Former NBA player Jamal Mashburn is teaming up with veteran ad man Jonathan Sackett to open a new advertising agency in Chicago.
The duo hope to take advantage of marketers’ growing interest in smaller agencies that can more nimbly respond to changes underway in the media landscape, such as the rise of social media.
“Many of the big agencies can’t turn around on a dime,” said Mr. Sackett, who will be chief executive of Mashburn Sackett. Mr. Sackett, 44-years old, was most recently a senior partner at WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather.
Mr. Mashburn, 41, played for teams such the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. After retiring in 2004, he worked for ESPN as an analyst. The NBA All-Star, who will be chairman of the new agency, talked with us about his latest venture and explains how his business experience has taught him about marketing. He owns several car dealerships and an interest in several restaurant franchises including 38 Outback Steakhouse restaurants and 40 Papa John’s pizza restaurants.
Read more at WSJ.
