At the Forbidden City, Beijing, China – July 2008.

Ben Williams (Bendrix) graduated with a BA (Magna Cum Laude) in Advertising Graphics from Central State University in Ohio. A national Alpha Kappa Mu honors scholar, Ben’s focus was graphic design with an emphasis on computer graphics. Since 1999, Ben has worked as an impassioned technology professional on a diverse range of bleeding edge multimedia projects, and has beta tested numerous gadgets, software programs and digital technologies.

In the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Ben was recruited by Wieden + Kennedy to work on a groundbreaking Nike campaign in Shanghai, China. A central goal of the campaign was to raise interest amongst Chinese youth in athletics and fitness. Dubbed Kobe Mentu, the campaign was a major marketing initiative for Nike. It centered on bringing 24 youngsters from throughout Mainland China together with NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, and culminated in a unique reality TV show broadcast throughout China. Ben also played a pivotal role in developing plans for The Ballers Network, a Nike branded online social network for basketball fans.

Prior to freelancing in China, Ben spent seven years at the flagship New York office of JWT (J Walter Thompson), the world’s oldest and fourth largest advertising agency. From 2001-2005, he led the way in implementing innovative digital media production and distribution solutions. From 2005-2007, he became the resident social media expert for the agency’s broadcast and entertainment division, JWTwo Entertainment. On behalf of JWTwo, Ben participated in a wide range of grassroots and media events, pioneering digital production and distribution at events like National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), New Media Expo and Flash Forward.

Ben is among the first of the independent video producers and avant-garde digital evangelists to emerge in the grassroots social media community. His expertise has been sought out and published in “Secrets of Podcasting” (2nd Ed.), Student Filmmakers Magazine and several tech magazines. He has addressed technology and education venues in New York, California, Massachusetts, Ohio and several other states across the country. Digital music pioneer Chuck D (formally of the legendary rap group Public Enemy) personally invited Ben to be a guest speaker on his weekly AM radio show on Air America, to discuss the digital media landscape.