Meet the teamAdam Kleinberg

CEO. Thought Leader. Bonsai pruner.

Adam Kleinberg
CEO

Adam Kleinberg

Born and raised in New York, Adam bought a one way ticket to California after graduating from Cornell. From an early age, he was attracted to art and technology— programming video games on a PET computer in 6th grade — so the exploding digital scene in 1996 San Francisco felt like home.

In the entrepreneurial spirit, he bought a book on Photoshop and declared himself a web designer. After a few years at a handful of agencies, he had officially earned the title. In 1997, he was blogging before the word “blog” was coined. In 1998, he was the resident Flash guy at Think New Ideas, a hot integrated agency. In 2000, he was recruited to help start the SF office of Tribal DDB.

Adam and his partners founded Traction in 2001 (in the spare bedroom of his apartment) on the principle that doing great work is easier with talented people you like and admire. Twenty great years of collaboration with some of the world's greatest brands have borne out that philosophy.

In 2019, he led the transformation of Traction into a marketing accelerator to better serve the needs of brands in today's fast-paced, data-driven environment. He plays a hands-on strategic role with Traction's clients to help ensure that their business objectives are aligned with the needs, desires and behaviors of their customers.

A prolific writer, Adam has spoken at dozens of industry conferences around the world and published over one hundred articles in industry publications such as Adweek, Ad Age, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Mashable, and others. In 2013, he was a MediaPost All-Star, an award given to the three most influential digital creatives in the US each year. He is an amateur bonsai artist and can occasionally be found at Lake Merritt in Oakland practicing tai chi.

Recent articles
Tuesday, July 8, 2025What Purpose Looks Like When It Really Matters

In case you missed the news, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. As business leaders, we can’t impact Supreme Court decisions. Our influence in Washington is limited. But we can change how businesses show up as drivers of social good—through policy and a reexamination of what Corporate Social Responsibility really means.

Cognitiv panel at Cannes: Featuring Babs Rangaiah, Jay Altschuler, & Lauren Evans
Monday, July 7, 2025Insights from Cannes: 8 Truths Reshaping the Marketing Industry

Fresh from Cannes: 8 essential truths every marketer must face about AI, creativity, and keeping humanity at the center. Adapt fast — the revolution isn’t coming. It’s here.

Futureproof Dinner in Nashville
Wednesday, June 18, 2025Futureproof: Rebuilding the Creative Engine in Nashville

Last week in Nashville, the Futureproof Project gathered an influential group of CMOs and creative leaders for a private dinner unlike any other—hosted by Traction in collaboration with the ANA and XR Extreme Reach. Set against the backdrop of the ANA In-House Agency Summit, the evening sparked something rare in today's marketing landscape: honest, forward-looking dialogue about the future of creativity inside brands.

Core Team
Reyna Wright
Reyna WrightSocial Media
Chelsea Huber
Chelsea HuberProgram Manager
Joe Skopek
Joe SkopekCreative Technologist
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