Entering the ad business at the age of 14 with a single-minded obsession to be the best art director on the planet, Paul has since spent the majority of his career successfully running his own agency. After a brief stint as a fast-rising young star at Ogilvy & Mather Partners in the mid-80s, Paul went to work for a start-up headed by one of O&M’s top Creative Directors.
Those two early experiences taught Paul there was room in the business for an agency that would combine the enthusiasm and creative risk-taking of a start-up with the solid strategic thinking and branding disciplines typically found in larger, full service agencies.
So, in 1989, at the age of 29, Paul opened his own agency with the smartest Client Services person he had ever met, Madeline Vaz. Within six months, they had taken the $10 million Ricoh account away from the legendary Chiat/Day. This quickly caught the eye of industry insiders, and has kept them watching him ever since. Along the way, he’s built Gigante Vaz into a true full service “super boutique” agency, offering personal attention from some of the industry’s best and brightest stars.
As a testament to Paul’s creative leadership, The Clios, One Show, Mobius, New York Festivals, Ad Club of NY, as well as trade publications like ADWEEK, Ad Age and BRANDWEEK have all recognized Paul’s work, and that of his team. But the real proof of his personal commitment to the success of his clients is the fact that Gigante Vaz has some of the longest client relationships in the business. Companies like St. Martin’s Press, Time Out New York, Crillon Importers and others have been clients for 5 to 10 years and more. And that Ricoh account from 1989? It’s still with his agency to this day.
