BarkleyOKRP has appointed Brad Jones as its new Chief Creative Officer, a move that underscores the independent agency’s growing focus on creative-media integration and its expanding national footprint.
Jones joins from Mojo Supermarket, where he served as Executive Creative Director and helped lead culturally resonant campaigns for brands including Rivian, Facebook, and Pinterest. He succeeds Katy Hornaday, who transitioned into the CEO role earlier this year. Jones begins immediately and will relocate from New York to Kansas City.
Hornaday told Ad Age that the agency’s five-month search was centered on finding not only a strong creative leader but one adept in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. As BarkleyOKRP continues integrating its MissionOne Media division, formed in 2024 after merging its in-house media group with performance agency Adlucent, the company is reshaping itself around a model where creative and media operate as one.
“We’re really looking at that modern media landscape and building an agency that’s fit to create ideas for every facet of it,” Hornaday said.
An Australian native, Jones has built a career spanning independent and digital-first agencies including ATTN: and Laundry Service, developing work across nearly every medium—from SMS storytelling to social-first films. That versatility, Hornaday said, aligns with BarkleyOKRP’s next phase as clients increasingly expect media strategy and creativity to emerge together.
For Jones, the move represents both a creative and structural opportunity. “BarkleyOKRP is one of the biggest independents in the country,” he told Ad Age. “I want to turn it into one of the best. You have the scale of a holding company but the independence of a boutique.”
Formed in March 2024 through the merger of Barkley and OKRP, the 700-person agency landed on Ad Age’s 2025 A-List for its growth and work across brands like Inspire Sleep, where integrated teams concepted, produced, and placed a national campaign around The Golden Bachelor in a matter of weeks.
Jones said that kind of integration is what drew him to the agency. “As a creative, you’re always wondering what the media plan’s going to be,” he said. “Now it’s, ‘Let’s write the media plan together.’”
Among Jones’ standout campaigns are “Real Rivian Adventures” (Rivian), “Yes, Couch!” (Facebook), “Pinterest Predicts” (Pinterest), and “Google Chrome Speed Challenge” featuring Lil Yachty and Busta Rhymes.
He will oversee more than 200 creatives across five offices, continuing BarkleyOKRP’s push to become a “one-stop shop” where creativity, strategy, and media converge.
“Your idea has to earn attention before you pour fuel on the fire through media,” Jones said. “When those two things come together, that’s when it gets really powerful.”
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