Bevans Branham was born into a family of pioneer educators, politicians and honored business people, in both the for profit and not for profit sectors. He grew up understanding the nature of business and the essential nature of community service and giving. Additionally, he was surrounded by the leadership of the world – around the dinner table, family gatherings and special events. Both his grandfather, Vernon Beals, and father, William E. Branham, were pivotal in his education – the former experiencing great success in the printing and advertising agency business and philanthropic world and his father, an early stage developer of the financial planning industry and financial products innovator.
Bevans Branham began as an entrepreneur while still in high school forming three small companies before graduation. He also began working in the mailroom of the family advertising agency, Beals Advertising. It was from this place he began a remarkable career as writer, producer and director of a series of award winning radio, tv commercials and associated marketing and advertising campaigns for highly successful clients involved in financial services, energy, resorts and real estate development. Bevans’ first work for Cities Service Oil Company (CITGO), while yet in college, was selected by the client over the former creative director from BBD&O – seen in over 270 publications, launching his career in a stunning fashion. Bevans’ award winning senior level market research project at the University of Colorado was used as the catalyst for the prize winning national campaign, the “Buyer Protection” program for American Motors, evolving his career opportunity spectrum nationally.After graduation, Bevans Branham was involved with the Ad Club of San Francisco and the California Milk Advisory Board with the creation of their famous “Everybody Needs Milk” campaign. Later with the Beals Agency, he created the innovative cat & dog conversation commercials for HiVi Dog Food, and, subsequently, with Lowe, Kojis & Bucknum, the first hugely successful “game show format” commercials for Majestic Savings. The agency was sold soon thereafter to Doyle, Dane & Bernbach. Later, advertising agency legend Jay Chiat, founder of Chiat Day, became a patron, fan and sponsor of his future endeavors. All this experience served together to provide a creative collaborative platform for excellence in marketing, advertising, public relations and promotion that was to serve as the engine and magic behind all his future professional involvements.