Bond Hilliard is fascinated by what moves people to action. Whether it’s a bold creative idea that grabs and holds attention, or a smart media play that drives a direct sale. This captivation aided Bond in his first job at a high school clothing store, uncovering the life moments driving apparel purchases, to his first career as Director of Partnership Service and Strategy at a sports-focused fundraising agency, bringing people together around joy and ritual for the San Francisco Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and more.

Today, Bond leverages this fascination to lead Stoltz Marketing Group’s talented account managers, ensuring the team is using experience, creativity, skill, and data to deliver high-impact results for clients.  As a recent addition to the Worldwide Partners’ Next Gen Council, Bond joins other indie agency rising stars in guiding strategies that deliver on our promise as the world’s most collaborative agency network. 

We asked Bond ten questions to learn more about his background, what excites him about the advertising industry, and what independence means to him.  

WPI >> Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

Bond >> I grew up in Idaho, US, and continue to live in Boise, Idaho's capital city, today.

WPI >> Three words to describe your personality.

Bond >> Curious, strategic, playful

WPI >> How did you end up in the advertising industry?

Bond >> Funny enough, I think my path to advertising started on my high school yearbook team. We took our work weirdly seriously and had a lot of fun doing it. I spent the first decade of my career focused on fan experience in sports, and I'll never forget what it taught me about how a brand can bring people together around joy and ritual. Now I'm at Stoltz, and the agency environment feels like the right home for my relentless curiosity, love of people, and good business.

WPI >> What excites you about the advertising industry? What pisses you off?

Bond >> We never run out of firsts. Every project requires us to use experience, creativity, skill, and data a little differently than the last one, and that keeps it interesting. And I love that we must work together to pull it off. 

What pisses me off? Sitting in safety for too long.

WPI >> What was your first job and what did it teach you?

Bond >> I worked at a clothing store in high school. It taught me a lot of valuable lessons in operations, time management, customer service, and leadership that still serve me today. I learned about consumer behavior while sorting piles of strewn flip flops and camisoles. I learned that we all get nervous before big and small life moments like job interviews, back to school day, and rehearsal dinners, and a great outfit takes the edge off.

WPI >> What is a book, movie, TV show or podcast that you find inspiring?

Bond >> Dolly Parton's America. It's a podcast, and it's required curriculum in my book for must-have lessons on the power of fearless authenticity, fierce business instincts, and a strong sense of self. Stop reading this and go listen.

WPI >> What is one of the favorite projects you have worked on at your agency?

Bond >> There are a lot of favorites, but one standout is “Let's Ride, BOI,” a campaign we did for our client Valley Regional Transit. It's not every day a public agency is up for bold, high-energy creative, but they were, and we needed it to get a car-loyal secondary city audience to consider public transportation. The campaign won the American Public Transportation Association's campaign of the year, and it gets at what I love – work that challenges cultural norms in unexpected places.

WPI >> What do you hope to get from being part of the Next Gen Council? What do you hope to accomplish?

Bond >> New friendships, new perspectives, and new opportunities to influence everyday life and well-being through our craft.

WPI >> What does independence mean to you?

Bond >> More room to breathe, explore, and run with great ideas.

WPI >> What would you be doing if you weren’t in advertising? 

Bond >> That's a question for future me to figure out.

This article is an installment in a series where Worldwide Partners speaks with members of our Next Gen Council. Check back for more interviews with our council members.