Jared Willardsen
Communications | Brand Storytelling | Marketing Leadership
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About
Senior communications, marketing, and brand leader with 20+ years building globally recognized action sports, lifestyle, and consumer brands. Extensive experience leading brand storytelling, media productions, sponsorships, athlete partnerships, public speaking, and cross-functional marketing teams. Proven success developing integrated communications strategies, managing high-profile media relationships, directing commercial content, and creating authentic brand experiences that generate national and international exposure.
Passionate outdoor enthusiast with deep roots in Utah's mountain and action sports communities.
Experience
Co-Founder | Creative Director | Brand Communications - Nitro Circus - Salt Lake City, UT
(1996 - 2015)
- Co-created one of the world's most recognized action sports brands, growing Nitro Circus from a grassroots concept into a global entertainment franchise distributed in more than 60 countries.
- Led global brand storytelling across television, digital media, live events, sponsorships, and athlete partnerships.
- Managed media relationships with television networks, journalists, sponsors and industry partners.
- Negotiated and activated strategic partnerships with Red Bull, GoPro, KTM, DC Shoes, Fox Sports, MTV and additional global brands.
- Directed national live events involving athletes, media, sponsors, VIP guests and production teams.
- Worked directly with professional athletes, influencers, and media personalities to build authentic brand campaigns.
- Served as creative lead during live productions while coordinating cross-functional teams across production, marketing, legal, operations, and PR.
- Produced campaigns generating more than 50 million organic views worldwide.
VP of Sales & Marketing - 3D Brows Academy - Draper, UT
(2014 - 2026)
- Led all external brand communications, marketing strategy, public relations, and digital content initiatives.
- Directed social media, YouTube, SEO, email marketing, and content strategy.
- Built a national education brand through strategic storytelling and thought leadership.
- Produced educational video content viewed over 1.5 million prospective students.
- Managed photographers, videographers, designers, agencies, and freelance creative teams.
- Wrote marketing copy, website content, email campaigns, product launches, and executive communications.
- Developed 7 figure online education program while managing budgets, timelines, and brand standards.
Experiential Brand Strategy & Growth Platforms - Freelance
- Served as Operations Director for Salt Lake Comic Con (120,000+ attendees), architecting Utah's first large-scale pop culture convention and establishing a scalable event brand model.
- Led integrated brand activations and partnership strategy for MTV, Fox Sports, BKFC, MIT45, Vivint, Mazda, Yamaha, KTM, Specialized and others — aligning experiential campaigns with broader brand positioning, audience growth, and sponsorship ROI.
- Secured national television, print, digital and outdoor media coverage through long-standing relationships with journalists, broadcasters and industry partners.
Education
B.S. - Business Management - Utah Valley University