David Verhoef is an actor and advertising industry producer whose award-winning marketing campaigns and career spanning three decades have landed him his latest role: the Director of Content Production at San Francisco marketing agency Camp + King.
In his new role, Verhoef’s priorities include marketing projects for Google, Bacardi and Scharffen Berger (Hershey). He will build out Camp + King’s digital and editorial studio and oversee content production for the agency’s client roster.
"Verhoef's body of work speaks for itself, and I'm thrilled to have him back and close to my bosom,” said Camp + King’s Chief Creative Officer, Roger Camp. “I've personally been lucky enough to have him by my side at three different points in my career, and I've never worked with anyone quite like him. He has magical superpowers to find a way to get things done, and done incredibly well, regardless of how difficult the production. If you remember nothing else from this press release, remember that David Verhoef has magical production superpowers."
Verhoef’s career has been nothing short of cinematic. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in speech and theater, he switched gears slightly and began his Hollywood career in … advertising — at TBWAChiatDay in LA. As a producer on accounts including Nissan and Eveready, he was a natural who swept up at awards shows, including winning Clios and Best of Show at the Art Directors Club in NY.
After leaving TBWAChiatDay, Verhoef headed east and worked on the Truth anti-smoking campaign, Fidelity Investments (TIME Magazine’s Best Advertising of 1996) and others. He was the Director of Broadcast Production at the late, great Cliff Freeman & Partners in NY, where plaques were as plentiful as Post-its. Along the way, Verhoef met Creative Director Roger Camp. The two teamed up for memorable, award-winning TV campaigns for Little Caesars, FOX Sports, US Cellular, AAA Insurance and G4 Network.
As technology has shaped marketing and media over the past two decades, Verhoef’s title has expanded from Director of Broadcast Production to Director of Integrated Production to now, Director of Content Production. Content can mean anything from a 30-second TV spot to The Next Big Thing, and it’s not limited to digital work: Anything from a piece of toast to a satellite can serve as an ad medium or a creative content generator.
“There’s always something that needs to be made,” said Verhoef, a well-known and -liked ad industry character. “That’s the great thing about my job.”
But what Verhoef really wants to do is … act? Look carefully, and you’ll spot him in a local Mercedes-Benz spot. Or as a stunt double in the 1987 film White Water Summer, featuring a movie star who shares his surname with America’s most beloved pork product. That’s right, Verhoef is one degree of separation from Kevin Bacon. (Yes, it counts.)
About Camp + King
Camp + King is a Havas-aligned creative idea agency that was launched by Roger Camp and Jamie King in February 2011. Clients include Bacardi, Capital One and Google. For more details, visit http://www.camp-king.com.
