EP+Co. Alumnus, Zac Painter, Joins The Variable as Director of Account Management; David Jones Promoted to Vice President, Creative Director

Winston-Salem, N.C. – The Variable, an award-winning ad agency based in Winston-Salem,has hired former EP+Co.senior vice president and group account director,Zac Painter,as director of account management. The Variable has also promoted David Jones to vice president, creative director.In their new roles, Painter and Jones will help guide The Variable’s work with clients to create meaningful connections with consumers in the unrelenting fight against consumer in difference.

Painter arrives at The Variable with an impressive combination of agency and client-side experience. He spent eight years at EP+Co. managing major accounts such as Denny’s, Sears Auto Center, Dunkin’ Donuts and Firehouse Subs, and most recently, Painter was vice president, head of marketing,at Fatz Southern Kitchen.

“The Variable’s vision of creating game-changing work that breaks through consumer indifference and shakes up the conventional advertising mold is a key part of what drew me to the agency,” said Painter. “The Variable has had momentous growth over the last few years, and I am thrilled to join their team of wildly talented people.”

With his promotion to vice president, creative director, Jones will direct the agency’s creative process and execution. He was most recently associate creative director at The Variable and has led creative work for major brands such as Char-Broil,Polaris, Hanes Brands, Air Hogs and Peter Millar.

“We’ve created a lot of momentum over the past few years and have been intensely intentional about managing that growth by attracting and keeping people who bring an incredible mix of talent, experienceand genuine kind-heartedness,” said David Mullen, president of The Variable. “We’re excited to have Zac’s leadership on our team, as he was part of the groupthat helped EP+Co. grow from a 100-person to a 400-person shop, and David’s creative leadership over the last five years has been a critical part of our success and our clients’ successes.”

The Variable also promoted and hired:

  • Matt Cook, promoted to associate creative director, design
  • Emma Brown, hired as PR senior account executive
  • Halle Sinnot, hired as new business manager

The last four years have brought a period of accelerated growth as The Variable has seen its size quadruple. That momentum is largely led by the agency’s unique business model, which has helped it land noteworthy brands like Char-Broil, Merck, BASF and Elephant Insurance in the last year.

In fact, leading industry publication, AdAge, recently named The Variable the 2017 Southeast Small Agency of the Year –Silver for the second time in the last three years. The prestigious annual ranking recognizes the nation’s best advertising agencies with 150 or fewer employees, based on innovative creativity, impact on clients’ businesses, evolving the agency business model, and financial performance.

To learn more about The Variable and its battle against consumer indifference, visit www.thevariable.com.

About The Variable:
The Variable is a reformed ad agency created by entrepreneurs, design geeks, business nerds, investment bankers, makers, client-side refugees, and big agency survivors. We love ideas that aren’t homogenized, commoditized and over-resourcized. We love thinking that hasn’t been so thoroughly run through a bloated bureaucracy that all the special parts have been rubbed off. We’re a nimble group of the best and brightest, brought together to make cool shit. Whether it’s developing a new product innovation, a unique service offering, an unforgettable brand experience or the greatest ad campaign ever, we help our clients rethink the way they think about their marketing investment. For more information about The Variable, visit: http://www.TheVariable.com.

For more information, contact:
Emma Brown
[email protected]
336-327-4021