Chad Rea

Despite being born in Inglewood, California, I have managed to avoid thug life and move nearly every four years with stops in El Paso, San Antonio, Denver, Pittsburgh, Lubbock, Dallas, London, Amsterdam, and Los Angeles. John Hinckely Jr. and I graduated from Texas Tech University. Hinckely went on to shoot President Reagan. I went on to play the live music circuit as an alternative rock drummer as well as create award-winning advertising and design for some of the hottest creative shops in the U.S. and Europe where I’ve helped developed more than 130 iconic brands.

Inspired by my worldly travel and newfound approach to connecting brands with people, I moved back to the U.S. in 2002 with the sole intention of changing the ad agency blueprint and starting prolific brand communications firm 86 the onions. Specializing in youth and entertainment brands, 86 the onions helped pioneer the industry’s movement to media neutral problem-solving, creating innovative marketing solutions for several high profile clients, including Target, Pepsi-Cola Company, Starbucks, and ESPN.

In 2007, at the height of my agency’s success, I answered my true calling and completely reinvented 86 the onions to be an in-house brand incubator that creates, co-owns, and markets environmentally and/or socially responsible companies.

In addition to building brands for others, I have created several successful brands of my own, as well as written several self-published books and original music compositions. As if being an idea factory for hire wasn’t enough, I am also a career and business coach, teacher, voiceover, music video director, public speaker, and a regular contributor of editorial and art content to several international lifestyle magazines and projects. (I know, it’s sooo L.A.)