John Lyons

Chief Performance Officer

Greater Chicago Area

About

Data-driven marketing. Personalized creative. Connected customer experience. Name a trending marketing buzzword, and odds are it aligns with the work I’ve been doing for the past 15 years. Even if I didn’t always know it. As brands continue to shift budgets away from traditional advertising, and consumers take more control of their brand experiences, there’s a huge demand for marketers who understand how to make creative that performs. What does “perform” mean today? Cuts through clutter. Engages and educates. Delivers real value. And of course, converts. Clients: American Express, Nespresso, MINI USA, Liberty Mutual, Grubhub, Regions Bank, Southwest Airlines, Chase, Hyatt, Capital One, Gerber Life, Visa, Nestlé Waters.

Experience

  • Chief Performance Officer at Converge
    Mar 2025 - Present · 1 yr 4 mos

    In my role as Chief Performance Officer, I'm working across teams to erase the line between brand and performance, ensuring everything we do is grounded in data, powered by the right technology, and built to drive meaningful business outcomes for our clients.

  • VP, Group Creative Director at Dentsu Creative
    Jan 2024 - Mar 2025 · 1 yr 3 mos

    At Dentsu, I led scaled creative teams built around one idea: creativity should drive performance. My job was to connect brand storytelling with measurable outcomes, helping global brands grow through work that was as accountable as it was original. • Transformed creative strategy into business impact, translating insights and performance data into ideas that moved metrics across awareness, engagement, and conversion. • Led hybrid teams across disciplines, driving creative that scaled globally while staying grounded in results. • Built long-term client partnerships through transparency, collaboration, and a relentless focus on measurable growth. AI + Innovation • Piloted and launched dentsu’s first in-house generative AI copywriting tool, built by creatives for creatives—expanding performance creative + velocity across the network. • Partnered with tech, legal, and operations to roll out the platform securely and ethically, creating new standards for how AI can enhance, not replace, human creativity. • Led the global rollout and education, establishing best practices and helping to position dentsu as an early leader in responsible creative AI adoption.

  • Merkle (9 yrs 6 mos)
    • VP, Group Creative Director
      Apr 2020 - Apr 2024 · 4 yrs 1 mo

    • Creative Director
      Nov 2014 - Apr 2020 · 5 yrs 6 mos

      I lead a team of creatives that is responsible for over $7 million in annual revenue: - Responsible for management, development and annual review of writers/designers - Develop strategy and supporting materials for product launches, positioning and messaging exercises, qualitative and quantitative research, RFPs and other high-level initiatives - Foster an environment of innovation and creative excellence on a daily basis, with the single goal of driving world-class results for our clients - Extensive experience presenting work to clients including Visa, Chase, Hyatt, Southwest Airlines, Virgin America, Anthem/Blue Cross, Universal Orlando, Bank of America, Navy Federal Credit Union, Direct Energy and Humana

  • New Control, A Merkle Company (8 yrs 8 mos)
    • Associate Creative Director
      Aug 2011 - Nov 2014 · 3 yrs 4 mos

      · Six years as lead writer for creative team with 2012 billings over $8 million · Extensive experience presenting work to clients including Visa, Chase, PNC, Southwest Airlines, Bank of America, AAA and Humana · Responsible for management, development and annual review of writers · Assist in oversight of creative team including copy, design and studio · Develop strategy and supporting materials for product launches, positioning and messaging exercises, quantitative and qualitative research, research, RFPs and other high-level initiatives

    • Copy Supervisor
      Apr 2008 - Aug 2011 · 3 yrs 5 mos

    • Senior Copywriter
      Apr 2006 - Apr 2008 · 2 yrs 1 mo

  • Copywriter at TransUnion / Douglas-Danielle, Inc.
    2003 - 2006 · 3 yrs

    · Lead writer responsible for creative conception and development of copy · Projects ranged from DM packages, brochures and inserts to websites, landing pages, emails and banners · Concepted the design of and wrote all new copy for Summer’s Eve website · Clients included Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, First National Bank of Omaha, Nationwide, and Summer’s Eve