PHYLLIS TAMADA-BROWN

President/Design Director, Tamada Brown & Associates

Phyllis established Tamada Brown & Associates in 1991 after a long stint in advertising. In addition to running the firm for eighteen years, she leads the creative team in developing marketing campaigns, identity/brand programs, print and new media projects. She has structured her firm to take advantage of the creative collaborative visual and writing process found in advertising agencies and believes that all forms of communications are integral to projecting an organization’s marketing strategy. This belief is applied to every project worked on at Tamada Brown & Associates.

Phyllis has accomplished successful results for corporate, non-profit and public agencies in identity and communications. She has built strong working relationships with organizations such as North America Gas and Power (a BP company), Workforce Boards of Metropolitan Chicago, Prentice Hall, Chicago Public Schools, Britannica, and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Phyllis’ leadership has also generated local and national design awards from the Business Marketing Association, Print Regional Design Awards, and American Graphic Design Awards of Excellence.

As an art director, Phyllis created and maintained the visual brand message of corporate, product, and international advertising for Amoco Chemical. She also helped develop and launch programs and products for Ingersoll-Rand, Continental White Cap, and art directed corporate advertising for Stone Container. Her work yielded a crop of awards including six consecutive Business Week Best-Read Advertising Awards and DESIs.

ROBERT W. BROWN

Principal, Tamada Brown & Associates

When Bob joined Tamada Brown & Associates in 1993, he brought with him a strong background in design, publishing, marketing and corporate management. This experience, along with Phyllis Tamada-Brown's extensive background in advertising and design, created a senior team capable of providing integrated marketing communications and brand development.

Bob's background in publishing and education added a new dimension to Tamada Brown's capabilities. Working with Scott Foresman and Prentice Hall, Bob managed the design both K-6 and High School textbooks and auxiliary material. Design included a health textbook, ELS supplemental material, and development of a Spanish language program identity and creation of five textbook covers for the program.

Bob's non-profit experience has contributed to the creation of long-term relationships with Chicago History Museum, Workforce Boards of Metropolitan Chicago, the Chicago Park District, and the Chicago Public Schools.

Before joining Tamada Brown & Associates, Bob held several marketing positions at the Institute of Financial Education, a national, non-profit, financial training organization. There he was responsible for designing and marketing training materials. Initially, Bob built and managed an editorial and design staff of nine, winning publishing awards from Women in Publishing and the Chicago Book Clinic.  

MARK ARONSON

Writer Associate

Mark believes in blending the human element into advertising, because no matter how arcane or specialized a product or service may be, the ultimate user is a person. He also believes that advertising is a one-to-one transaction, no matter what the medium may be; there is no mass audience just one person talking to another.

BRUCE BENDINGER

Creative Associate

An associate of Tamada Brown since 1995, Bruce is “one of Chicago’s creative superstars.” An award-winning copywriter in his early twenties, at 27, he became the youngest Vice-President Creative Director in the history of the Leo Burnett ad agency.

Since then, he has been a “Creative Consultant”—doing everything from being Creative Director for a President of the United States, to helping Apple Computer with strategy systems, to producing “one of the most successful jingles in advertising,” for Popeyes Chicken with Dr. John, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The Neville Brothers.

He is author of the Copy Workshop Workbook, the “Bible” for those who want to learn advertising copywriting. It is the #1 textbook of universities and design schools.

BARRY KAKFKA

Web/New Media Associate

After experience as a graphic designer working for Ligature Inc, Frankel & Co. and Evans and Evans Advertising Barry incorporated Kafka Design in 1991. He has been webmaster for Highland Park Hospital and Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. He became proficient at dynamic Website programming when he helped Information Resources, Inc. launch Websites for some of their consumer panel service lines. He continues to provide design and Web development services for a variety of Chicago-area firms and organizations. Barry has been an associate of Tamada Brown & Associates since 2000.

NICOLE CRAMLETT

Designer

Nicole Cramlett became a designer at Tamada Brown & Associates in 2005. She came to us from Northern Illinois University where she received her BFA with high honors in Visual Communications, 2003. After graduation, Nicole spent time freelancing where she gained experience working on projects from concept to final production. 

At Tamada Brown & Associates, Nicole not only brings her creative talent as a designer and exceptional organization skills but strong, proven abilities in Photoshop and digital illustration. During the past several years, she has assisted us on identity and print projects, Website interface designs, custom illustrations, and PowerPoint presentations for our clients.