My first idea was my worst one.

When I was a kid, I thought filling Super Soakers with fruit punch was a great creative idea. It solved two problems:

1. My brother and I had an epic battle (boredom cured)

2. It was delicious (thirst quenched)

The downstairs neighbor called the cops after “blood” started dripping through her ceiling.

…I’ve refined the approach since.

Today, I wear dry clothes to work, and I’m a creative leader with over a decade of experience helping brands find their voice, and pushing them to do something bold with it.

I believe in what I call Radical Utility: ideas that don’t just say something, but do something—work that earns attention by being genuinely useful, culturally relevant, and hard to ignore. It’s what I rely on to sharpen briefs, or when a stat needs to become something people remember.

I’ve built award-winning work with teams at Leo Burnett, R/GA, FCB, Edelman, and Whirlpool—by searching for sharper thinking, stronger points of view, and ideas that hold up in the real world.

And when we get there, we celebrate properly because good work should feel good to make.

When I’m not working, I’m at the beach with my Australian Shepherds or playing Magic: The Gathering at a local game store.

Things I like: cheap beer, good books, fluffy dogs, fruit punch
Things that scare me: ornery downstairs neighbors, bears

Reach out: jdessworks@gmail.com