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Pat Dugan has an innate ability for finding the emotional connection between the audiences he writes for and the topics he writes about. No matter how complex a product, feature or cause, he succeeds at turning “emotion into motion.”

Over his extensive career in branding and advertising, Pat has conceptualized, written and edited creative work in every media from print and TV to digital and video as well as across industries from healthcare to banking. That work has been recognized by a wide array of organizations, including The Ad Club (Boston), the Ad Club of Connecticut (including three Gold Pens), the Public Relations Society of America, the Brand Activation Association and the Web Marketing Association.

Pat also frequently contributes thought leadership to the agency’s marketing insights blog, which you can find here. 

Client Experience

Of which business achievements are you most proud?

I’m proud of any project I work on that accomplishes the following:

a) gets the client to say “I don’t think I can pick just one concept.”

b) produces results that exceed the client’s goals.

c) gets some peers to call or email me with a “nice work.”

What awards/recognition do you value most?

There are far bigger and more prestigious advertising award shows, but the one I enjoy the most is the Ad Club of Connecticut’s annual show in May. It’s a fun chance to see a lot of the peers I don’t usually see beyond their Facebook pages, check out what they’ve been working on and feel like part of a true community. If I get to walk up and accept an award or two, even better—there’s no group I’d rather be recognized in front of.

What traits help you succeed?

Curiosity. Competitiveness. Confidence.

How do you hold it together when things get stressful?

Hey, we’re not curing cancer here. Nobody’s life depends on what we do. It’s just advertising . . . there’s very little reason for anyone to wig out. Just take a deep breath and figure out the best way to proceed.

How have your roots contributed to who you are today?

I grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, and Glastonbury, Connecticut. As a kid, I was always into reading, writing and art. I remember seeing the 1986 movie Nothing in Common with Tom Hanks as an ad guy driving around in a Jeep and going on TV commercial shoots, and thinking, “That looks like fun.” Twenty-five years later, I’m driving around in a Jeep going on TV commercial shoots. Thanks, Tom Hanks!

What activities do you enjoy?

Photography, movies, running, cooking, Xbox and playing with my kids . . . not necessarily in that order.

Of which achievements are you most proud?

That I’m happily married with three great kids and a nice roof over our heads . . . that’s pretty much all I need.

Your favorite motto, quote, saying?

“Advertising is the rock and roll of the business world.” — Luke Sullivan