ABOUT

Tell me about your dream, said no one ever.

That said…

My lifelong dream was to become an architect.

But, as Mike Tyson so eloquently put it, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

As an architecture major at The University of Texas, I loved every class. Except math. I sucked at it. Like barely passing, about to get booted and end up roofing for a living sucked. Roofing was my back pocket option.

Luckily, I stumbled into the advertising program where Dr. Deborah Morrison took an interest in me. Or maybe it was pity?

Either way, I put together a perfectly mediocre portfolio and charmed my way into a junior copywriter job at McCann NY.

I also did stints at other New York agencies like JWT (fun fact: James Patterson hired me), Fallon, Cliff Freeman & Partners and BBH, learning from the best in the business. Some of those people are listed below and somehow we are still on speaking terms.

I made some pretty good ads. Even a TV show for Axe, a brand I helped launch in the US.

In 2007 I got an offer to help start up 180LA in Santa Monica, CA. In a few short years, we were a shop with over 150 talented souls focused on making work that gets the world talking. We won Boost, Expedia, HP, ASICS, Sony, Mitsubishi, Pepsi and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We grew, won a fair amount of awards and enjoyed industry recognition.

Ten years later, I realized it was time to build something new. This led me to Trailer Park and Engine. Most notable work here was the HBO Sopranos 20th anniversary “Nicknames” effort that blew up twitter and won a few shiny objects. Then came the opportunity to assemble and a small army of creatives for Mike Bloomberg’s democratic campaign run.

After Engine, I joined the creative council on The Lincoln Project, an organization formed to put country over party and save America from Trump and Trumpism.

In the summer of 2020, while in the middle of a pandemic, I started up the US office of Special with Uber Eats as our founding client. We made some iconic work with Sir Patrick Stewart and Mark Hamill and a Super Bowl campaign that brought back Wayne’s World. A few months later we won Newcomer of the Year and Integrated Campaign of the Year at the Small Agency Awards. The lockdown opened up so much opportunity for a small, independent agency born in the crucible of great change. I learned a lot from it and am excited to bring all that and more to my next thing.

AWARDS

2022 AWARDS

CANNES

Don’t Eats - Uber Eats

Bronze - Film

ONE SHOW

Don’t Eats - Uber Eats

Silver x 3

D&AD

Don’t Eats - Uber Eats

Shortlist x 2

2019 AWARDS

CANNES

Soprano’s Nicknames - HBO

Shortlist x 4

ONE SHOW

Soprano’s Nicknames - HBO

Bronze - Social Craft - Writing

CLIOS

Soprano’s Nicknames - HBO

Silver - Social Media Single Platform

Bronze - Mobile, Digital, Social Media - Writing

CLIOS ENTERTAINMENT

Soprano’s Nicknames - HBO

Gold - TV/Streaming: Digital/Mobile/Social - Copywriting

Bronze - TV/Streaming: Digital/Mobile/Social

2018 AWARDS

CANNES

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Bronze - Effectiveness

EFFIES

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Gold

ONE SHOW

Expedia Visit Britian

Bronze - Interactive

WEBBY

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Webby for Good

2017 AWARDS

CANNES

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Titanium Lion

Grand Prix  - Integrated

Grand Prix – Promo & Activation

Gold – Branded Content

Gold – Outdoor

Silver – Promo

Silver – Direct

Expedia Visit Britain

Gold – Cyber

Silver – Digital Craft

Bronze - Mobile

ONE SHOW

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Gold - Cross Platform

Silver - Cross Platform

Silver - Cultural Driver

Bronze - Outdoor

UNICEF Unfairy Tales

Gold - Cross Platform

Bronze - Film

Bronze - Branded Entertainment

Bronze - Interactive

Merit - Branded Entertainment

Merit - PR

2x Merit - Mobile

Expedia Dream Adventures

Silver - Branded Entertainment

Bronze - Responsive Environments

Merit - Interactive

Merit – Outdoor

Expedia Train TVC

Merit - Moving Image Craft

HP Awaken your Force

Silver - Moving Image Craft

AD AGE/CREATIVITY

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Best Experiential

Campaign of the Year

AICP

Boost your Voice

Integrated Campaign Winner

D&AD

UNICEF Unfairy Tales

Wood Pencil - Creativity For Good

D&AD IMPACT

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

White Pencil – Diversity & Equality

Wood Pencil – Civic Engagement

CLIOS

Boost your Voice - Boost Mobile

Clios Grand - OOH Direct

Gold - Other, Brand Design

Gold - Other, Branded Content

Gold - Event/Experiential , Branded Entertainment

Gold - Events, Events/Experiential

Gold - Ambient, OOH

Silver - Multicultural, PR

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales Ali

Bronze - Streaming/Downloadable Content, Audio

RADIO MERCURY AWARDS

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales 

Best PSA Winner

2016 AWARDS

CANNES

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales

Grand Prix for Good 

Gold - Cyber Lion

Silver - Film Craft

Bronze - Film

Bronze - Entertainment Lion

Expedia Dream Adventures

Bronze - Outdoor 

2 Bronze - Health Lions

Bronze - Entertainment Lion

University of Phoenix - More than Brains

Shortlist - Film Craft

HP Jane

Bronze - Film 

ONE SHOW

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales

Bronze Pencil 

UOPX - More than Brains

Merit
 

D&AD

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales

2x Wood Pencils Branded Content

Expedia Dream Adventures

Wood Pencil - White Pencil

Wood Pencil - Outdoor

BEST OF 2016 - CREATIVITY

Expedia Dream Adventures
 

CLIOS

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales

Silver - Branded Entertainment 

Silver - Audio 

Bronze - Integrated 

Bronze - PR

UOPX - More than Brains

Silver - Clio Music

HP Awaken Your Force

Gold Clio - Music 

AMP AWARDS

Univ of Phoenix - More than Brains

Best of Show

RADIO MERCURY AWARDS

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales

Best of the category

THE BRAND FILM FESTIVAL

Univ of Phoenix - More than Brains

Winner

ART DIRECTORS CLUB

UNICEF - Unfairy Tales

Bronze 

2015 AWARDS

CANNES

Expedia – Thrown Back Thursday

Silver - Creative Data

CLIO’S

Adidas - Take It

Bronze

Expedia - Thrown Back Thursday

Best Use of Instagram

2014 AWARDS

EFFIE

Adidas – The Return

Gold

Expedia - Find Yours

Silver

ONE SHOW

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Design Brand ID  - Merit

2013 AWARDS

ONE SHOW

Expedia – Find Your Understanding

Bronze - Branded Entertianment

TED CONFERENCE

Expedia – Find Your Understanding

Top 10 Ideas Worth Spreading

AD AGE MOST VIRAL ADS OF 2013

Expedia – Find Your Understanding

2012 AWARDS

ONE SHOW

Sony Oceans of Treasure

Bronze - Branded Content - Games

Sony Shiphunt

Bronze - Branded Content  

FWA

Sony Oceans of Treasure

EFFIE

Adidas – Slim Chin

Gold

2011 AWARDS

ONE SHOW ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Rocket Project

Silver - Branded Content

2008 AWARDS

CANNES

Axe Gamekillers

Bronze - Integrated 

ONE SHOW ENTERTAINMENT

Axe Gamekillers

Gold and Bronze

ONE SHOW

Axe Gamekillers

Silver - Branded Content

D&AD

Axe Gamekillers

3x Graphite Pencils

ANDY’S

Axe Gamekillers

Bronze

2002 AWARDS

CLIO

Mike’s Hard

Silver and Bronze

D&AD

Mike’s Hard

Wood Pencil

ONE SHOW

Mike’s Hard Lemonade

Bronze

NEWS

SPECIAL GROUP EXTENDS REACH TO U.S. WITH CCO WILLIAM GELNER AT THE HELM

https://www.shootonline.com/news/special-group-extends-reach-us-cco-william-gelner-helm

ADWEEK PROFILE

https://www.adweek.com/adw_slide/william-gelner/

SPECIAL GROUP OPENS ITS DOORS IN THE U.S. HEADED UP BY WILL GELNER AS CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER

https://campaignbrief.com/special-group-opens-its-doors-in-the-u-s-headed-up-by-will-gelner-as-chief-creative-officer/

ASIA PACIFIC INDIE AGENCY SPECIAL GROUP OPENS IN THE U.S. WITH CREATIVE VET WILLIAM GELNER AT THE HELM

https://adage.com/article/agency-news/asia-pacific-indie-agency-special-group-opens-us-creative-vet-william-gelner-helm/2291251

WILLIAM GELNER TO LEAD TRAILER PARK, ENGINE CONTENT

https://www.adweek.com/agencies/trailer-park-engine-group-sign-180la-veteran-to-lead-creative-department/

WILLIAM GELNER NAMED CCO OF TRAILER PARK

https://www.shootonline.com/news/william-gelner-named-chief-creative-officer-trailer-park

WILLIAM GELNER NAMED ENGINE GROUP, TRAILER PARK CCO

http://adage.com/article/agency-news/r-ga-hires-diversity-director/314595/