Brad Forsythe

Fine Artist | Creative Entrepreneur | Advertising Innovator

Brad Forsythe’s professional career spans fine art, advertising, broadcasting, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship. Throughout his career he has combined creative vision with business leadership, building successful ventures and contributing to the evolution of modern media and advertising.

Broadcasting and Advertising Leadership: A graduate of the University of Central Missouri with a degree in Film, Television, and Radio, Forsythe began his career in broadcasting, working at leading radio stations in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Houston. He left broadcast to join international firm Gray O’Rourke Sussman Advertising.  In three short years he left as Senior Vice-President Client Services and co-founded Forsythe & Butler Advertising, with offices in Houston, Texas, and Maui, Hawaii. As President and Executive Creative Director, he led award-winning creative teams and developed marketing and branding campaigns for a wide range of clients. Under his leadership, the agency received recognition from numerous local, regional and national advertising organizations for creative excellence and innovation.

Media Innovation and Industry Influence: In 2001, Forsythe co-created and co-hosted The Advertising Show, a program that became one of the advertising industry’s most respected media platforms. After securing national sponsorship from Advertising Age magazine in 2003, the show expanded into national syndication before evolving into one of the earliest and most successful marketing podcasts on iTunes.

Between 2001 and 2014, Forsythe conducted more than 750 interviews with legendary advertising creatives, agency executives, CEOs, media journalists, and bestselling business authors, creating a valuable archive of insights from some of the industry’s most well-known and influential voices.

Digital Advertising Innovation: Forsythe was an early pioneer in digital media transactions and online advertising marketplaces. In 1999 he founded AdPointDirect, an internet-based platform designed to facilitate the buying and selling of traditional advertising media.

As founder and chief visionary officer, he directed platform development, venture capital funding, and established strategic partnerships with media and professional organizations including Neilsen, Arbitron, The Hearst Corporation and the international law firm Fulbright & Jaworski.

His innovations resulted in three U.S. patents for online digital media transactions, awarded in 2005, 2006, and 2007. These patents were later acquired by a consortium of global technology companies. The concepts behind his work anticipated many of the automated advertising systems and digital marketplaces that have since become standard throughout the media industry.

Fine Art Career: Long recognized for his mastery of color, Forsythe has built a distinguished career as a fine artist whose work explores the relationship between color, texture, movement, and form. His abstract mixed-media paintings are characterized by layered compositions, gestural techniques, and vibrant color palettes that create depth, energy, and emotional resonance.

His work has been exhibited throughout North America and the Pacific Rim and is represented in private and corporate collections around the world. Over time, his artistic practice evolved from traditional landscape painting to expressive abstract works that emphasize visual rhythm and color relationships.

Creative Collaborations: Forsythe’s artistic influence extends beyond fine art galleries through select commercial collaborations. Since 2012, he has partnered with legendary surfboard designer Jimmy Lewis, creating surface graphics for Lewis’s Super Tech line of high-performance surfboards. These designs sell globally and continue to be featured on the product line today, reflecting both their enduring visual appeal and commercial success.

Continuing Legacy: Brad Forsythe’s career reflects a unique combination of artistic excellence, entrepreneurial innovation, and creative leadership. Whether developing new advertising technologies, shaping award-winning brands, or creating fine art, he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to originality, innovation, and creative expression.