People

PATRICK HANLON is acknowledged as one of the top branding  practitioners in  the world. His book Primal Branding: Create Zealots For  Your Brand, Your  Company And Your Future has been translated into five  languages and included  as marketing curriculum at progressive  universities including Berkeley and Johns  Hopkins. He has been a guest  speaker at the HP Brand Innovation Series, IDEO,  Brandworks  University, GlobalShop, Institute for International Research, Urban  Land Institute, Best Buy, Young & Rubicam, the American Marketing  Association,  the Direct Marketing Association Leadership Council, the  Outdoor Advertising  Association of America, New York University,  Parsons School of Design,  Syracuse University, American Advertising  Federation, Asociacion de Ejecutivos  De Ventas y Mercadeo and      elsewhere.  At THINKTOPIA®, Hanlon and partner  Susan Cantor husband a roving troupe of social anthropologists, cultural  enthographers, trend spotters, research analysts, venture catalysts, graphic  designers, urban planners, innovation experts, videographers, stylists, retail  experientialists, cool hunters, forensic researchers, futurists and more.

He has been quoted in Fast Company, Business Week Online, Entrepreneur, Inc. magazine, and elsewhere. And he has been a guest writer in Brandweek and Advertising Age.

As an executive creative director at advertising agencies like TBWA, Hal Riney & Partners, Lowe & Partners and Ogilvy, Hanlon worked on famous brands like Absolut, John Deere, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, UPS, LEGO, Unilever and IBM. His work is included in Absolut Book. His 2003 Super Bowl spot for H&R Block with Willie Nelson was a Top 10 spot in consumer polls. He has been a judge for the Clios and The Kelly Awards as well as other award shows. He wrote the introduction to How To Succeed In Advertising When All You Have Is Talent.

Before joining THINKTOPIA®, SUSAN CANTOR was President and CEO of the flagship office of  Lowe Worldwide, a major worldwide advertising network, at the age of 37. After serving for two  years as President and CEO for Lowe New York, the agency for clients like GMC Trucks, Milk,  Johnson & Johnson and Unilever, Susan joined THINKTOPIA®. Today, she shepherds a roving  troupe of research analysts, trend spotters, social anthropologists, cultural enthographers, new  venture catalysts, graphic designers, urban planners, innovation experts, videographers, stylists,  retail experientialists, cool hunters, forensic researchers, futurists and more on some of the world most beloved brands, including Levi’s, Wrigley’s, Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, American Express, 92Y and others.  Her work on these clients, coupled with her broad global experience, makes her one of the world’s premiere branding experts today.

Cantor was named one of Crain’s New York Business “40 Under 40” stars, and her  work on GMC earned her the coveted Women’s Automotive Association’s “Spirit of Leadership” award in 2004. Susan began her career at Griffin Bacal, where she worked on Hasbro, then moved to Ammirati & Puris and supervised the Burger King account. Susan lives in New York City with her husband and three daughters.