Frank Guerra
Founder
Frank was born with a knack for knowing how to get people to listen. And his early experience in political campaigning taught him a valuable lesson in communication: a message that is popular is not always persuasive. Realizing this point and seeing most marketing missing it, he founded GDC to put that lesson to use. Since then, Frank has perked people’s ears and interests for clients like Time Warner Cable, Citibank, Procter & Gamble, H-E-B Grocery, the Cable Television Association of New York and the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
As if marketing isn’t tough enough, Frank has successfully applied his communication skills to politics, the field where almost no one listens. He was 1 of 10 members chosen to lead the 2004 Bush Presidential media campaign. He spearheaded Hispanic efforts for the 2002 and 2006 Rick Perry for Governor campaigns in Texas and led the 2002 Jeb Bush for Governor campaign in Florida. An undeniable testament to his communication skills, Frank brought out record numbers of Hispanic voters—a historically Democratic demographic—for all three of these Republican candidates.
When he’s not at work, Frank is probably watching a Dallas Cowboys game with his family. He and his wife have four children. Perhaps most impressive, he’s even able to get his kids to listen (most of the time).
8 Questions with Frank
What are your strengths via StrengthsFinder 2.0?
My strengths are Connectedness, Ideation, Belief, Empathy, and Developer.
What's your hidden talent?
My hidden talent is my ability to anticipate what my kids are going to do next. My obvious fault is in thinking I can actually do this.
You just turned 50. What’s your best birthday memory ever?
My best birthday memory came several years ago when Teresa and the kids compiled a photo album that chronicled each of their lives. I treasure that album. And for my fiftieth, my sister Linda compiled all the pictures of when I was growing up and put them on a clock display. It was the perfect fiftieth gift.
Before that, you spent two weeks in Israel. How was that?
The week before I left for Israel, I updated my will. Within 24 hours of being there, I was already planning a family vacation. Israel is a beautiful country with amazing traditions, unparalleled antiquities, a geo-political landscape unlike any other, and so much more. While you cannot be blind to possible security issues, you are not inhibited by them.
What’s your favorite thing you’re working on right now?
A secret project that will give all us 50+ year-olds a greater stake in the world.
What will be the biggest breakthrough in marketing in 2011?
GDC.
Who’s your favorite brand right now?
Rather than offer a favorite brand, I’d like to offer up the most intriguing brand right now. I am not an Oprah fan, but I have to admire how she has elevated her personal brand to unthinkable levels. This speaks to the power of identifying a market (empowered women) and owning it.
You love the whiteboard. Tell us about that.
The whiteboard is magical. You can be down the hallway with a disparate swirl of facts, objectives, approaches and more swimming in your head. But once you pick up a marker and begin to write on the whiteboard, everything seems to magically fall in place. Seriously.