"Josh is a brilliant mind with a very collaborative spirit. He brings a wealth of experience, an infinitely curious mind, and an ability to get to a pithy path forward. And he’s an innovator, e.g. creating proprietary tools that help brands see the trends that will impact them in years to come. On top of all that, he’s one of the most decent human beings you’ll find in the business..."
- Richard R., CMO
"Josh is one of the best collaborators I’ve worked with in my career. He brings incredible intelligence paired with real-world insights to deliver something of true substance for clients. You also want Josh in the room with you as his presentation skills are second to none. I’ve seen clients’ eyes and body language shift to understanding while he talks. Josh is also a terrific teammate and colleague who you want to find near the water cooler for a conversation on just about any topic..."
- David T., Chief Content Officer
"Josh is, in a word, brilliantly insightful. Okay... That’s *two* words. If you worked with him, though, you’d cut this humble (and humbled!) reviewer that teeny amount of slack. Few know this, but his medulla oblongata — that part of your brain that handles autonomic function — actually pulls in and synthesizes pop culture history, ephemera, the latest data, long-term trends, and your client’s/company’s business aspirations from the Eighth Dimension and distills them in a meta-psychic crucible to achieve their purest form to the greatest possible effect. No, really. It’s about as natural to him as breathing, galvanic skin response, or temperature regulation. I, many times, have availed myself of this unique ability worthy of an X-Men spinoff or a reboot of “The 4400” or “Heroes.” And I have recommended that others tap Josh’s preternatural skills even more often. That’s why I wholeheartedly and unreservedly offer this recommendation... I mean, seriously... Look at that resume. No, really... LOOK. AT. IT. Edelman! World’s largest public relations firm. Google! World’s largest Internet search and services company. Do you think this is an *accident?* Happenstance? Dumb luck? Hell no! The world’s biggest and most storied brands have trusted Josh with leading their planning because he... knows... his... stuff. He sees around the corner that your company has not yet identified as a corner, expertly helping you navigate the satanic Escherism that is business and marketing in the 21st century... In short... You want to work with Josh. Your brain, once stretched by the encounter, will not re-attain its former dimensions..."
- Phil G., CMO/CCO
Recommendations & Testimonials
C-Suite Client Partners
Creative Partners
(to see complete recommendations and details of those offering them, please see the "Recommendations" section of my LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com/culturecasting)
"If you a believe, as I do, that empathy is a critical trait to have for a planner to be successful, then I would say Josh has a superpower. His ability to not just research, but understand an audience in a deeply profound way is unlike anyone I've ever worked with. He doesn't just report the information. He seeks clues, uncovers mysteries and finds new ways to reach audiences with a kind heart and an intensely humanist approach, even when capitalizing on highly technological means to achieve his goals. Additionally, Josh's ability to present the information in a way that provokes creatives and clients alike, is as inspiring as it it arresting, pushing everyone to think in news ways, finding new possibilities and ultimately create work that constantly breaks new ground. Josh is a scientist of the human condition, and that's something I admire..."
- Steve S., Chief Creative Officer
"'Smart' seems too small a word for Josh Baze. Relentlessly curious and deeply empathetic, he is brand planner unlike anybody I have ever worked with. Across categories and mediums, he has an innate ability to break down complexity and fuse together the fractured divides of modern marketing. His briefings are energizing and illuminating — equal parts psychology treatise, data wizardry and pop culture feast. Teams walk out crackling with ideas and ready to conquer. Brilliant and selfless are an unheard combo of in our business, but he truly just cares about making inventive, breakthrough work. Working with Josh made me a better creative..."
- Scott S., Creative Director
"There are thousands of amazing traits that Josh possesses, though one of the most impressive is his clarity in understanding human behavior. He can take cold facts and data, and weave them together into concise, compelling, and wildly profound human narratives. If there is one thing that infuriates me about Josh, it is how effortless he makes it all look... In our field, I think we too frequently discount ideas that come from people without the word 'Creative”'in their title—though if there was one person I could point to, to show what a load of B.S. that is, it would be Josh. He is without a doubt one the most intelligent and creative people I have ever met..."
- David S., Senior Designer
"There simply aren’t enough positive words in the dictionary to describe Josh—both as a person and a professional. He’s incredibly intelligent and approaches business challenges in unexpected ways to the delight of internal and external stakeholders. In our time working together, Josh was easily the most in-demand employee across all verticals (he’s too modest to ever admit to this fact), yet he took significant chunks of his personal time to mentor me and help me grow... His empathy, expertise and acumen are truly unparalleled....And (bonus!) he’s really fun to work with. I haven’t met a client that wasn’t thrilled to have Josh touch their business. Any organization would be lucky to have Josh on their team..."
- MacKinzie P., VP Strategy Director
"There is no doubt that Josh is a brilliant strategic mind. He has an unparalleled grasp of the digital and marketing landscape and can deconstruct complex business problems and turn them into impactful solutions. Josh's ability to disseminate cultural trends and predict the influence of those trends on categories and brands brings sharp and impactful insights to any client problem. He is a collaborator by nature and is always looking to partner with creative and client services. I love working with Josh not only because of his strategic acumen, but because he is a mentor in the truest sense of the word, a bridge builder and a genuine good person through and through. Any team would be lucky to have him as a leader..."
- Leif F., SVP Brand Strategy
Strategy Partners (Direct Reports)
Account Partners
"Josh and I first officially worked together on a new business pitch - which we won! From the moment he stepped into the room I immediately knew that this would be an easier and more enjoyable pitch than ones I had tackled before. He brought with him clear, smart insights that directly laddered back to the brief and what we were looking to accomplish. He was engaged throughout and always on hand to provide counsel and advice - he made me better at my job. Over the years we partnered on many client asks and I was always so thankful for his smarts, his counsel, his honesty and most importantly his friendship and sense of humor..."
- Georgie B., SVP Account Director
"Josh is like a wizard, diving deep to find the right white space and insight. His ability to understand a consumer journey across channels and strong understanding of the digital space makes him invaluable. He is able to thread a marketing proposal or plan from insight to strategy to impact. Anytime I worked with Josh I was was smarter. Josh is highly collaborative, strong in front of clients and a pleasure to work with..."
- Alison C., EVP, Head Of Account Service
