David Friend
A creative thinker with a business brain. Someone who sees around corners.*
Marketing | Strategy | Copywriting
I connect what moves consumers with what drives results. I care about people, understand products, and know business. I work with brands like Nike, Burton Snowboards, and REI.
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*David Friend can see around corners and what's ahead, but he cannot see through physical objects.
What I Do
Two decades of experience understanding how people feel, what they actually want from a brand or product, and what they’ll accept before they call BS. I’m forever curious about what’s changing and what comes next.
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I recognize where culture, consumers, technologies, and the business are moving, and what potential that creates.
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I make complexity understandable and actionable.
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I turn that understanding into something distinct, ownable, and meaningful to consumers.
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I turn insight into something genuinely new.
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I make brand, product, marketing, and creative reinforce the same idea.
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I give teammates across different functions something they can understand, contribute to, and feel excited to deliver on.
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I turn the work into measurable impact.
Marketing
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Strategy
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Creative
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Fun Times
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Marketing | Strategy | Creative | Fun Times |
What I Bring
I’ve been fortunate to work in many different roles and industries. I understand how the pieces of a business fit together and what becomes possible when they work together. I make cool shit happen.
Brand Director
Strategist
Copywriter
Creative Director
Marketing Manager
Product Manager
Product Designer
Founder
Among Good Company
From global brands to startups, I’ve worked with a wide range of businesses, products, and people. On projects big and small, I help brands clarify what sets them apart, express it in interesting ways, and make people care. Then the brands make money.
Burton Snowboards
Nike
Under Armour
REI
Tiger Woods
Zero Motorcycles
Instrument
This Design
Nemo Design
K2 Sports
HUBweek MIT/Harvard
Pub Beer
Forum Snowboards
Special Blend
Peet Kegler Design
Electric Lettuce
Pale Blue Earth
Skullcandy
Goorin Brothers
Foursquare
About Me
Portland, Oregon-based, I’m a snowboarder, yogi, tropical plant collector, lover of music, and occasional maker of art. A nerd in a cool-guy costume, yet somehow few notice.
I like rolling up my sleeves and making things happen just as much as working high concept. Over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of ideas, people, and business with brands including Nike and Burton Snowboards. Along the way, I built and sold a jewelry and perfume business of my own.
I’m drawn to ambitious ideas and people with a distinct point of view. I like working across disciplines, listening, learning, and discovering unexpected possibilities. Communication and curiosity above all else. I care about creating an environment where people are excited to contribute and comfortable expressing themselves.