Welcome to The Thing About Kirk.
Here, Kirk’s colleagues will tell you about all the things that make Kirk one of the most amazing designers and creative directors the world has ever known.
Also, we will make fun of his Star Wars figures.
If there’s a thing about Kirk you’d like to share, hit me with it.
The thing about Kirk is, I have never met another person with so much depth. So much love for family and friends. So much passion for life. And so much talent that he is able to channel into his chosen profession. Equally comfortable providing creative direction on copy or design, Kirk has a way of transforming work from simply “good” to something that is truly brilliant. Of course, he elevates more than just the creative product—he also provides inspiration and generates creative aspirations for the people lucky enough to call him a mentor. I am one of those people. Having worked with Kirk for over 7 years, I can tell you that I will always cherish the time that I could walk over and get his opinion on a headline or sit in a room and brainstorm some killer ideas. My experience with Kirk represents the point where I was able to turn my perception of what we do in advertising and marketing upside down. Literally. He opened my mind and worked with me to successfully create a career path upon which I still travel to this day.
Brilliant designer, world-class creative director, former jouster, amazing painter, civil war history geek—Kirk is all of these things, plus he throws the best Halloween party this side of the Mississippi.
The thing about Kirk… Really? I can only say one thing? Sorry, but that’s impossible.
First of all, Kirk works harder than anyone I’ve ever known. We’re talking late nights, early mornings, whatever it takes to get the job done. And he never fails to produce strategic, advertising magic. Look up “overachiever” in the dictionary and you’ll find a photo of Kirk cheesing for the camera. You’ll find the same photo next to “team player.”
Wanna know a secret? When we worked together, I’d sometimes wander into Kirk’s office or sit next to him at the lunch table hoping I’d absorb some of his good attitude, positive energy and vivacious spirit through osmosis or something. And you know what? A lot of the times it actually worked.
I’d love to work with Kirk again. I count myself lucky that I already have.
The thing about Kirk is that he makes me look good. Every time. By and large, I haven’t deserved it, but that’s the kind of guy he is. Over the years, his impeccable eye for design and feel for language has fooled many a customer into thinking my copy was fantastic. Another thing about Kirk is that there are so many things about Kirk. A few words to describe The Man: Expert. Talented. Prankster. (Yeah, I fell for the old lotion-on-the-phone trick once. ONCE.) Friend. Morale booster. The funniest guy I know. Painter. Sculptor. Haunted House connoisseur. Civil War buff. Star Wars nerd. Leader. Collaborator. And finally, mentor. He is consistently generous with his talent, and freely gives others the benefit of his wealth of experience, often when they need it most. I can honestly say that my life – professionally and personally – is a lot better because he’s in it. I not only recommend him, I’ll say straight out that you are making a huge mistake if you DON’T hire him.
I leave you with this, a mashup of Bill and Ted with another famous Kirk: “Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most … awesome.”
The thing about Kirk is that he never stops smiling. I’m not talking with just his lips. No it’s in his energy, his work, his humor, his everything. He always makes you laugh, makes for a great lunch buddy and doesn’t appear to stop giving his all in everything he designs or concepts and any friendship he begins. I wish I could have some of his smile bottled up because I sure appreciate how it always brightens my day.
“Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”
The things about Kirk is, he may be short but under that Imperial armor is a guy with big ideas — a skilled designer and a leader.
I worked with Kirk just short of 2 years and not only did I find a good friend whose Star Wars collection rivaled mine, but also one who created stellar print and video concepts for AT&T and successfully lead teams of designers on major business pitches, all while keeping the entire design department in stitches with his quirky personality.
Kirk is a real trooper.
The thing about Kirk is that he has a big heart and is in fact a “kid” at heart. He is always looking for a way to make someone smile. Even if that someone happens to be a 5 year old little boy, who came to work unwillingly a few times with his “boring old mom.” Kirk goes out of his way to show people how much he genuinely cares for them. He is always looking to make someone smile. Example: buying that 5 year old little boy one of his favorite Spiderman toys, so he could play with it the next time he came to “boring old work.” Now, he no longer thinks that work is boring. He asks about Kirk ALL the time and always wants to come to work, just to see him! Kirk has an extremely big heart and puts others before himself. He will go above and beyond to show he cares and to see them smile, no matter who they are or their age. I can tell you who one of that little boy’s favorite people is: It’s Kirk.
The thing about Kirk is that he makes it all seem so easy. Whether he’s managing a team of creative divas (“you want me to do WHAT to the headline?”), rolling up his sleeves and tackling a mountainous list of tactics or simply brainstorming the next big idea for a new client, he does it all with a smile that speaks volumes. Whether he’s aware of it or not, he was an important role model for me when I was starting in this industry. And I don’t mean that in the sense that he showed me a lot of good tricks for how to treat my copy decks, I mean that in the sense that he showed me how to treat people. I’m excited for the company that eventually brings him on because they’ll be getting a guy who is a great leader, a fantastic presenter, a superior thinker and a cultural ambassador who does whatever it takes to make not only his personal work look good, but also the work his company puts out as a whole. And all the while, he’ll make it all seem so easy.
The thing about Kirk is that he was the first art director I had the pleasure to work with when I arrived in the US. We worked together at Dieste on one of the toughest accounts you could possibly work on: AT&T. And we succeeded! From creating a couple of direct mail pieces per month, we rapidly grew to become one of the largest Hispanic direct marketing agencies in the country, producing DRTV, Spot TV, direct mail, interactive, and every existing tactic. Kirk’s contribution to this success was key, working hard, contributing with great ideas, and – believe it or not – even providing the team with Hispanic insights. Kirk knows direct like no one else. Probably, his direct marketing skills are only surpassed by his Texas Hold’em abilities. I would love to to work with him again in the future.
The thing about Kirk is that he’s such a joy to work with. It’s more than his work ethic and devotion to delivering a quality product. It’s even more than the fact that he goes out of his way to understand the needs of those in other departments and works WITH THEM to achieve the overall goals. He’s ready with a smile, a caring word, feedback, understanding and a willingness to help. But that’s still not the whole. When there’s fun to be had, he’s there. When it’s time to buckle down and “get ‘er done”, he’s there. When you need someone to bounce ideas off of, he’s there too.
The thing about Kirk is that there aren’t that many out there like him and those that call him friend, associate, adviser, acquaintance and employee are all very lucky indeed.
The thing about Kirk is he always made me laugh, even when I was hounding him for deliverables. He is dependable, reliable and trustworthy. His spirit is unlike no other and it inspires me and everyone he’s around, day in and day out. Kirk works hard but plays hard too and he always seems to have the perfect mix of both in everything he does. I look forward to working with him again in the future – no doubt about it! Oh and Loser’s Lunch in the Malt Shop will never be the same …
The thing about Kirk is…well, first of all he puts the “mate” in officemate. He takes on teambuilding and inclusive pet projects in addition to his enourmous workload and gets it all done in stride. He’s a team player, but not in the “everybody says that” way. He truly is. Also, Kirk’s a nerd. But in a good way. His immeasurable knowledge of music and Star Wars factoids makes for an odd and irresistable combination. His personality is tremendous, and I’d be most happy to work with him again. Soon.
The thing about Kirk is, he’s so awesome it’s kind of annoying. He’s the type of creative that has great conceptual ideas, can execute them flawlessly and inspires everyone around him. It’s enough to make you sick except that he’s so damn funny, self-deprecating and an all-around nice guy that you can’t help but love him. Even if you wish you could hate him. Or at least dislike him. Just a little bit. Any creative team would be lucky to have Kirk join them and I can’t wait until we’re working together again.
The thing about Kirk is he’s always thinking outside the box. He brings energy to the office every day, the kind that allows creativity to thrive. No matter how busy the day gets, or how stressful things become, it’s still a guarantee that Kirk can bring a smile to your face. And if you’re brainstorming with him, don’t expect to just mention a few ideas and go with them. Kirk will challenge your ideas, make up a joke about them, reevaluate them, draw you a picture to illustrate his joke and finally, create a few brilliant designs that he masterfully presents to the client (who undeniably loves him too.) His work ethic and overall zeal for life is contagious, making him a person anyone would be proud to call a coworker and a friend.
The thing about Kirk is that he is a business-minded visual thinker who goes above and beyond when delivering customer focused creative. His sense of humor and easygoing personality make Kirk a powerhouse designer. He is also an amazing fine artist and bluegrass producer.
The thing about Kirk is this, he sneaks right up on you. Give him a simple-sounding assignment — hey, Kirk, we’re doing this thing about elephants…can you find us some kind of visual? — and twenty minutes later, he shows up with an amazing four-color infographic he just researched and created in Illustrator showing the History of the Pachyderm. While you’re checking out the amazing smartness of the graphic, he’ll sing extracts from a song he one heard about elephants and then tell you a really funny joke about an Englishman, an Irishman and an elephant who walked into this bar. Kirk is an amazing designer and art director and a massive asset to any creative team. He’s a brainstorming machine and a truly funny fellow. Only an idiot would let him go. Now that one has done so, he’ll be picked up faster than a dropped Twinkie at a nerd convention.
The thing about Kirk is, he’s a true creative genius with a heart of gold. With such talent and smarts, he could easily strut around the office with big ego in hand. But, not Kirk. He uses his talent to provide his clients with smart solutions and seals the deal with his friendly demeanor. He shares his talent and knowledge with his teammates and yet never demands to take all the credit. It’s always a team effort. Finally, he digs deep into that talent and continually surprises both colleagues and clients with brilliant creative. And to balance all that brilliance, he has an abundance of corny jokes and practical jokes up his sleeve. Every creative department needs a Kirk Seace. Let the fighting begin!
The thing about Kirk? There isn’t one thing about Kirk.
There are numerous things about Kirk.
His work ethic and random taste in music.
His talent to design work that persuades and compels.
His calm demeanor and reassuring presence.
His sense of humor that reminds us this industry should be fun.
His ability to ask the right questions and give the right answers.
And those damn Star Wars toys just suck you into his office.
Sounds like a lot of recommendations, right? Maybe. But what Kirk possesses that few have and even fewer demonstrate in this screwed-up industry is humanity. The compassion he shows for his team is uncompromising. His willingness to carry not just his share of the workload but yours, too, when it’s needed is inspiring. Hell, there will come a point after working with Kirk when you’ll start questioning your own contributions to the team and you’ll work harder, smarter and faster as a result.
If pushed for the one thing about Kirk, that’s probably it. He makes everyone around him better—better designers, better writers, better people. I wish we all could say that.
The thing about Kirk is, it’s impossible to narrow down just one thing. He is one of the most talented designers I have ever known. His personality turns the office into a better place instantly. He’s the kind of guy who can say just about anything to just about anyone and get away with it because, well, it’s Kirk. His ability to present and appeal to clients no matter their style and personality is beyond admirable. I consider myself lucky to have had a chance to work with and learn from Kirk. The thing is, be it concepting, critiquing, delivering on a tight schedule, morale boosting or coming up with impromptu lyrics to the tune of Barry Manilow songs, Kirk is the absolute man.
The thing about Kirk is, there is a little kid inside of him. And that little kid can be a shit. Trick you into eating rubber mulch. Hang all your stuff from the ceiling. Mock you in front of God and country. But that kid’s also the one who never got jaded. Who makes you laugh, every single day. And who doesn’t know any other way but to lead with his heart and work his ass off and and put the client first and create amazing work, usually with no time and less budget.
What else can I tell you?
Kirk is a friend, a great collaborator, extremely organized and a brilliant creative. The thing about Kirk is, he makes work fun. When you combine great creative talent with a great sense of humor, it really makes coming to work fun.
The thing about Kirk is that I agree with what everyone one else has to say about the guy…he’s just great at his job. The one bit of the story I wanted to add is how he reacts when things start to turn ugly with a client (as they inevitably do at some point for all of us). This is where he shines…his poise, perspective and focus on the ultimate goal of the project come through. He strikes a wonderful balance between the wants of agency and client that allows him to turn the situation into a positive one. You can tell a lot about a person when the tide starts to turn, and this is when I am always glad to have Kirk in the room with me.
The thing about Kirk is that he makes work fun. He always has a great joke to tell or funny prank he is in on. He loves life – and spontaneously breaking out into really bad songs. But the amazing thing about Kirk is that he is a fabulous art director, collaborator and all around good guy. He knows design, he knows print and he knows what will work and what won’t. He pushes the envelope (literally!) but is realistic when dealing with tight budgets and tight timelines. I don’t know how many times I asked him to add another deliverable to his already huge list; he just absorbed the work with a smile and a joke, and sometimes a Nerf gun to the head. He has vision and people skills and everyone I know has enjoyed working with him, in fact I’ll be honored if I ever get the opportunity again.
The thing about Kirk is how crazy it is that you can look up “raw talent” in a dictionary and see his smiling face. Everything from our Citibank creative for “The Oprah Show” to the way he surprises his co-workers with egg sandwiches in the morning, is done with a charismatic-artistic finesse, I’ve never seen. A huge Kirk led victory came when he created 4 DRTV and a dozen webisode storyboards for a very large client, all of which have crushed the control groups the client had already had in place. He has never failed to baffle our clients with creative work that inspires the room and jokes that…well?…don’t J. It really was an honor and a privilege to work with him and he’s one of the nicest, passionate guys I’ve known.
The thing about Kirk is that he considered the “human element” in everything he did. He designed for the end customer, yet balanced with what the client was looking for. Even during the creative review, he didn’t forget the human element there either. It was always anything but ordinary. Thanks for the laughs. Kirk is every account person’s dream creative person. And I am proud to have been able to work with him and even prouder to call him “friend”. Everyone needs a “Kirk” in their life to make it all worthwhile.
The Thing About Kirk ... 