John Montét
Web Manager

What got you started in advertising?

When I was young, my mother ran her own public relations and marketing company. She taught me quite a bit about marketing. I remember her showing me how to do a layout with an X-acto knife and a light desk. When I was about ten, they bought me a TI/99 and a book on BASIC. While the languages and mediums have changed over the last few decades, I’ve never given up art or code. Now the two have merged for me.

Who was a big influence in your career?

Kurt Plagge, a Webmaster I worked under several years ago. He showed me how to manage a Web project, develop ideas, and work in a production environment. Through it all, he never lost his sense of humor or his positive outlook on life.

What was "your finest moment," the thing you’re most proud of?

I once put in a 28-hour day as a tech crew member at Iowa State. I started at 5:00 AM removing the basketball floor from the coliseum, and then did the load-in, setup, deck hand, and load-out for a Van Halen concert. By the time we got the basketball floor set again, it was after 9:00 AM the following morning. After that kind of a day, just about anything else looks easy.

What was your most embarrassing moment in this business?

I’m not easily embarrassed. Either that or I’ve blocked the terrible memory from my mind. It’s hard to tell which.

What attracted you to Ovation?

It was the people and the location. I grew up in northeast Iowa, so the Mississippi River has always been a comforting thing in my life. When I had the opportunity to live on the river again, I couldn’t pass it up; especially after meeting the Ovation staff. They really won me over with their personality, insight, and talent.

How do you come up with ideas and solutions for clients?

Listening. It is a lost art, and one I continually struggle to master. The important thing is to identify the needs of the client, the goals they are trying to accomplish, and the metrics by which they will judge success. From that point, it is a matter of exploring the possibilities. The key is to start from the big picture and work inward toward the details.

What makes a great brand?

A great brand is one that builds trust and then delivers on the promise of trust. It is important not to break the expectation between the buyer and the company. This is the reason ethical practices are so important in business.

What driving career goals do you still have?

My career is a footnote in my life. I have steadfastly refused to let my career dictate who I am. Instead, I look at what I do and accomplish in my personal life as the bellwether of my success. That being said, I make certain that what I do for a living is fun, enlightening, ethical, and challenging.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? (work or personal)

I have no tolerance for negative personal attacks, be they individual, racial, or generally prejudicial. The more we belittle others, the more we are all diminished. If you can’t say something nice about someone, you haven’t been paying attention.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about advertising?

The most important thing is environmental analysis. It is critical that the environment, the user (buyer), and the expectations of a project are well understood before a methodology is determined. It is far too easy to pick a delivery method before all the information is in.

What talent do you wish you had?

I wish I could speak/write more languages. I know smatterings of a few – aside from my tenuous grasp of English – but I would like to be fluent in at least four. Perhaps if I ever find some free time…

If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most?

I’d miss the public library the most. Oh, and potable water… and a boat…

What can’t you live without?

Oxygen is high on that list. So is potable water, come to think of it. Otherwise, I’d have to say variety. Monotony is the bane of my existence.

What are your plans for after advertising?

I don’t plan that far ahead. I just look forward to waking up each morning. It would be terrible to do otherwise.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively?

Dark chocolate really helps me think. I also think lobster would do the same thing, but my budget only allows for the former.

What’s your favorite sports team?

I’m not a sports fan, but I would have to say the Chicago Cubs and the New Orleans Saints are my favorites. As you can see, I’m an infracaninophile and used to disappointment, but I love seeing the underdog win.

If you could spend a day with any person, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?

I’d have a beer with Benjamin Franklin while playing chess and discussing theology, writing, and politics. BF is a hero of mine on so many levels.

What’s your point of view about politics?

I am firmly against them. We should all work to abolish politics wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head. I’m attending a rally to abolish it altogether next week.

Do you have any pets?

I have a dog named Maggie, a cat named Boo, and a ball python named Sebastian. I’m not sure why we named the snake. He doesn’t come when you call anyway.

What was growing up like for you?

I’m still working on that, but not with any enthusiasm. My childhood was shaped in strange ways. We lived in a geodesic dome on the fifth tee of a golf course just outside of town. In order to find out if we were going to have school during the winter, we had to listen to "Polka Hour" on the local radio station. Also, my mother had a very successful column in the local paper, in which she talked about our family quite a bit. More than once I was reprimanded by little old ladies for things I wasn’t even aware my mother knew about!

What do you do for a good time when you’re not working?

I have more hobbies than I can list. I enjoy disc golf, cooking, baking bread, brewing beer, long distance motorcycle riding, writing, poetry, gaming (board and computer), bicycling, canoeing, and playing guitar.

Do you have any kids?

We have a teenage daughter, Danielle, who is an avid basketball player, horseback rider, and an excellent student. She must’ve gotten it from her mother.

What advertising/catalogs do you most admire?

I love anything that makes me laugh, doesn’t insult my intelligence, and doesn’t try to frighten people into buying their product. A good measure is the prevalence of spoofs that show up on the Internet. When people take the time to make fun of you, you know you’ve made an impression.

What are your favorite Internet sites?

ThinkGeek.com is a favorite haunt of mine, as is DiscShoppe.com, and Chuck Shepherd’s "News of the Weird" column on MSNBC.com’s opinion section. I also like watching the trailers on Apple.com. These days, I’m exploring some of the great podcasts out there. Ask A Ninja is my favorite, but Coulee Kids, Cut and Paste Radio, and Crazy Dave’s Kid Show are right up there on my list as well.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I would spend some serious time in south central France, north of Avignon. I’m told the canoeing there is not to be missed.