Robert Akers

Bob Akers began his career in advertising at BBDO in Chicago as an art director. From there he worked at several other major Chicago ad agencies including FCB, NW Ayer and Hal Riney and Partners, before landing at Leo Burnett as an executive creative director, executive vice president. At Burnett, he led a group of 30 creatives, responsible for the creative work for national advertising of McDonald’s, Morgan Stanley, Nintendo, Disney, Kellogg’s and Keebler, winning many national awards. After leaving Burnett, he became a freelance commercial director and an adjunct professor at DePaul University. He is very enthusiastic about creativity in advertising and wants to share that along with his wealth of knowledge gained from many years working in creative departments with students. Seeing his students go on to land jobs in ad agencies is a great source of satisfaction for him.

Degrees

BFA Advertising Design, Magna Cum Laude, Syracuse University, 1980

Awards

One Show, NY Advertising Festival, Art Director’s Club of New York, Addy, Short-listed Cannes Advertising Festival, Mobius, OBIE Awards.