
GREG SWAN
Pioneering the Future of Modern Creativity
greg@gregswan.net
+1-612-845-1020
Greg is a senior marketing leader who blends experience with creative, digital and social advertising, content strategy, PR, and emerging technology for startups, Fortune 500 companies, and all sizes in between.
His teams helped Arby’s trend on TikTok, built the social strategy for the U.S. Army, launched the first Snapchat from outer space, the first Facebook 360º Super Bowl spot, the first tweet from the International Space Station, and introduced Snapchat Spectacles to pro sports.
As Chief Creative & Strategy Officer at The Social Lights, Greg leads crafts creative strategies for brands rooted in consumer insights, creative technology, PR, social media engagement, platforms and content strategy, and the cultures that knit them together.
At previous roles with Fallon, space150, McCann and Weber Shandwick, Greg led campaigns for brands like Nike, Verizon, State Farm, The Coca-Cola Company, US Army, Jack Links, and Buffalo Wild Wings.
As a futurist, technologist, and national conference speaker, Greg is always looking for ways to take a more active role in defining and shaping the industry. This includes his role on the South by Southwest Advisory Board, The Shorty Awards jury, 4A’s Social Media Committee, and more.
Greg was named to PR Week’s 40 Under 40, Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, and Social Media Professional of the Year by PR News.
His teams’ work has received multiple accolades and industry awards, including Cannes Lions, The Effies, The ADDY Awards, The Webby Awards, The Shorty Awards, IABC Bronze Quills, PR Week Awards, Silver SABRE Awards, PRSA Silver Anvils, PR News Platinum Awards, AICP, and more.
Greg is a frequent presenter at both large and small events, presenting real-life thought leadership, strategies, and applications of next-generation marketing, advertising, and public relations.
EXPERTISE IN:
- Creative & Creative Strategy
- Digital & Social Media Strategy
- Strategic Communications
- Content Strategy
- Public Relations
- Integrated Communications Planning
- Emerging Media & Technology
- Crisis
- Training & Workshops
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP:
- Social Signals: Greg’s Weekly Newsletter – Sign up for Greg’s weekly email covering creative trends, culture, social platforms, music, and more. Sign up here.
IN THE NEWS:
- Digiday: ‘No other platform will be Twitter’: Marketers aren’t sold on Twitter alternatives just yet (2023)
- WCCO Radio: CES kicks off in Las Vegas, highlighting new tech, including automated snow blowers and robots (2023)
- The New York Times/Pioneer Press: How is everyone making those A.I. selfies? (2022)
- Star Tribune: 6 cool things in music (2022)
- Digiday: Why Shutterstock is betting on generative AI for the future of stock images (2022)
- The Drum: Which ad agencies are advising clients to evacuate Twitter? (2022)
- Digiday: How Pinterest hopes to catch up to the e-commerce boom (2022)
- MediaPost: 3 Ways To Invest In Web3 That Won’t Break the Bank (2022)
- Twin Cities Business: You don’t have to be a fan of NFTs to see the value in bringing Web3 trailblazers to Minnesota (2022)
- CBS-TV MN: Which Super Bowl Commercials Reigned Supreme? (2022)
- MSP Business Journal: The Social Lights names Stephanie Schafer COO; hires Greg Swan for chief creative role (2022)
- Minneapolis Egotist: The Social Lights Bolsters C-Suite with Two Agency Veterans in Strategic Growth Move (2022)
- The Business Conversation Podcast: Forecasting 2022 with Greg Swan (2021)
- Mixing Board Studio Session: Digital Culture Expert Greg Swan on the Future of Creativity (2021)
- Adweek: Greg Swan named Fallon’s Head of Creative Innovation (2021)
- Shots: The Most Successful Social Media Ads Will be in Augmented Reality (2021)
- Forbes: At CES And Beyond, CMOs See Potential With New Kinds Of Virtual Events (2021)
- PR Week: A Vacation During a Pandemic? (2020)
- Elemental: Boredom is Spreading the Coronavirus (2020)
- Twin Cities Business: How to Make the Most of LinkedIn (2020)
- Chaska Herald: Navigating the New World of Working at Home (2020)
- Minneapolis Institute of Art: Critical Thinking in Critical Times (2020)
- Twin Cities Business: Zoom Hacks (2020)
- Forbes: As Super Bowl Advertisers Flock To TikTok, CMOs Are Cautiously Curious (2020)
- CMS Wire: 2019 Internet Trends Report: 8 Takeaways for Marketers (2019)
- The Schmidt List: Social Disruption with Greg Swan (2019)
- MIMA: Member Spotlight on Greg Swan (2019)
- Buzzfeed: Freezing Our Pants Off (2019)
- MIMA: Super Bowl 2018 – How’d We Score with Greg Swan
- CBS News TV: Messaging apps embrace the “dark social” Web (2018)
- Digiday: Inherently Thumb-Stopping (2018)
- Adweek: How to Market a Seemingly Boring Industry in a Unique Way That Results in Page Views (2018)
- The New York Times: Is a Trivia App the Answer to Questions About Live Streaming? (2017)
- Sports Illustrated: MN Wild Become First to Use Snapchat Spectacles (2016)
- Pioneer Press: Travel Toy Photography (2016)
- CBS-TV MN: Why Is It So Hard To Quit Social Media? (2016)
- Campaign US: The five most creative strategies for recruiting agency interns (2016)
- Pioneer Press: Twin Cities businesses embrace the Pokémon Go craze (2016)
- Digiday: Marketers Like What They See in Snapchat Spectacles (2016)
- Twin Cities Business: 5 Online Best Practices for Business (2015)
- Pioneer Press: Apple Watch is coming, but not all tech fans are sold yet (2015)
- PR Week: Content Has a New Voice (2014)
- MSP Magazine: Social Status: Influential Minnesotans on Social Media (2014)
- NBC-TV MN: Google Glass: Hot or Not? (2014)
- Pioneer Press: Remember those helpful humanoids from ‘Minority Report’? They’re almost here (2013)
- MN Blogger Conference: Q&A with Keynote Speaker Greg Swan (2013)
- Star Tribune: Funky photo fads flourish thanks to social media (2013)
- Pioneer Press: Google Glass — Half empty or half full? (2013)
- Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication: Interview with Greg Swan (2013)
- PR News: 3 Crucial Communication Skills to Master Today (2013)
- CBS-TV MN: Keep Up With Your Kids on Social Media (2013)
- Star Tribune: As popular as ever, selfies are changing the way we communicate (2013)
- PR News: 5 Key Tips for PR Pros to Avoid Burnout and Stay Motivated (2013)
- CBS-TV MN: Beware: Your Reputation is Being Googled (2013)
- Mashable: Groundhog Phil says “WTF” to Groundhog Day (2012)
- NPR Radio: Art Hounds (2012)
- Social Media Examiner: How the US Army is Using Bloggers (2012)
- MSP Business Journal: Greg Swan wins PR Week 40 Under 40 (2011)
- PR Week: 40 Under 40 Ones to Watch (2011)
- Pioneer Press: Social media overload? You’re not alone. How experts manage (2011)
- NBC-TV MN: Top Tweeps of the Twin Cities (2011)
- FOX-TV MN: Is Formspring a New Forum for Bullying? (2011)
- Conversation Agent: What’s so great about this blogging thing? (2010)
- Minnesota Business: Digital Domain (2010)
- Sky News: Getting a Job via Twitter? (2009)
- Pioneer Press: Twitter’s tweet connections bring job-seekers, employers together (2009)
- CNN: I found my job on Twitter (2009)
- MSP Business Journal: Social Media is not Just for Personal Connections Anymore (2008)
- Star Tribune: Keeping It Short and Tweet (2008)
- MinnPost: New Media Means New Market Strategies (2008)
- Pioneer Press: RIP HD-DVD, Here Comes Streaming (2008)