Sean Cunningham

Sean Cunningham is the president and CEO of VAB, marketer’s foremost industry source for insights-driven video research, intelligence and thought leadership in the U.S. With deep ad agency experience as a senior-level strategic advisor to marketers on all media formats, Sean is passionate about championing marketers in their quest to maximize outcomes, solve business challenges, build high-value brands and drive overall sales and profitability growth. The continual evolution of VAB reflects his belief in the perpetual drive to reinvent a successful company as a pillar advantage for all marketers.  

Most recently, VAB’s ascendency in the U.S. advertising conversation was heightened with the launch of the industry’s first, national video advertising campaign featuring the founders of visionary digital native, direct-to-consumer companies. The campaign was seen across VAB members’ multiscreen ad platforms.    

Prior to VAB, Sean was deeply involved in the advertising agency business marked by senior management positions with some of the most respected companies in the industry. Sean was executive vice president and managing director at Universal McCann in New York where he was integral to the agency’s unprecedented new business growth. His tenure culminated with Universal McCann being named 2002 “Agency of the Year” for its outstanding performance by leading industry trade publications Advertising Age and Adweek. 

Sean was also previously executive vice president and media director for Ammirati Puris Lintas in both the U.S. and Canada, including co-launching a new agency in Toronto with a full-service media operation built from the ground up. Additionally, he served as executive vice president and media director for Lowe, Lintas & Co. prior to joining Universal McCann. 

Known for his ability to deeply immerse himself in a brand’s business, Sean has considerable experience in many of the largest consumer product verticals including automotive, technology, consumer electronics, consumer product goods, retail, beer, distilled spirits, hard goods, as well as business-to-business marketing sectors.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English Communications from Boston College. An avid hockey player and coach, skier, fisherman, tennis player, voracious reader and automotive enthusiast, Sean and his wife, Jessica, have three children and live in Westchester County, N.Y.