David Esrati

Chief Creative/Marketing Officer

David started his own ad agency in 1988 in Dayton Ohio and has built up an impressive number of industry awards on small budget projects. Over time, his firm has provided agency support for some of the biggest names in the ad business, including Sally Hogshead, Ernie Schenck and Luke Sullivan who is the author of the seminal advertising text book “Hey Whipple, Squeeze This.”

David built the site for Hey Whipple and is a contributor to the book, alongside some of the biggest names in the business- many of whom he has established relationships with.

But, before he became an ad man, he started his business education by selling stereo equipment at a small hi-fi shop in the Haight-Ashbury of Cleveland- Coventry Rd. In Cleveland Heights- at age 12. By 16 he was running the shop solo in the summers. Later he progressed to selling high end hi fi from companies like Linn. In between selling hi fi and starting his own shop he was a US Army Paratrooper, became a certified SCUBA diver, and started his college’s club hockey team as a freshman. He graduated from Wright State University with a degree in Marketing, but was already teaching a capstone course for graphic design seniors at the University of Dayton

He’s also a community activist who has helped turn a historic neighborhood in Dayton from a place where houses could be bought for less than a car, which was mostly rentals and slums, into one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city. Rehabbing 5 properties on his own, he’s now the Barron of Bonner Street where he works and lives, while also running 2 very successful AirBnB’s and his dog George.

Well know in Dayton as a muckraker, he acts as a citizen journalist, uncovering corruption and keeping the newspaper on its toes. He’s also been named one of Dayton’s 40 under 40 by the Business Journal, his twitter feed was one of the top to follow when everyone discovered Twitter long after he had, and some of his videos have caused politicians to resign, others to lose elections, and some have won some lawsuits in the pursuit of open, honest transparent government.

He also served as a caretaker/Power of Attorney for a Service Disabled Veteran whom he took from homeless, car-less, phone-less incarcerated in a psych ward- to a functioning home owner, with a car, phone and minimal hospitalization in the time since David stepped in in 2017 and stopped in 2024.

He’s been a Big Brother since 1987- to a kid who’s been dealt a few bad hands

In his limited spare time, he loves to play hockey in the Huff-N-Puff beer league, ride his motorcycle, read, watch films and work on his book about how to change voter education in the United States so voters aren’t dependent on advertising and slogans.