiji Water, Taco Bell (I know...), and, obviously, Dermaglo

Can't live without: iPhone, internet, big TV screens, entertainment and conversations

Animal that most resembles your alter ego: Auggie Why? Happy as hell to see people I know, talks loud as hell, love my morning poops, love to run around and do crazy things but, man, sometimes I just want to lie around and do nothing at all.

Wii, Playstation or Xbox: PS3 and Wii

If you could be anywhere right now: On a lake downstate with my family, Jasmin and friends, grilling out, swimming, boating, fishing, and listening to the Cubs game like summers at my grandparents.

If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life: Anything truffled.

15 minutes of fame: I try to keep them from people.

Do you believe in ghosts: Sure, why not. As far as I know, I've never been lied to by one.

If you were invisible for one day: I would kill that fucker Morrissey, or at least cut out his vocal chords and leave him for dead.

In your pockets right now: I have a system: front left, business cards and iPhone; front right: keys to Jeep, home and office, Cubs bottle opener, and a front pocket wallet/money clip; back right is business credit card receipts; and back left is normally loose change and personal receipts, but it looks like Jasmin didn't empty the pocket again, so I have this nondescript wad of paper back there.

Shower song: I'm a crazy jukebox in the morning. I may wake up with weird shit in my head like Abba, Digital Underground, Earth, Wind & Fire, or some random melody that I improvise words (usually filled with sexual innuendo)

Pet peeves: Tardiness (ironically), indecision and Morrissey's voice

Obsessive compulsive about: You try owning more than one company.

Best vacation: Driving up 101 in a rented Pontiac G6 from freaky Fort Bragg, CA to the Redwoods (a small segment of a full San Diego to Seattle coastal drive). I kept dreaming about how awesome the experience could have been had I been on my bike. I saw a couple old bikers trailing me, and decided to wave them on and lead them as hard as I could in that G6 for about 10 miles. Ocean cliffs on one side, huge drop offs to trees on the other, blowing through 10mph turns as fast as I could without going fully sideways. Tires smoking and screeching. No accidents, no cops, no rational decisions. When I finally pulled over, I held out my devil horn hands to acknowledge my biker brethren. Instead of passing through as I expected, they stopped to yell, "IN-FUCKING-CREDIBLE, DUDE!!!" Soon after they left, with my adrenaline levels and sense of self-pride as big as I've ever had, I realized how bad my tires were scorched. Worse yet, the front right break seized up from running so hot. Fortunately, after I gave it a break, it was able to break it loose after dragging the tire for about a block. By far the best time of my life.

Sports: Boxing, when I'm not crippled by my herniated disc.

Instruments: Equally capable on all Rockband instruments. Used to play piano, sax, trumpet, guitar and drums.

First concert: I was poor as hell and a punker throughout most of my life before advertising. Garage/small shows were all I ever cared to see. My first "concert" was probably Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Toadies and Space Hog in like 94-95 at the Savvis Center in St. Loius. This guy had an extra ticket and said he would drive, so I went along for the trip. Hours later, I was 2nd row in the pit in front of and Flea, trying to fight my way back. Mr. Flea decided to get completely naked and I wanted to change my vantage point.

Band of the moment: Forget Cassettes

Personal blog: http://www.iamblind.com