One man. One million creative ideas.

Barry Schmader, a master craftsman, recognized for the 2021 MM+M Pinnacle Award

We are excited to announce that Barry Schmader, Chief Creative Officer, has added a new honor to his name—MM+M Pinnacle Award winner. The Pinnacle Awards recognize those who continue to operate at the highest level of the profession. This honor is just not about what Barry has achieved for himself, but also about how he’s inspired and motivated other creatives along the way.

Barry is a vital creative force in the healthcare industry, who consistently delivers conceptual expertise, bold style, and consumer knowledge. Throughout his 30 years in the industry, Barry has created some of the most aggressive and focused work for blockbuster brands across a variety of therapeutic categories.

Since his early years in the business, Barry has been finding the key brandable differences among hundreds of pharma, device, and biotech brands, creating stunning visuals supported by strong data and telling compelling stories. He immerses himself and his team in that effort on every project, boldly identifying what is unique and differentiating about each brand under his care.

“I’ve spent a good portion of my career working alongside Barry every day. When it comes to creative masterminds, he’s in a class of his own. When we opened Elevate, we knew without question that Barry was the one to lead the creative charge. He is a leader and an inspiration to all of those around him, and I have been fortunate to not only call him a colleague, but also a mentor and friend.”— Frank X Powers

Barry’s role has always extended well beyond that of the traditional agency creative director. He knows how to inspire both artists and writers to think strategically and think bigger. As the Chief Creative Officer, Barry holds the goal of the work being created for each brand and pushes all internal and external teams to produce the utmost quality. He also possesses various management responsibilities, such as mentoring, creating and growing teams, championing the brand vision for each campaign, and instituting a positive culture.

Barry continues to explore new ideas relentlessly. He hasn’t lost his desire to challenge himself—from basics like coming up with a game-changing headline to more complex challenges like diving deeper for stronger, more vital strategic connections. Even more impressive is his adaptation of brand development to a mobile-first environment.

When he first broke into the business as a copywriter, Barry would have been unable to predict just how powerful and impactful his career would be. Today he remains hard at work elevating healthcare marketing ideas, services, and products—resulting in better business for clients and better lives for physicians and their patients.

Storytelling is in Barry’s DNA. Even when you least expect it, Barry will share a story with you that motivates you to want to do better and strive to achieve half of what he has in his career. Sometimes those stories are only to make you laugh and remind you of why we all love this industry. He’s always the person you can turn to, whether for advice or a brilliant idea.

There are so many ways to describe Barry’s impact on the industry, but none encapsulate it as well as receiving the MM+M Pinnacle Award. A true master of his craft, Barry not only delivers award-winning creative, but he also inspires everyone around him to be more creative, more strategic, and bolder. Congratulations, Barry!

Click here to learn more about Barry and the other honorees.