The modern advertising landscape is littered with the ghosts of campaigns that captured momentary buzz but failed to build lasting brand value, a challenge that Portland-based agency VIA is tackling head-on with its latest high-profile hire. The appointment of Matt O’Rourke as Chief Creative Officer brings a creative heavyweight into the fold, prompting a critical question: In a world demanding more than just clever ads, can one leader truly redefine an agency’s creative output and secure its future? For VIA and its roster of iconic brands, the answer carries significant weight.
The Architect and the Agency a New Creative Era in Portland
The arrival of a new Chief Creative Officer at any agency marks a potential turning point, but VIA’s selection of Matt O’Rourke feels less like a course correction and more like a deliberate declaration of intent. The CCO role has evolved into one of the most demanding in marketing, requiring not just artistic vision but a deep understanding of commercial impact, audience fragmentation, and cultural relevance. O’Rourke’s entrance is positioned as the start of a new creative chapter for the Portland agency, one aimed at navigating this complex territory with proven leadership.
His mandate is clear: to shape VIA’s overarching creative vision and elevate the work across its entire portfolio of clients. This move signals a commitment to producing not just effective advertising, but culturally significant work that embeds brands like Arm & Hammer, Klondike, and Golden Corral more deeply into the lives of consumers. It is a high-stakes play that bets on O’Rourke’s ability to translate his past successes into a new context.
Why This Move Matters Navigating the New Rules of Engagement
Today’s central advertising challenge is connecting with audiences scattered across countless platforms while delivering creative work that is directly accountable for business growth. This dual pressure has made the old models of engagement obsolete. VIA’s strategic hire acknowledges this reality head-on. CEO Leeann Leahy has framed O’Rourke’s appointment as a crucial investment in the agency’s future, tapping into a “new generation of creativity” adept at understanding modern media consumption and commercial effectiveness.
For established brands such as Arm & Hammer and Klondike, the creative opportunities are immense. These household names possess deep-seated brand recognition but must continuously innovate to remain relevant. O’Rourke’s task will be to leverage this existing equity, transforming it into fresh, engaging narratives that resonate with contemporary audiences and drive tangible business results in a fiercely competitive market.
Deconstructing the O’Rourke Effect Past Performance as Future Predictor
O’Rourke arrives with a formidable reputation built at some of the world’s most renowned creative shops, including Wieden+Kennedy and Crispin. His portfolio includes culturally disruptive, award-winning campaigns that have left a lasting mark, from the interactive “Muscle Music” activation for Old Spice to influential work for Volvo and Taco Bell. This track record, recognized with multiple Cannes Lions and a spot among ADWEEK’s Best Advertising Voices, demonstrates a consistent ability to generate ideas that permeate culture.
His core philosophy, however, moves beyond chasing temporary attention. O’Rourke’s vision centers on designing for long-term value and fostering what he terms “irrational loyalty.” This approach prioritizes building deep, emotional connections that turn consumers into advocates, a strategy that shifts the goal from simply being seen to being genuinely valued by an audience.
Voices from the Inside the Shared Ambition Fueling the Partnership
The decision to bring O’Rourke to VIA was fueled by a mutual ambition. From the agency’s perspective, CEO Leeann Leahy emphasized the need for a leader with an innate grasp of modern audience behavior. She cited O’Rourke’s proficiency in creating work that is not only creatively excellent but also commercially accountable as the key reason for his selection, aligning perfectly with VIA’s growth strategy.
Conversely, O’Rourke was drawn to VIA’s foundational belief that creativity is a primary business driver, not a decorative afterthought. He expressed enthusiasm for the agency’s clear ambition to create work that people actively want to engage with and discuss. This shared perspective—that great creative work should become part of the cultural conversation—forms the bedrock of their new partnership.
The Blueprint for Redefinition O’Rourke’s Strategy for VIA
A central pillar of O’Rourke’s intended strategy is to shift the creative focus from one-way messaging toward fostering a culture of participation. This involves creating immersive brand experiences that invite audiences to become part of the story, transforming passive consumption into active engagement. By doing so, brands can build more meaningful and lasting relationships with their customers.
This creative approach is underpinned by a framework that tightly integrates creativity with commerce. The goal is to ensure that every creative execution is directly tied to being commercially effective, providing clients with measurable and accountable results. The ultimate objective was to produce work that captures the zeitgeist—ideas so compelling that people choose to spend time with them, discuss them, and share them, embedding VIA’s clients into the fabric of culture.
