CACTUS

Last Modified: 06-23-2026

http://www.cactusinc.com
Ownership: Privately Held
Size: 51-100

Overview

Company Summary

Cactus is a full-service creative agency that helps brands thrive in harsh environments. For over 35 years, the agency has partnered with organizations across health and wellness, financial services, outdoor recreation, and gaming to unlock growth in the face of change. Whether navigating disruption, strengthening reputation, or reaching fragmented audiences, we combine sharp strategy, creative, and media expertise to future-proof your brand and help you thrive when it matters most. Agency client partners include Fjällräven, Wings Credit Union, Colorado Lottery, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Wright-Patt Credit Union, North Carolina Education Lottery, Cochlear Americas, Hoosier Lottery, and Man Therapy.

Contact

2128 15th Street
Denver, CO 80202-6125
P: 303-455-7545
F: 303-455-0408

Jill Allday
VP, Growth
[email protected]
303.455.7545

Offices

Cactus
2128 15th St
Denver, CO 80202
303-455-7545

Global Service Capabilities

Staff

Total Number of Employees

Office Employees: 51-100
Total US: 51-100
Total Worldwide: 51-100

Joe Conrad
Founder and CEO
Joe guides the ship at Cactus. Sometimes it’s a sail boat and sometimes it’s a battleship. In 1990, Joe was inspired to put his time, talent and passion to work building brands and causes he believed in, so he founded Cactus. He’s worked on just about every brand in the agency over the years and his job is to make sure the agency is always pointed in the right direction and we have the right team in place. Joe brings an earnest desire to have real impact with our work, a respect for critical thought and the ability to always find the path forward. He sets high standards for the Cacti and has created a culture of autonomy, mastery and purpose. You want Joe on your team.

Brian Watson
Chief Creative Officer
As our CCO, Brian sees everything that goes out the door. If it doesn’t meet his standards, we keep working. He’s been with Cactus for over 23 years, shaping nearly every project and client engagement since 2002. Brian brings his wit, creative problem-solving, and love of metaphors to every challenge, turning complex asks into standout ideas. He’s also our beacon of Cactus culture, pushing us to deliver our best, keep learning, never give up, and always be fearlessly bold. His influence is felt in the work, the team, and the spirit of the agency.

Chris Shewmake
VP, Media & Digital
Chris joined Cactus to lead the agency's communications strategy and planning discipline. With over a decade of experience as a media-misfit inside some of the world's most famous creative agencies, Chris has an insatiable appetite for decoding consumer behaviors, uncovering unconventional insights and finding creative magic where media and message overlap. He brings experience running comms and media planning across a range of iconic brands including Domino's, Oakley, Jose Cuervo, The North Face, 1800 Tequila, Aspen Ski Co, American Airlines, Hotels.com, Vrbo and INFINITI. Before advertising, Chris was a professional cyclist - racing at the sport's highest level for Santa Cruz Bicycles.

Ainslie Fortune
VP, Account Leadership & People
Ainslie is a proud member of the Cactus boomerang club. This time around, she is a VP bringing her leadership skills to managing the account team. Her industry experience includes: The North Face, Sports Authority, Colorado Lottery, Globus and Cosmos, Steamboat Ski Resort, Vail Ski Resort, Vail Summer Tourism, Jackson Hole, Steamboat Sheraton, UCHealth, Lovelace Health System, Renown Health, Edward-Elmhurst Health and Colorado Crisis Services. Prior to advertising, Ainslie worked in retail, serving up popcorn at the mall. Her industry experience includes working with Mullen Lowe, Karsh \ Hagan, and Factory. Ainslie knows how to problem solve and get things done. She is adept at guiding her team to solutions and maintaining momentum from start to finish. She brings an idealistic realism to her work, which is a bit of an oxymoron, but we rely on her to bring a healthy dose of both to all she does at Cactus.

Lisa Van Someren
VP, Business Operations
In her 28+ years at Cactus, Lisa has had the opportunity to work on nearly every client in some fashion. She particularly enjoys the variety, from non-profits to big business and everything in between. Prior to Cactus, all those years ago, Lisa worked for a couple of small agencies, Burgler Advertising and Davidson Dietsch McCarthy, that rooted her passion for what she does. After trying on PR, account management, traffic and production, she found her love of process and workflow fit perfectly into Creative Operations. She understands what it takes to get things done and enjoys working to make the way it gets done go more smoothly — good process frees up creativity instead of stifling it. Lisa is also another spreadsheet-loving Cacti.

Jill Allday
VP, Growth
Jill joined Cactus to lead the agency’s growth efforts – a perfect marriage of her 20+ year career in account management, new business, and brand-side roles. She got her start in NYC where she managed the in-house creative department at Donna Karan New York, but fell in love with the agency side while working in Chicago on global brands within P&G, Kellogg’s and MolsonCoors. After moving to Colorado and leading client partnerships in agencies like Crispin, Made, and Victors & Spoils, she knew she’d found her place - both geographically, but also in creative shops that championed the power of an idea to drive results. She led brand and advertising efforts for the likes of Panasonic, Smirnoff, Firefox, Caribou Coffee, and many more. Jill is a very proud Cacti committed to helping great brands do big things.

Clients and Brands

Client & Brands	Start Date
Colorado Lottery Colorado Lottery	N/A
Man Therapy Man Therapy	N/A
North Carolina Education Lottery North Carolina Education Lottery	N/A
Hoosier Lottery Hoosier Lottery	N/A
Cochlear Americas Cochlear Americas	N/A
Fjallraven Fjallraven	N/A
Arapahoe Basin Arapahoe Basin	N/A
University of Miami Herbert Business School	N/A
Wings Credit Union Wings Credit Union	N/A
Wright-Patt Credit Union Wright-Patt Credit Union	N/A

Billings & Revenue

Billing / Revenue Ranges Number of Clients
Billing > $1M and < $3M 2
Billing > $3M and < $5M 4
Billing > $5M and < $10M 2
Billing < $10M and < $25M 2
Billing > $25M 1

Billing / Revenue Ranges	Number of Clients
Billing > $1M and < $3M	2
Billing > $3M and < $5M	4
Billing > $5M and < $10M	2
Billing < $10M and < $25M	2
Billing > $25M	1

Total Gross Media Placed by this Office

Allocation Percent of Media Placed by this Office
National Broadcast: 35%
Digital: 40%
Print: 5%
Out of Home: 5%
Other: 15%

Types of Services

Service Offering Revenue
Advertising - General Market/ Traditional 100

Service Offering	Revenue
Advertising - General Market/ Traditional	100

Industry Experience

Agency Profile