An agency built on your success.

ON Advertising was founded in 1993 and is owned by John Hernandez, Eric Garcia, and Ron Meritt.

Over the years, ON has developed a reputation for being one of the most creative, accountable advertising agencies in the Southwest and beyond. We have built a culture of client service where an open flow of ideas is encouraged and every strategy is shaped with a business objective in mind. We provide an exceptional range of marketing, advertising, creative, public relations, digital services and event services to a client base that spans some of the best-known brands in a broad spectrum of industries. Meet the team that leads our agency.

Ron Meritt

Owner

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Ron opened ON Advertising after working in television for many years. He wanted to take skills honed in his broadcasting career to help clients navigate the ever-changing media landscape. As President, Ron oversees day-to-day operations at the agency while guiding the strategy, client service and performance. He does this by uniting a unique combination of strategic thinking and business innovation.

In addition, Ron manages the agency’s Crisis and Issues Management division. Ron leads a nationally-accredited seminar that provides training for clients on how to communicate in crisis situations and manage the impact of a crisis. His depth of experience and expertise is unrivaled in this area.

Ron has degrees in Broadcasting and Public Relations from Northern Arizona University and in Meteorology from Mississippi State University.

John Hernandez

Owner

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John oversees corporate operations, structure, planning, and development for the agency. He works tirelessly for our clients on business strategic planning, business development, and creative branding strategies.

Before joining ON Advertising, John gained extensive media experience working as a producer, photographer, reporter, anchor, and news director for TV stations all over the country. He understands how media works and knows how to leverage this knowledge to achieve measurable results for clients.

John studied Broadcasting and Journalism at the University of Arizona. He is involved in many organizations in the Hispanic community. John is perhaps the Cardinals’ biggest fan – the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, that is.

Eric Garcia

Owner/Chief Creative Officer

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Eric began his career in 1991 as an Assistant Art Director at Robinson & St. John Advertising in Florida. While at RSJ, he was part of the team that produced advertising and marketing campaigns for national and regional accounts including AT&T, Bank Boston, Ford Motor Company, and Wendy’s Restaurants. His talent as an illustrator was also utilized in a number of campaigns developed by RSJ.

In 1995, Eric launched his own multidisciplinary design firm, EFG Creative, in Albuquerque, NM. Wanting to expand to the Arizona market, EFG came to the valley looking for an advertising agency to pair with. In January 2018, EFG merged with ON Advertising.

As a hands-on designer Eric has a meticulous eye for detail and a fresh graphic style. Eric is a fine artist and a native of New Mexico.

Darren Higgs

General Manager

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Before coming to ON, Darren worked for ON’s sister company EG Structural (Formerly EFG Creative) for 6 years as an Account Executive. Darren joined ON Advertising in August 2017 and in 2019 was promoted to Vice President of Marketing, a role in which he supervises all clients in the agency and oversees the Account Services Division including marketing, social media, and web services. He is responsible for strategy, tactics, and supervision of all marketing and PR accounts in the agency and is also a national award-winning graphic and web designer.

Tom Evans

Partner/PR & Event Strategies

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Tom is a well-known veteran in public relations, marketing, advertising and public affairs in Arizona. Tom is a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of experience in communications and has worked with hundreds of clients over this time, ranging from small businesses to non-profits to Fortune 500 companies. Before coming to ON Advertising, Tom was Principal of his own consulting firm, Evans Communications, which served some of Arizona’s most high-profile public and private sector organizations. Prior to starting his own business, Tom worked with two prominent Valley public relations, public affairs and advertising firms, handling a wide variety of large accounts. His skill set includes creation and oversight of high-end public relations and media outreach campaigns, as well as a full spectrum of creative products and communications tools. And, his experience in branding and managing campaigns ensures that the right message is delivered to the appropriate audiences.