The name of a barbecue operation can tell you something about its proprietor, though not always what you might expect.
Aaron Silva, the president of Exverus Media, which is part of the Brainlabs family, runs a side venture called Big Evil Barbecue. The name, Mr. Silva said, has nothing to do with corporate villainy or even a particularly aggressive approach to brisket. It comes from professional wrestling — specifically from The Undertaker, the WWE performer who loomed large in Mr. Silva's imagination when he was 8 years old.
"One of his personas was Big Evil," Mr. Silva said, describing a character who was mysterious, spooky and strong. "Kind of matched my whole vibe."
The impression, it seems, was durable. Mr. Silva grew up to become a fan of horror films and a rider of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, both of which are also associated with The Undertaker. (One does not typically expect media agency executives to cite WWE as formative influences, but then again, one does not typically expect them to run barbecue operations on the side, either.)
Exverus, for those keeping track of the industry's ongoing consolidation and recombination, became part of Brainlabs, the performance marketing agency based in London, which has been assembling a collection of independent shops in recent years. Mr. Silva has led Exverus through that transition while apparently maintaining time to tend a smoker.
The barbecue, by available accounts, is legitimate. The name, despite its ominous ring, is entirely sentimental — a grown man's tribute to a childhood spent watching large men in capes deliver theatrical justice.
It is not the first time that something in advertising has turned out to be less sinister than it sounds.
Original story published in adweek.com: "Exverus by Brainlabs' Aaron Silva Is the Good Cook Behind Big Evil Barbecue"