Bio

A marketing executive on one of those fancy Fast Company lists called Ryan a “silent killer that delivers thinking that’s so smart and thoughtful, it elevates.”

The man behind one of TV’s fastest-growing networks said Ryan is “changing the game.”

A CEO who’s part of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list said “I haven’t had conversations this smart about our brand, ever. I’ve got to say…once you have a strategy, boy do you deliver on it!”

A member of the Marketing Hall of Fame wrote “if you want something to shake your thinking right NOW about marketing, Ryan has more GREAT ideas than just about anything I’ve read.”

And a 3x best-selling marketing author was “amazed at just how useful Ryan’s advice might be for experienced marketing pros and small business owners alike.”

That’s me. Hey, I’m Ryan. I’ve lived in Los Angeles nearly my entire life. Fresh air, snobby coffee, smooth whisky, and sunsets inspire me. I create Spotify playlists for nearly every occasion (cooking, entertaining guests, pool time, rainy days, being happy, and building this site). I’ve written three marketing books (all more than a decade ago but still, sometimes, somehow, relevant) and three kids call me dad. Here’s what you still don’t know…

Over the last twenty years, brands have trusted me to design and launch their marketing campaigns around the world — in the United States, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and the UK. I cherish the global perspective I gained from traveling and the local food I still crave.

At one of my first agency jobs, I taped a piece of paper to the outside of my office door that read, “Always Make It Better.” A constant reminder to buck the norm. To create something unexpected, unique, and special. To do work that impresses relentlessly. That’s why you’ll hear me talk about differentiation over and over again. And then, again. And it’s why I work my ass off.

I’m a visual learner, so a few years later I hung a piece in my office that read “I work extremely hard doing what I love, so I don’t have to work extremely hard doing what I hate.” That sums it up nicely I think. And another print traveled from one job to another, and then to my plywood-office-built-in-my-garage-during-quarantine — “If you talked to people the way advertising talked to people, they’d punch you in the face.” It’s an effective reminder that our audience isn’t just a demographic or stereotype, but a real person with real preferences and even more real challenges. So, I write like I talk and think with empathy first.

Working on the client side, I built a strong, diverse team of marketers, each hailing from China, Brazil, Nigeria, and El Salvador. Today, I still look for ways to elevate diverse perspectives, to discover problems from different angles, to think critically, and foster inclusion.

In the end, I do it all because one of my greatest joys is seeing a smirk grow across a client’s face. To see them exhale because we just articulated something they’ve struggled for months to describe themselves. Or to see them sit up straight, shift their shoulders back and get restless because we’ve asked a question that will unlock a new energy into their brand. They’re excited to get started. Excited to do more. Me too.

Résumé

160over90
Connecting curiosity with strategy with the world’s most culturally connected creative agency.

GLG
Bringing real-world perspectives to curious decision-makers. Trading in lessons learned. Less textbook, more field-tested.

KNOWN
Led development of breakthrough marketing strategies for unicorns-to-be and some of the most influential, legacy brands in the world. Inspired by views of the Wilshire skyline on one coast and Bryant Park on another.

PRINCESS CRUISES
Ushered in a new market entrant brand and grew it to become the world’s #1 preferred premium cruise line. Developed and launched new DTC eCommerce channels. Penned thought leadership on global brand strategy and local activation. Gave speeches, designed CRM strategies, wrote and produced a TVC that was distributed in 17 countries, fell in love with business class, pioneered brand image recovery during a global pandemic, and drank bubble tea and played basketball with Yao Ming on a $760 million ship custom-built for China. Learned the value of different perspectives, how delicate (but rewarding) international relations can be, and to appreciate the world outside one zip code.

RHYNO
Founded a marketing consultancy. Worked on a (very) wide variety of brands. Packaged coffee, business transaction enterprise solutions, freelancer management platforms, architecture firms, and municipalities. Over 1/3 of the brands went on to be acquired by Fortune 500 companies. Learned to hustle, make a big impact with a little budget, and share in others’ success.

MOORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Led a small team at a small agency with small transportation clients and smaller budgets. Developed integrated campaigns across the U.S. that put butts in seats. Partnered with Google in its Google Transit launch. Uncovered ways of making transportation so sexy that the LA Times, USA Today, MSNBC, and the big networks just had to cover it. Learned the difference between management and leadership.

ABS/GISX
Managed multi-million dollar activities for Warner Brothers, DPS Film Roman, Blue Cross of California, City National Bank, Ryland Group, Countrywide Home Loans, YMCA, and Time Warner Cable. The firm’s president suggested I learn ‘how to win friends and influence people.’ Learned real relationship building and product positioning, instead.

PLANET ROCK RADIO
Listened to a weekly radio show and asked to be an intern. Drove down the 101 a week later, stepped inside a building on Sunset and moderated chat rooms. Became an on-air personality, hosted music festivals, and took a press photo on a high-rise rooftop wearing a leather jacket and standing in front of a helicopter. Learned the value of community.

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© Ryan Barton, 2025.

Photo credit: My 10, 11, 12-year old daughter who accepted the photo assignment using this creative brief: “A photo that would look silly on Papa but shows Daddy looking approachable and successful. Make Daddy look like himself when he’s happy and relaxed. He’s not trying to be somebody else. This is who he is.”