Northridge, CA — Advertising veteran, creative director and founder of LA ads, Dan Katz, has announced his retirement from the agency in June. Agency vice president, Rolf Gutknecht, will take over as president and CEO. Danny Mehl will assume the role of creative director.
Mr. Katz began his career in the late 1970s as a copywriter and creative director for a number of Los Angeles-based agencies whose clients included major national consumer goods manufactures, financial services, consumer electronics brands, leading homebuilders, health & beauty products and food producers.
Shortly after founding LA ads, and having family buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, Mr. Katz decided to pitch the cemetery on a new and more innovative approach to advertising. The success of that first campaign led to the agency’s eventual specialization in the cemetery & funeral business. He has referred to this approach as “Dare to be Different” funeral marketing and has spoken about it at national business conferences and in his articles which have been featured in numerous trade publications.
Upon leaving the agency, Mr. Katz has said he will be pursuing his passion as a photographic fine artist, along with plans to travel extensively with his wife, a retired high school math teacher.
“It’s been a fantastic journey so far,” said Mr. Katz. “I’ve met some of the very finest people, especially in the funeral profession, and I’ve created some of my best work for these wonderful, innovative clients. I owe them – and my talented partner, Rolf – a genuine debt of gratitude.”
“We are thrilled to see Dan move forward with the next chapter in his life,” said Mr. Gutknecht. “He has made such a significant imprint not only on the agency, but on the many, many clients the agency has served.”
About LA ads
Founded in 1991 by creative director Dan Katz, and joined by veteran marketer Rolf Gutknecht in 2009, LA ads has become one of the leading names in funeral marketing. Clients the firm has served include some of the most respected names in funeral service, including Private Label Caskets, NFDA, Forest Lawn Memorial Parks, Inglewood Park Cemetery, The Foresight Companies, IMSA, multiple Catholic diocesan cemeteries, Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary, Sich Casket, C&J Financial, Funeralocity,
Kates-Boylston Publications, Indiana Memorial Group, NorthStar Memorial Group and Memorial Properties among many others. Their website is www.LAadsMarketing.com.
