Little known fact: KC’s homegrown corporate entity Garmin comes up with about 70 new products a year for fitness, outdoor, marine, automotive, and aviation. Creative guru Brian Brooker heads up Garmin’s 90-person (!!!) in-house MarCom group—responsible for everything from video, print, and merchandising, to podcasts, social, digital, and Garmin.com. (Littler known fact: Brooker also helped create Sonic’s epic two-dudes-in-a-car commercial campaign.)
Recently, Garmin got into the coveted Communication Arts Advertising Annual for a short digital film titled Any Body Can Do it, in their “Women of Adventure” series. Brooker is particularly proud of the fact that it was created and produced entirely with in-house resources on a limited budget. He says it’s a testament to the tremendous talent within Garmin’s walls. After 35 years in the business, Brooker’s philosophy remains unchanged: “1. Come up with a good idea. 2. Throw it away. 3. Come up with a better one.”
Here are five things you don’t know about the creative behemoth.
5. When I was 13, my dad took me to a Bruce Lee movie.
“Lee had speed, power, and loads of charisma. “There’s never been another one like him.”
4. I know there are other singer-songwriters besides Bob Dylan.
“I just don’t care.”
3. On bad days I eat egg salad sandwiches.
“Egg. Salad. Sandwiches.”
2. If I could make a living playing ping pong …
“ … I would.”
1. I qualified for the Boston Marathon.
“This is my medal. It’s shiny.”