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MESSAGES FROM ALUMS AND FRIENDS
Share your thoughts and memories about JWT Chicago, and take a look to see what some
of your old friends and co-workers have written.  


237 comments:

1 – 200 of 237   Newer›   Newest»
Mike Kalasunas said...

I learned a huge amount from JWT/C and the many talented, entertaining, passionate and insane people it was my privilege to know.

I’m proud to be a product of the JWT Chicago organization. It was truly great in its day and was transformational for so many of us.

Hope we all get a chance to raise a proper toast in its honor.

Personally, I’m thinking about Mary Pat Hutton. She was possibly the single greatest source of positive energy and genuine goodness in the history of the Chicago office. God Bless you, Mary Pat. And God bless us all.

Janine Davis said...

I left JWT almost 15 years ago, but it never left me. I learned so much there and remember so many, so fondly. I am sad.

Bart Heird said...

Thanks Mike and all who have been so supportive.

Having to be one of the guys to leave and turn out the lights is heartbreaking. I have had such an amazing experience here and have worked with some of the most talented and kind people in all my days of working.

For those of you I don't know, but worked in the office before me, I want to thank you for leaving such a rich legacy of hard work, determination, playfulness and thoughtful advertising that helped shape the industry.

For those that I do know... thank you for taking me in when I was just a freelancer, mentoring and making me feel like family, for showing me that work is never "finished" until it's shipped (and then still, maybe not), for caring about typography when the world usually doesn't (Grondahl, this is your fault!), for knowing the difference in a bad brief and a brilliant one, for the ability to dress like a slob but still voice my opinion, and for all the parties, laughs, groans, growing pains and struggles that made me a better person and a better judge of an idea.

It has been an honor for this former Navy veteran to serve in an agency whose founder was known as the Commodore. I am looking forward to where the journey takes me next.

Rita Winters said...

Condolences to all. It is like having your alma mater shut its doors, because it truly was the “university of advertising” for a long time. Having in a sense grown up (but not completely, even yet) and matriculated from JWT, I’ll be ever proud and grateful to have worked with so many creative, intelligent people. How many people can say they enjoyed coming to work and seeing their colleagues every day (and I mean seven days a week) even when things were otherwise bleak? Thanks for the memories, the laughs and the excellent arguments. I’m raising an imaginary glass.

Cathy Maas said...

the only thing making me feel better about such a sad passing is the great outpouring of good stories and reminders of people who profoundly changed my life. Growing up at JWT was the best experience: even on bad days, it was still pretty good. And there's no other way I would have met and worked with some of the greats in the ad world. Thanks to all for sharing our chosen profession with such style and grace, smarts, talent and passion. And whereever you are right now, I hope it's a great place.

Steve Ford said...

Hello,

My tenure at JWT was short but the impact was incredible. Three years (78-81) hired as a “copywriter” fresh out of college, I couldn’t imagine a better introduction to a world that has now largely passed. Thompson Chicago was a place that was bursting with talent, full of characters which, to my eyes were and still are, larger than life, vastly entertaining every day with all the fun, jokes, pranks, and sheer craziness, active with an enviable roster of top notch clients, and a place where real heart, smarts and passion existed. And though I eventually became a vendor to many agencies, including JWT, in the years that passed, it was my experiences there in the 28th floor of the Hancock Building that shaped my outlook and continue to remind me that work can really be fun. I too raise my glass (from Louie’s) to those alive who remember and those who have departed, all of who contributed to such a great place and created so many wonderful memories for me.

Nina Disesa said...

It’s been very enlightening for me to read the e-mails from people like Steve Ford who worked at JWT Chicago so many years before I did and to find that the spirit and personality of this unique and happy place had not changed over the years. Steve’s description of the place where he worked is the same as the place where I worked ten years later.

When I arrived in August of 1991, Steve Davis was running the office and had hired me as the Executive Creative Director. I was struck by the humor and optimism of the people who were working there, even though the office had seen hard times and was struggling to win back a lot of lost business.

I have to say that the three years I spent there were three of the toughest but happiest years of my career. I laughed every day and I was fascinated by the stories I was told of the shop’s glorious past. I also learned a lot about being a creative director and a better human being.

It was a great honor and privilege to be a part of this great office’s history and my only regret is that I spent only three years in the Chicago office.

What a shame and a pity for it to have ended this way.

Gloria Quigley said...

I, too, am both saddened by the passing of our “Alma Mater” and cheered by the many great memories. So much of what I still carry with me comes from what I learned early on, from “Fresh Eggs and Flying Lessons” to how much easier it is to love the work you do when you do it with people you love. Here’s to a great group of alums, one and all.

Peter Barnes said...

Once upon a time there was a young English planner who despite living in far far away Sydney somehow found himself caught up in the global pitch for Gateway computers - a pitch that drew him first to Chicago and then on to Sioux City with the inspirational Mike Kalasunas and Jim, your larger-than-life MD.

It was a learning experience that transformed my career in advertising...and oh so nearly led to me moving to Chicago to join you permanently.

So, apart from saying my own 'thank you' in memoriam, I would also like to add one other thought as you celebrate the talent that made JWT Chicago such an icon in the industry. It was and is the team that makes the company not the company that makes the team. So, while you're saddened by the passing of a truly great office, remember that wherever you folks are at this time...those are the places to be.

Will Howard said...

Who the hell is Rosemarie and Ty? Who the hell would send out a memo like that with those ridiculous ego centric signatures? I'm cashing in my $67 a share options and immediately selling them.....then Kal I'll give the money to the party fund!.....it was and could have been the best...

Betsey Dalbeck said...

Thank you all for sharing your stories and flooding me with so many memories of our days together!

Foe me, it wasn't until after leaving JWT/Chicago in 1995 to go climb physical mountains that I learned, in reflection, what I had experienced during my years there. I had experienced climbing a metaphorical mountain as a member of one heck of an expeditionary team! I'm still amazed at the caliber of talent we had assembled for our climb.

Since I am not the writer so many of you are, I'd like to share two quotes. First, a quote by Rene Daumal that sums up how I feel about my days at JWT/Chicago and all of you:

You cannot stay on the summit forever,
You have to come down again...
So why bother in the first place?
Just this: what is above knows what is below
But what is below does not know what is above.
One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer.
But one has seen.
There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up.

And second, a Lakota proverb that Mary Pat might share with us all:

We will be known by the tracks we leave behind.

May our paths continue to cross! And may we all continue to do the Commodore proud.

Steve Davis said...

The uphill climb was worth all the effort, because the people were so very special. Smart, insightful, fun, compassionate, creative blessings who traveled across one another’s path with a near mystical reverence for what this great JWTChicago brand could—and should—stand for. There were so many “finest hours” because there were so many challenges: having to find a way to do one’s best work within a culture populated by a fair number of conservative clients; working under the critical eye often condescending eye of our New York parent; finding a way to make WPP work for us, rather than against us.

Looking back at those years in the Bloomingdale’s building from 1990-1997, it seemed like every week presented a new challenge; but we collectively viewed more than a handful of truly spectacular summits. . .winning new business, winning over clients, winning recognition in Chicago and New York, winning over the trust and affection of one another. I’ve never experienced such an unselfish place where the greater good was about the collective us. Everyone should be entitled to such a rare and rewarding experience—and the people who author it—at least once in their career. I did and for that am greatly blessed.

When Jerry Garcia died in 1995, Volkswagen did a simple black and white ad in Rolling Stone called “Sad Bus”. . .some of you will remember a simple line drawing of the front end of the iconic split window VW bus so representative of the Grateful Dead and the 1960’s alike. It was so profoundly touching. . . a single tear coming out of the headlight and the simple austere copy: “Jerry Garcia 1942-1995”.

Today I have a similar picture in my mind’s eye today of the Commodore in his familiar steady pose looking out into the horizon. But this time he has a single tear falling down his face and the simple words “J. Walter Thompson Chicago 1881-2009.”

Words can’t describe, nor history capture, my inexpressibly fond feelings for JWT Chicago and all she meant. She was home to the best of the best. Chicago for me will never be quite the same without her; J. Walter Thompson won’t either.

The doors may be shuttered, but the spirit obviously lives on—so evident as I read all these e-mails.

May JWT Chicago rest in peace.

And, for Pete’s sake, shouldn’t we do what we always did when the chips were down? Kalasunas, my friend, this time we really do need a party!

Thankfully sharing in the privilege that was JWT Chicago,

Steve

Mike Kalasunas said...

Well said, Steve.

And you are so right about a party.
Kalasunas

Malachy Walsh said...

Friends,

What set us apart was not just being the best and the brightest. We believed and continue to believe advertising should be fun and full of surprises.


Party on.

David Moore said...

In her book, Nina tagged a group of us as “the bad boys on 27”. I’m suddenly incredibly proud of that nickname. JWT Chicago was a good place to be bad, and when you look at all the talent that came out of the place, it was also a great place to be good.

Janice Pinkard said...

I am shocked to say the least. Just a week ago I was asking Eric about JWT and there was no mention of the Chicago office closing. I met a lot of wonderful and caring people there. I’ll never forget my 13 years there. I thank Phil Moriarty for bringing me into the JWT family and mentoring me. It was the most positive and memorable part of my life. I too often think of Mary Pat.

Bill McCann said...

My family accuses me of lacking sentiment. Maybe I do regarding some things. But, this outpouring of feeling regarding JWT Chicago's closing is really a three hanky deal. My life at JWT, between '78 and '86, was simply a joy. Even the bad days - in retrospect - were spectacular compared to what was to come to our industry and ultimately to JWT Chicago's office.

I look at this copy list - name by name - and the memories come flooding back. I want what I can't have: those times, those people, those laughs, those parties, those drinks after work, and so on. God what a handsome and smart bunch of people. Count me in for a toast to the Commodore. And I'll bring my sentiment in tow.

Phil Moriarty said...

Dear All,

The JWT family we all know and love is now only the fondest of memories. The experiences and friendships gained, however, are life long and life altering for all of us. I, too, think especially of Mary Pat.

Jeff York said...

Dear friends I know, and friends of the Commodore that I was not privileged to know,

When I was in school working on my degree, the one ad agency that I chose to interview at, as an explanatory interview in my junior year, was J. Walter Thompson. Even a small town boy from Wisconsin like me had heard of JWT. And, not so ironically, I ended up working there. And I liked it so much I stayed for almost 22 years. Perhaps I stayed too long at the dance, but I never left for two reasons. One, it was a really fun, smart and great place to work. I met so many amazing people and was privileged to call them colleagues and friends. I even met some romantic leads in my life through JWT. (Ahem!) And the second reason was that over the years, I had the opportunity to work with such a variety of people, leaders and clients that it always felt like a new place every couple of years. To all of you who were a part of that with me, I thank you for your tutelage, inspiration and friendship. And I truly believe that when a door is closed somewhere, and God knows we're literally closing one in this instance, a window of opportunity will open somewhere else.

With the greatest appreciation, love and respect to all,
Jeff York

Miguel Barron said...

Maybe I can finally get one of those surf board tables?
JWT helped make me, me.

George Lange said...

JWT Chicago: The Real Story



Yeah, I’m sad about JWT Chicago closing it’s doors, too. But I have a confession to make, and you’re not gonna like it.

I wore a millstone. I ran the Kelogg Account.

I remember when JWT Chicago’s CFO Peter Studney first came to me with the problem: “New York and WPP are bankrupting us, Geo -- you gotta help.” It was then that I got to thinkin’ - then that I came up with the idea that eventually was the ruin of JWT Chicago.

Creative Derivative Swaps. They’re what brought the whole place down. Now the story can be told: I’m the guy that invented ‘em. I ruined JWT Chicago, single-handedly.

You see, individually, all of those unsold TV storyboards that we could never sell to the Kellogg Client were worse than useless. The day had long passed when art directors could actually draw (many couldn’t even read or write English, truth be known), so each one of those ‘boards had to be rendered professionally at around $1200 a pop. I came up with a name for ‘em – “Sub-Prime” Storyboards (later to be called “Toxic Ad Sets.”) By the time you added in salaries, Louies, and Lew Trencher’s Cliff Robertson-Style Hollywood Overhead Scheme, each of those unsold boards was a liability on the Chicago Books to the tune of about $425,000 US.

We churned ‘em out at the rate of maybe thirty, forty a week, month after month, year after year. Kellogg bought maybe five of ‘em, in a good year. After animatic “Communication” Testing and “Day After “Recall testing – we maybe produced three commercials in the hundred years that we had the account.

WPP figured the Chicago Office was in hock to New York for about $1.7 trillion, and counting.

But we also had the work of our Research and Media Department products. And lots of swell conference reports, written by Ivy league MBA’s. Our innovative promotion ideas. Of course we never made a dime off Research or Media or Account Service or promotion. Kellogg’s was a great account.

That’s when it hit me. Why not “bundle” these storyboards with the creative brief, the consumer research, the Day One and the media plan? Throw in a hundred pounds of Conference Reports as a sweetener. We could package them together, and call them “Campaigns.” Just because Kellogg’s wouldn’t buy ‘em didn’t mean that the work wasn’t great, all of it.

We could sell them to other cereal companies’ agencies around the world!

Which we did. Secretly, shamelessly, and to the highest bidder. What were once “Toxic Ad Sets” were now top-rated Creative Derivatives, when packaged with old research studies, media plans, promotion ideas and conference reports were worth millions... to everyone BUT Kellogg’s.

Suddenly, General Mills share started to rise. Unilever brands skyrocketed all over the world. Even Post Toasties revived. Their agencies all starting winning Effies and Addys and whatnot. People were claiming that cereal cured cancer and made you skinny, if you ate enough of it. All from ads made from our old, unsold inventory of storyboards. A secret that only I knew. Or so I thought.

Industry Analysts started fretting about the “Worldwide Cereal Market Bubble” but we all laughed at them. For ten years or more, we kept churning out storyboards for Battle Creek. They in turn kept not buying them.

We made billions on the Credit Derivatives – or so it appeared. Enter Ron Burns.

In New York Ron Burns tipped what we were doing to Ad Age. On that news, the grain market tanked. Cereal that had been selling at an unbelievable $5 a box gathered dust on the shelves at $1.29.

The jig was up. The Cereal Bubble burst. JWT Chicago was presented the bill. WPP shuttered the windows and closed the doors.

Burns, of course. had long since packed up his office and headed to Vermont to run a sap farm that he had swindled some poor little old farmer’s widow out of years earlier, for the promise of some phony Kraft stock that he had printed out for just such occasions.

But I’m the one who did it. I’m the one to blame.

Sorry.

Linda (Fite) Cooney said...

George,

How great to see your name again; but, even better was reading your brilliant "confession". It provided the only laugh possible in response to the sad news of JWT/Chi's closing. Are you sure you weren't a Creative?

My own sentiments echo those of the many who have lauded the incredible work done and the people who did it. We were fortunate indeed to have been part of such an organization during the glory days of advertising. Like others, I feel that experience was formative personally and cherish the memories.

Go forth and continue to do good work!

Malachy Walsh said...

George,

It's people like you we miss the most.

Lori Sheehan said...

Dear All

It’s been a bittersweet but lovely couple of days reading all these posts from so many people whose lives were touched by this company. Some of my best friends today were people I met and worked with at JWT back in the 80’s.

I still whip out the stimulus/response mantra with clients, the T-Plan is still a pretty good way to think about brand & business development and I still use many of the things I learned from the incredibly smart people I worked with at JWT. I look at JWT like Catholic grade school – it gave me an incredible foundation, an unbelievable work ethic and I’m really glad I survived it (you will relate if you were at JWT during the La Margarita years).

I can’t help but think of the people that we’ve lost along the way while reading these posts – people like Marty Levin and Sandy Stern and so many other people who shared this incredibly special time with us.

I thank God I got in (and out) of advertising when it was fun. We worked our asses off but boy did we have fun. It’s almost impossible to grasp that sense of fun in today’s business world.

Michael – you MUST plan a wake (as always party planning falls to you). A good, old fashioned Irish wake where there is much drinking, laughing, shedding of tears and reminiscing about this incredible place that brought so many talented, fun and good people together.

Gib Marquardt said...

I am moved to add my voice on this sad occasion...the news is tantamount to hearing that your alma mater has been razed to make way for mixed-income housing.

I have so many fond memories of the place.

One of which takes place on Halloween Eve, in the Hancock, 1987-ish.

Mike Kalasunas, as The Devil, Steve Bowen, as The Pope, and I, as god-knows-what, in a three-way game of toss-the-40 pound-pumpkin.
It ended badly.

Needless to say, my attendance would be a given for any party/wake/get-together/tribute to ol' JWTC, no matter the time or place.

Loriann Dowell said...

George Lange, I haven't smiled in a week, let alone laughed out loud.
Thank you

Johnny Zwierzko said...

I remember when I started there in 1981. There was a very large creative
group of primarily older men and one hot woman. They would all come in the
office from the train station about 8:45 and sit at their desks drinking
coffee, smoking cigarettes and reading the Wall Street Journal & Ad Age.

At 11:45 they would all get up and leave to go have lunch at this cockroach
infected Chinese eatery called Louies. The reason for getting there before
noon was so you could get a table in the middle of the place away from the
walls. They would all sit there drinking heavily until about 2:30 when they
would all come back to the office and pas out at their desks. Then at 4:45
they'd go to the basement of the Hancock to drink.

After I was there about 6 months, I had asked some one what that group
worked on besides the JWT Christmas party. I was told "They came up with the
UnCola and Great American Paint and the DieHard battery". I said "wow', then
paused and asked "But we don't even have 7Up & Sears anymore do we?"

They went on eventually to work on FDAF.

Now out of all these names, who do you think was in that group?

Wayne Childers
Tim Cronin
Tom Demint
Margot Wallace
Marianne Howington
Kay Crowsin
Bob Taylor
Bobby Garland
Art Lunn
Ray Lyle
Pat O'Hara
Eileen Howe
Jack Phelps
Mike Pandocchi
Bob Heydt
George Hnatt
Norm Kranz
Marty Levin
Bill Ross
Bob Ebel
DJ Long
Lynn Daniels
Monty Wyne
Tom Tawa
Ray Helmers
Glen Fujimore
George Maniates
Bill Reichstein
George Hermelink
Bob Jones

Susie (Weiner) Shaw said...

A dart shot right into an account girl's butt cheek, mini pretzels and Miller, Jeff's impersonations, Jane's wink when I was late, the naughty aroma emanating from the studio, Rita's goth office, donut day (what was with the guys taking all the munckins away in the juice glasses?)...and my favorite Nina D.-sims: 'I'm ready to buy, so where's your idea?'
I think about that everyday.
I can't even believe that was what work used to be like.
For the past 11 years, I've been freelancing all over town, but there's no where and no time like the Commodore's.

Here's to silver linings-and maintaining our bad habits by reuniting at the Hang Uppe.

Joe Burke said...

I'm staring at a photo on my office wall; it's an image of "The Bad Boys on 27" as Nina D. so named us.

We had a lot of fun back in those days. I'll always remember Thompson as a place where I made many lifelong friends.

The bad boys are spread to the wind, conquering the ad world on many fronts, but like the dart in the ass that Susie spoke of, we will always have a little J Wally Chicago in us.

I look forward to raising a glass with many of you soon,

Stephen Romanenghi said...

So Hunt Baldwin and I are sitting in my office, smoking. It's December of '95 (or '96, can't remember). We're a few weeks away from beginning our bet to see who can quit smoking the longest (which, for the record, I won and he never paid off. I'm calling him out in public after 13 years). Anyway, Hunt and I had gone to Up Down Tobacco and bought over a hundred bucks' worth of the most exotic, bizarre cigarettes we could find. We were literally going to go out in a blaze of glory. We kept the two dozen or so packs in a basket in my office. As we're puffing away, Susie Shaw walks in and sees me smoking this nasty-looking, unfiltered brand called Jockey Club, which look like something Russian spies smoked in the 50's, but was, in reality, an amazingly good smoke. Without saying a word, Susie holds out her hand. I shake one out and give it to her. She fires it up. Takes a huge drag on this filterless Turkish thing and exhales a cumulus cloud worth of smoke. She pauses. Her eyes go wide. She smiles.

Susie: Wow. That's smooth. You know, these would be great to smoke when you have, like, a really sore throat or a bad cold.

Hunt and I just kind of look at each other.

Me: Uh, Suze, maybe you should quit with us

Susie: (LAUGHS DERISIVELY) Yeah. Right.

And she takes the entire pack out of the bowl and walks out the door.

Other favorite moments include the listening to the Bloomie's building creak like a schooner during the slightest wind, the hostess at the Chinese joint across the street always referring to Sciarrotta as "Mr. Flintstone" and the near-psychotic level of competition at the domed hockey game.

Peace out, Commodore. You will be missed.

Hutson Kovanda said...

JWT/Chicago will always hold a special place for me. Its not only where I learned to be an art director, but its where I grew up. I was fortunate enough to learn my craft from some great teachers, among them Ernie Cox, Rita Winters, Tenney Fairchild and Nina. For the lessons learned and the memories made I will always be grateful. I am more than pleased to say that I enjoyed two different tours of duty at JWT/Chicago, three years between the two. And the place I left, was in spirit the same one I returned to. An agency filled with talented and passionate people. For me, it will always represent my advertising home. I echo Joe's remarks in that I look forward to raising a glass to JWT/C with many of you soon.

Debbi Smith Rourke, formerly Debbi Lemon said...

What great times - and a sad loss. We need a tagline someone.....

It is so wonderful to be back in touch with people I respect and remember fondly and some who have been friends long after our JWT days.
Happy in Texas, I still remember clearly the JWT receptionist's voice when you'd call in, always saying in her quick but memorable way "J Walter THOMPSONNNNNN."

I do remember Dave Dolle singing Soul Man, and talk of it for days. Discussing the latest politics and hollywood stories with Jeff York.
I still have some JWT coffee mugs and especially the one Nicola designed for the move to 900 N. I remember the beach stories with Bob Reedy, and some window telescopes.....

Long before I arrived, I heard stories from dear friends who had earlier stints at JWT, including the Louie's lunches (from Judith Mara, Kay Crowson, Greg King, Chuck Benson). So I knew my time there would be equally memorable. And it was.

Here's to all the days and all the glories and all of us who remember fondly...
Please let me know of any reunions - feels like we need one.

Nicola Hoddinott said...

J Walter Thompson Chicago alumni!

I add my comments as the news has rippled out to the far reaches of this planet.

Thanks for the fun times way back, working all nighters on Slurpee, Big Red Boat, Kibbles and Bits, Kraft, Aunt Jemima, Kelloggs and Oscar Mayer. For an aussie, fresh off the plane and straight out of design school, JWT was full of amazing experiences to work on such iconic american brands. I learnt so much in those early days of my career, epecially that art directors dont need to draw! I was lucky enough to travel to great locations across America such as Los Angeles, Portland, somewhere in Indiana and even on a cruise or two to the Bahamas! I was there during the historic move from the Hancock Building to the Bloomingdales and still have a few odd souvenirs.

Who remembers Dave Dolle singing Soul Man at the christmas party one year? Where is Waldo now? He did come and sleep on my sofa for six weeks down here in Melbourne but disappeared in Queensland playing golf on crocodile infested fairways. Other memories of the Creative Department: Walking past Bobby Garland's macrame decorated office and wondering what was that smell? Being in awe and at the same time terrified of Jack Di Guisseppe's group meetings where swear words were the mode of communication. (And wondering if they should make an italian Mr Potato Head). Looking forward to 11 o'clock so I could sneak out and eat after only arriving about an hour before. Going down to "Walter's" to see most of the male creatives play endless games of air hockey(?) and the smokers in the glassed-in room all puffing away. A Creative Department that took up an entire floor; the layout of who sat where is still imprinted in my memory...

Great memories, full of great characters and made some life long friendships!

In all seriousness and fondness, I raise my glass to you all.

Nina Disesa said...

These posts are making me bawl.

Betsey Dalbeck said...

I'm still laughing over the dart story. I remember Dean's call to me asking what to do...LOL!

Susie (Weiner) Shaw said...

Nowadays (smacking my gums in my rocking chair) that chick coulda sued big time.

Matt Canzano said...

Okay, so I guess its my turn up to the podium. Having spent two tours of duty at the Chicago outpost I gotta say, the days at JWT were some of the best. We did great work and had great fun. For me it was a chance to learn from the best in the business. Joe and Tenney, Nina, dennis and even Jack. You don't have to look hard to realize that some of the best talent in this business today spent a bit of quality time under the sign of the Commodore. It was a virtual breeding ground of great thinkers - creative, planning or account. When I think about it, that seems to me to be the one thing that made it so good. The people.

In no particular order of importance, here's my list of things I'll never forget.

The Penguin - Mary Pat
Tommy G's "original" pitching machine.
Jack as the Grim Reeper.
Kal's pantz on the floor.
Heffernan's speeches.
"Abruption"
Christmas videos.
Bob, uh, Bob, uh Reedy.
"In frame three he does indeed have the cheese."
The automated mail cart.
Getting kicked out of Dick's Last Resort. (by Chicago's finest)
The birth of Rory Lake.
Karaoke dennis.
Squirt guns with gin.
"A refrigerator would never say that!"
Every single nickname Tenney ever gave me, or anyone else for that matter.
So good, it hurts.
Jeff's hallway of fame.
Z's magic mix board.
The softball game vs. Detroit. (at least the ride home had fireworks)
Jane saying, "Good morning, Matt." every day.
Winning more awards than NY, year after year.

And, everything the immortal Ed Maroney ever bestowed upon me. One of which was this: "Matt, it's only advertising." I don't think he ever meant it, but he knew it would get me past whatever hurdle we were facing.

Holly Bea-Weaver said...

Damn. I'll be in Dallas moving my mom to a senior home and guzzling wine. It's been a riot reading everyone's missives, and being caught in a wave of lost memories, names and faces.
Nina brought me in to integrate the Bad Boys of 27and sell some milk. While I gave it a valiant effort, I instead succumbed to the charm of those sharp-witted, cynical, telescope-gazing, testosterone driven guys. I grew tremendously as a creative, failed miserably at the politics and had some of the best times of my life. I am grateful for almost every minute I spent there. One of my best memories was on Day 1, when Tim Kane sent the rolling eye ball across his desk, into my lap-a wise and funny icebreaker (and you have to know him to "get" it.)
Hoist a few for me.

Gary Moss said...

This makes me feel very sad, and I am afraid old as well. I have nothing but great memories of my 13 years at JWT. The article I read is correct, we were not only the best agency in Chicago, but argueably the "crown jewel" the global JWT network. I made such good friends that taught me so much about how to be successful in buisness and in life. My tenure led to my time with Polaroid, Campbell's Soup, Pep Boys, Saatchi and DDB. It also led to my wife Carol and our two kids. I miss all of you and hope that we can find a way to have a farewell toast together.

Jon Ellen Snyder said...

I feel like I've been transported back in time to my little desk outside Nina's office -- pot smoke wafting down the hall, pictures of military jets and helicopters, visions of Miracle Whip, Candace Hanson getting ready to marry Bill Wrigley Jr. and yelling at the jeweler: "I WANT A ROCK!" -- Then 2nd City's actress imitating her at the Christmas Party ( ? ) with a blond pony tail and her left hand dragging on the floor of the stage, Jack D's infamous profanity, Marion Howington's red fingernails and 3 martini lunches (expense account be damned), Nina giving me a fur coat, black tie events, Marion passing me her Steppenwolf tickets, neurotic behavior in every department at all levels of the food chain. Jeff York drew a caricature of me that my mom still has hanging on her refrigerator. Betsey running around with her yellow notepad. Me, hoping every day that my co-hort Secretary, John, would live through another day without a heart attack. And the fun I had filming Mary Pat's good-bye video.

Thank you all for providing me with wonderful memories. It was a privilege to work with you, and I appreciate being included in these emails.

Let me know if you ever need tips on what to do in Montana!

Joe Sciarrotta said...

Here's 20 random things that I will always remember about working at JWT
Chicago from 1985 to 1991.

1. Starting my day off with a cup of Bob's stat room coffee.

2. At night I would grocery shop for cereal, beer, and dog food in random
AE's offices.

3. Finding the salary information for the entire creative department left
on the Xerox machine.

4. Sneaking my bulldog Butkus into the Hancock building by telling the
guards he was there for a photo shoot.

5. Convincing Norm Kranz that Tenney and I were gay lovers trying to lure
him into a threesome.

6. Telling Jim Patterson that everyone was working real hard except for Ray
Lyle.

7. Not submitting timesheets or expenses for 2 1/2 years.

8. Mary Pat Hutton's bark was bigger than her bite.

9. Signing Ray Lyle's name for room service charges without his knowledge.

10. Being escorted out of the building by Homer and Eugene.

11. Being welcomed back by Homer and Eugene 9 months later.

12. Jack's Ferrari's.

13. Jack's cowboy boots.

14. Jack.

15. Bob Reedy leaving the entire 7-11 creative presentation on the plane.

16. Having 6 of 10 commercials on JWT U.S.A. reel.

17. Throwing an after hours bachelor party for Matt Canzano in the main
conference with strippers.

18. Hiding Marty's robotic mailroom cart.

19. Working with the some of the most talented people in advertising.

20. Having fun everyday.

Matt Canzano said...

Great list. Yeah I would've listed the bachelor party thing, but I don't remember it.

Guys, guys, guys, guys, guys...

Michael Antonucci said...

Luckily Tommy G stepped in to assume your duties.

Hutson Kovanda said...

Here's one.

On my very first television shoot, Matt C was teaching me the ropes. I believe on that shoot were Matt, Steve R, Larry Lipson and myself. Anyway, my first shoot was of a lava lamp on a table. Not too complicated. Matt instructs me to look through the camera and tell him what I see. So, I did. "A lava lamp" said I. Matt replies, "Good. If it changes let me know." And with that he walks away leaving me standing there worried that the damn thing was going to change somehow. I have now passed that line onto jr art directors whose spots I've overseen at several agencies.

Mike Kalasunas said...

I'm just hearing about a gathering on 4/17. Sounds great, but there will be a more official and larger party in the future.There's a group of us old timers getting together next week to begin planning an organized, widely publicized event that locals and out of towners will be invited to attend. We'd need at least a couple months to get something like this together and would be enlisting the help of a lot of folks who have volunteered it.

So if people want to get drunk at the Hanggee Uppee on April 17, that's cool. Unfortunately, I can't be there. But stay tuned and advise others - there will be a real, organized shindig in the future. Don't shoot your JWT/C memorial wad on April 17.

Kalasunas

Anonymous said...

Well it's been 15 years since I was in Media at JWT. Started there way back when in the Hancock Building then 'moved on up' to 900 N. Mich.
Remembering the great friends, the great camaraderie, the pride of working at JWT. That will never go away.
Kathy Litwack Rocklin

Anonymous said...

The most fun I ever had in advertising was at JWT/Chicago when we launched what started out being the "Sears Proprietary Card" - and turned into the Discover Card. It was the first time I'd experienced a true team effort - media, creative, planning, account management all working together. We had LOTS of fun and laughs together. And when we lost the account -we all burned our Discover Cards at lunch, maybe at La Margarita? Also, didn't our client - Ernie - start in the sock department at Sears?

Karen Rushing Brown

Brad vom Baur said...

Here are the things I'll never forget from my seven years at JWT Chicago:

1. Mike Kalasunas falling off a bar stool from too much nitrus and fun at Bruce Cascia's bachelor party.

2. "Base to Unit 9...where the hell are you Sarge?

3. John Furr's standard greeting: "This is the best looking group I've ever seen".

4. Being able to greet Bill Hooe in the hallways by saying: "Hi Ho."

5. Byron Schlesinger in a black speedo at all summer parties.

6. The trembling and trepidation when receiving a phone call from Kathleen that "Steve would like to see you."

7. Dave DeVary's immpeccable style (especially his socks). He truly was Mr. Fabulous!

8. Sandy Stern

9. The bugers under the desk of Keith Kaplan's office mate.

10.Storm Wierum dressed as Billy Idol lipsinking "White Wedding."

And last but certianly not least, everybody I loved and worked with (except Steve).

Brad vom Baur
JWT '83-'90

Anonymous said...

making into an acronym was the final sign of the apocalypse...cheers to all of the wonderful people of wally world...it will be missed...

tilly pick said...

George -- You made me write an ad about myself when I interviewed with you. Now I know why. You're one of those crazy people that makes this business good. Thank you for that, and still doing it after all those years.

JWT/C may be gone, but you're not. We're not. Keep fighting the good fight and "do your bit". It's so damn worth it.

Unknown said...

I'm seeing so many names of people I remember. I've laughed and cried...
George Lange, my Charlie Brown - you missed your calling my friend.

Things I love to remember about JWT:

- being mooned by the guy with devil horns
- opening a box for J. Steve that had the biggest octopus on ice i'd ever seen -- too bad it was before the sushi craze
- the look on brian goldner's face when i told him the cereal he had stolen from me and was eating (really drinking) from of his big gulp glass was bug infested
- the look on Geo's face when he walked in on me letting his son xerox his face
- the sense of relief when Geo found out i cussed
- the anatomically augmented barbie and ken that stevie in the studio gave my 5 year old daughter and even managed to look surprised when i showed him
- the parties at mary haderlein's
- marty levin -- what a funny guy -- he could play anything on the piano
- jack tukey - they don't make them like that anymore
- dave moore sitting poolside at shutters
- the jwt christmas video with susie playing nina
- leaving jwt when my water broke to have my first daughter -- geo told me i was mistaken
- j steve walking around in his michael jackson jacket thinking he was cool
- figuring out a way to get what i needed from dean campione without pissing him off
- moving objects around rob glen's office if you know him this will make sense to you -- ocd comes to mind
- the goddess of all information - roberta piccolli
- irma and chris for putting up with my very LARGE expense reports and prying the money out of Lew's hands
- the smell of peter studney's cheap cigars
- figuring out how to get around the iron curtain after hours
- the stampede when someone found food
- working with people in 60 offices around the globe

For me, JWT was more than a job! It was the place to be. People worked hard and played hard. It was pure magic! Some jamoke (sp?) from NY said time is the new currency... from my POV time means nothing without the people who define the quality of that time. JWT Chicago was, and will always be the shop that placed a value on its finest brand... people

Stephanie Howard said...

wow. i am in tears reading all these emails! i cannot believe JWT chicago is gone, and after so much great work. when i was there we had more than half of the spots on the JWT usa reel! JWT was my first job out of college and my friends were so jealous! what an amazing place and group of cool, smart people. reading all of the stories from way before i got there is like reliving my childhood. my dad worked there for god knows how many years and i grew up hearing all of these names and places. louie's was uttered ( or more like cursed) many times by my mother as the reason my dad was not eating dinner with us. and oh how cool it was to visit the hancock building offices and check out the people "working" in the hall throwing a football around and checking out the recording studio where my dad and some other dudes would jam. then i got to the bloomies jwt in 1991 and had the best experience ever. i was an account person (and was for 15 years up until recently) and was always sent up from the depths of the 25th to deal with the "wild boys of 27". hmmmm. I couldn't believe that was work, but hey - my superiors sent me! through denver, san francisco and new york agencies it has amazed me how much I have carried with me from JWT. the good ol' t plan, fresh eggs and flying Lessons etc etc. And "abruption"! ha! i will def. be flying out from california for this party. cheers to everyone and hope to see you there!

Anonymous said...

I went to Louie's a time or two - although not always for the reason listed in Johnny Z's post. For Matthew Cobb and myself, it was like story time for 20 somethings. Faithfully, we were usually in tow to Max Ranft, one of the finest mentors a young man could ever ask for. Matthew and I would seldom speak, if at all, there were just too many tales to listen to.

One particular summer day, Ray Lyle strolled in while most of those at the center table were working on their “baby drink" - that’s a second drink you’d order by flashing Louie your outstretched hand, index finger and thumb about two inches apart.

”What’s good today?” Ray asked Louie as he was settling in at the head of the table. “Everything”, Louie replied, even though he knew Ray would order pork chops and eggs anyway.

Suddenly there was complete silence. Everyone at the table leaned over, looking past Louie at the tiny critter that had just come out of the kitchen. From the looks of panic on all of our faces Louie must have known something was horribly wrong. As he turned slowly around to see the small mouse I expected the worst. Surely Louie would be embarrassed or offer some excuse. But he didn’t miss a beat; Louie looked right back into the varmint’s eyes and yelled, “What are you doing? Get back in the kitchen”.

I guess you had to be there.

While I’m at it special thanks to:

Matt Canzano for letting me help him wherever I could

Bill Dillard for teaching me how to draw round heads and wear my pants sideways

Louise Sanders for getting me started on this path

Bart and Tom for their beer fridge and career advice

John Seibert for showing me how to sell good work to DeMint

Dave Dolly for teaching me how to pick out the perfect pickle

Carl Ross for hanging the spray mount filters on the mount room wall and drawing a schematic saying “Bobrowski’s lungs” around them.

George Maniates for all the coaching about art direction and about life insurance

Tom Reiley for giving me my first chance

Mary Pat Hutton for paying my tuition out of her own pocket and a million other things

Jack Di Guiseppe for the ride home from your parent’s house and the cavity search by the Michigan State police officer. I still want to know how you got out of that one.

And last but not least,
Ernie Cox thanks for firing me you prick

Anonymous said...

Post a comment. I think I can do that.

I see that Ms. Ryan "doesn't know why it failed". I think I can help the thought process. Try saying "Inept Management". This comment isn't directed to you Ms Ryan. I don't even know you and you can't be held responsible for not knowing a little Chicago Office history. Besides, there's plenty of blame to go around. It's way too easy and simple to put it all on "New York".

So who am I? Well, I started at J. Walter Chicago in March 1960. A long time ago. Early on I met and had the pleasure (understatement) to work beside life-long friends and mentors, the likes of Bill Ross and Bob Taylor who over the next 25 years taught us all "how to do it". And we did it. We all witnessed the pre-war crowd doing the last of the pre-war advertising. That was about to change. And we (without ego) did bring about that change. We created a unique brand of advertising that was not just some variation of what was hot in New York. It was Midwest (That's meant as a compliment to most.)

This little addition to the above is not the rantings of some old (OK, I am older than most readers here)bitter, angst filled past-the-sell date Thompsonite. I am however VERY pissed at what was done to our work in building a great agency. We "first gens" passed the baton onto folks who clearly couldn't continue the race. We could name names. But won't. Over dinner many years ago (everything sounds like "many years ago here".) Bill Ross said... "Bill, when we hire here in Chicago, we need to be sure the person we take on is better than we are." Think about that. Hellofa way to run an agency, huh? Text book then.

In no way is this rant meant to demean the many fine, talented people who followed us. You came to Thompson with the same aspirations we did. The difference is you were let down. That never was the "Thompson Way". That's the tragedy of this passing.

Bill, Bob, Art, Mary Pat and all you unforgetable people, we'll never forget what you all meant to JWT and us. We miss you! Sooo

Mike (Kalasunas) keep me in the loop as to the gathering of us alumni. We won't be embarassed to share the real stories of those long gone days. After all, you were there too. Although I bet you don't remember the Christmas Party that was written up in the SunTimes the day after we showed 'em how to do it. Janice, Eric, Greg Donch, Voss et al...you all better be there too.

Bill Bosworth

Anonymous said...

I was there during the time JWT went from 800 to 300, from the Hancock to 900 North. Some memories of both locations:

Ray Lyle gliding down the hall of the 26th Floor Hancock Building.

Marty Levin et. al. hitting on Terri Beckerman in her backless dress at a JWT Christmas party.

Same Party: Alan Webb standing on stage, ripping off pages of the calendar from that year, "That month sucked! This one did too..."

The most over-qualified secretarial staff nurtured by Louise Sanders, of which Sonja Klevenow-Anderson broke out of the pack first - with many others to follow.

Norm Kantor & Hank Hechtman's hilarious Oscar Mayer Sausage spot that never made it past the animatic. It was sent to some Opera Song with Lyrics, I kid you not, "Oh Joy, What Utter bliss! It's Sizzling Sausages."

All the girls lusting after Mike Leary.

Pat Byrnes, the writer, always walking around barefoot.

Losing the first big bunch of Kraft business and being herded to an auditorium for the announcement.

Coffee compliments of Bob & Rich in the stat room.

Friday lunches at Papa Milano.

Dave Dolle's Belch.

Delia Coy spying talent and opening doors.

Betsy Erickson's wisdom and talent.

Jeff York's hilarious impression of Dennis Yeider at a Civil War Re-enactment, Jeff as Dennis: "They had to put Cindy in the stockade, she was talking about Oprah."

Jack - every quarter wandering the halls looking to fire Creatives.

Doug, the writer, always walking around barefoot.

Erin Clark always asking for one more favor.

The Cycle Dog Food pitch to save the account - why did we care?

Jeff York's hilarious Hogan's Heroes song.

Liz Graves getting Michael Bay interested in a Citgo Gasoline spot.

Steve Romanenghi at a lunchtime Friday matinee of Batman 2 at McClurg Court discussing the necessity of mixing Junior Mints with Popcorn.

Suzie (Weiner) Shaw always worrying about getting fired. We would always assure her, "You don't make enough."

Joe & Tenney's famous Bandwagon speech to Jack to sell him their strange 7-11 Campaign, "You can get on the bandwagon now, or you can get on later, there might not be any room later..."
Jack: "I want to get on now Man."

Jane - the first face in the morning
Eugene - the last face at night

Anonymous said...

I started in ’79 at a big, powerful, and wonderful Thompson – just like our America of the day. It seemed to me the end of the world when after 24 years I was laid off in ‘03.
As a kid I loved growing up with TV, its commercials and other advertising media. But the magic I saw was always happening to someone else. Now at JWT I was being asked to recommend a notable someone I might know for a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box or suggest heirloom family furniture suitable for the next S.C. Johnson’s ad. Working on the business, I knew the people in the prop picture frame in a Wilton Cake Decorating ad, for goodness sake. And once someone even needed my hands for a test ad. I had hit the big time, baby!
A few highlights:
Brainstorming sessions in the CRC
Pep rallies and knockout speakers, like Kal, J. Steve Davis, and dennis to name a few
How could you not include “Brainfreeze” making Letterman’s Top Ten list, Matt Canzano?
Starting as a secretary and getting a present each day for a week for Secretary’s “Week”
Our parties that made the Tribune, including captioned photos, and then pretty co-workers fielding ensuing stalker calls as a result
Fun company sessions, like Bill Hebel explaining how to navigate the brand new Internet
Always surprises, like the Italian organ grinder and monkey showing up for our Summer Party
Off-the-charts, cool offices of the creatives, especially in the Hancock
Mailroom angels Ed (rip), Harry, and Marty; and Harry crediting me with getting him to stop smoking
All the fun videos, like the robotic mail machine one scored to the music from “Jaws”
Great gut feelings of pride and ownership – knowing Thompson’s wins were our wins whether or not we worked on the business
Memos that were first-off entertaining while, oh yeah, announcing someone’s promotion or other newsworthy event
Who else had the very talented Jeff York who could write, draw, mimic and engage people?
Teams celebrating together when we had a good client
All the terrific behind-the-scenes folks I knew who didn’t get recognized
That I could brag I was working with someone whose sister was dating Woody Allen
Marveling at how the audio and video studio folks somehow pulled it all together at the eleventh (or twenty-third) hour
Writing a thank you to James Earl Jones when he worked Pro Bono in our audio studio
Feeling I could never compete against the creatives for a good Halloween costume, and then walking away with airline tickets and a dinner - the first prize winnings...three times

See you at the reunion. I’ll be the one wearing my antique locket with the Commodore’s picture in it, never removed all these years.
Bev Berni-Bernardo

Cynthia Yen McIntyre said...

I was at JWT-Chicago from 1997-2003 (the Clinton then Heffernan then Krause years) and enjoyed every morsel. Here are highlights either from a regular workday or an unique event that are poking out of my memory through those years:

Lisa was relentlessly sending out all-agency emails in search of the red or blue plastic serving bowls, begging for their return. The creatives fired back by sending out ransom notes with a photograph of the blue plastic bowl duck-taped and bound by rope.

Sweet security guard Majors always on his last round and checking in late at night.

The fun brat-pack of AAEs, AEs, ASs (Joe Bock, Juliet Moffat, George Simpson, Chris Malnar, Heather Hayden, Jennifer Handrich, Jon Agay, Candy Graham, and the list goes on) during those days stumbling and bumbling as we learned and worked our asses off by day and partied by night.

Setting up the conference room on 27 next to the Art Studio as the nap room or organizing large family-style dinners from Tucci Benuch on 25 as what seemed like the entire agency worked hand-in-hand and round the clock on New Business… Domino’s, Boeing, etc.

In the Treehouse, having an all-department Account Management meeting (Lori Donchak, Jim Hutchinson, etc.), and 15 minutes into it, we’re all of a sudden standing up to do “projection exercises,” closing our eyes and wandering around the room and pretending we’re struggling to swim through a murky swamp or bog and then pretending to swim through clear waters.

Getting summoned to what I thought was an official group meeting, but then dashing into Jeff York’s office on 26 to find my account group (Jennifer Garr, Juliet Moffat, etc.) and a few other randoms who have tricked me to come up in order to confront me and ask, “So we were wondering if you had something to confess? Are you and Matt McIntyre dating?”

Jon Agay interrupting Lew Trencher during a JWT “guest lecture” class about the Finances and the fiscal structure of WPP and JWT and simply asking, “So are we getting raises or not this year?”

Clouds of billowy smoke would float from the cracks of Bobby Garland’s door as I waited for him to finish-up his hand-drawn storyboard

Very first season ever of ladies’ agency softball league (MJ Natelson, Heather Hermelink, Kara Henry, Juliet Moffat, Kristie Ritchie, etc.)… we played our 2nd game, and (obviously no slaughter rule enforced) we lost 36-0. Maybe it was because we never ran without a cold can in our hand or maybe because we thought the base coaches were supposed to guide and manage beer consumption.

JWU graduation party… and pouring our fearless JWU leader, Dinny Cosyns into a cab because we cut her off.

Z always askin’ for a drink out of any ladies’ shoe

Hazy memories of liquor-filled nights having the holiday agency dinner at the Drake (rich days) all the way through the years to the downgraded drinks and snacks in the Tree House turned White Room (poor days) and then the bloody mary lunches at Dublin’s the day after to relive our tales of stupidity

Charmin Washington on my ass about those monthly billings statements for New York

Rahul Roy and I in hysterics during a client call when the client claimed, “Looks like there are very strong, positive feelings and emotional ties amongst minorities for luncheon meat- especially ham.” We didn’t realize we didn’t quite hit the mute button before the agency peanut gallery commented during the conference call.

The agency myth that Walter was a zillionaire and owned a portion of the city of Phoenix and also worked at Marshall-Fields during the holidays.

Visions from variety of Halloween parties: always re-arranging the day’s worth of meetings in order to get out and get our costumes together, Kal's big white ass, Jeff York as Austin Powers, Kevin Fraser as the Ladies’ Man, Joe Bock as Will Farrell’s SNL male cheerleader, etc.

Drinks at Trotters, Jay’s, Hangge-Uppe, Blue Agave, Mondelli’s, etc.

We all gathered in front of the TV on the 25th lobby and in our horror watched the Twin Towers crumble one after another. Ann Brown rushed from floor to floor, many rushed around to near-by cubes and offices as we just got word there were bomb threats over at the Hancock. We all scrambled to gather our things and flooded out onto Michigan Avenue. A few days after 9/11, we regrouped the team working on the Boeing new business pitch to talk about the strategic and creative direction we would be recommending to the clients in a few days. Jennifer Ruyle and another creative were presenting some musical “concepts” to the group (Brian, dennis, Marcee, Malachy, Kal, etc.)and not a dry-eye in the house as they read these lyrics that now held a different meaning: Imagine there's no heaven/It's easy if you try/No hell below us/Above us only sky/Imagine all the people/Living for today/Imagine there's no countries/It isn't hard to do/Nothing to kill or die for/And no religion too/Imagine all the people/Living life in peace…

And I’ve only scratched the surface. Thank you all for all those amazing times, all.

Anonymous said...

The closing of JWT Chicago triggers bittersweet memories.

Probably one of the most memorable JWT Chicago memories was my first.

I should have been kicked out the door from the start.

It wasn't at the dinner with the respected and incredible Tenney Fairchild, whence I uttered one of my stupidly patented smartass remarks.

It wasn't at the interview I had with the beloved Rita Winters, where I stammered incoherently how much TV experience I had.

It should have been in the lunch I had with Larry Lipson, my soon-to-be writing partner. No, we couldn't have lunch anywhere. I had to have Thai.

Hot Thai.

Spicy Thai.

Thermonuclear Thai.

The lunch went well. Much joviality was exchanged. I did not let loose with another tourette moment. As we repaired back to JWT on Michigan Avenue, it began to go wrong. Terribly wrong.

In the pit of my stomach a volcanic mass erupted, seething to be let free.

Sweat dripped from my forehead. My armpits. My stomach was dragging me down and I foresaw my interview ending like the Challenger disaster.

I asked Larry if we could duck into the Nike Store. His curiosity was piqued.

I confessed I was about to hurl.

I ran upstairs, No bathroom on the second floor. The third floor? Nah. The fourth? Finally, I raced in and frightened small children.

I performed my business with extreme prejudice.

As we got back to the office, I was greeted warmly by Tenney, Rita and Matt Canzano, "How're you doin', Mr. Heavers?"

They All Knew.

Tommy Heavers. I was Branded. And Everyone Knew. It stuck like some face-hugger from Alien.

I knew there and then they were all right. Hell, I would ralph on command for them every day on the hour if they wanted.

But that would not be necessary. Just put out great work, they asked.

I hope I did my best. I know they all did.

Tom Cheevers

vince kamin said...

I never had a bad day at JWT, the real JWT. I
remember when Bob Taylor passed. There was a gap
somehow. I decided to have a panel in his memory at the Three Arts Club. Dave Hernandez
did our signage. Mark Fenske volunteered, Nancy
Hannon & Jamie Koval were among those on the panel. Pat Dypold hung the infamous Uncola bill-
board posters on one wall. George Lazarus was
to moderate but chickened out. He sat out in the
crowd, later telling me it was the best attended
event he had been to all year. We called it,
"The State of the Art" and that it was. Eager
youngsters sat in the crowd happy to ask the
panel questions. Fenske brought his own list of
questions he felt no one would think to ask.
It was a celebration to Bob Taylor's memory,
whom I felt was an incarnate of the old Commander himself; he even had a pirate's swagger. It was a great night; we had monitors
set up and a great sound system. The Club waxed
the floors for us; the windows were cast open
overlooking a fountain. It was a real JWT event
to Bob's memory. Now the old Commander's ship
reels, Jeff York's artwork careens alongside its
quarters, each face a look of art. Even when I
was introduced to Martin Sorrell inadvertantly
on one of his visits there, and I happened to
mention it was Christmastime; perhaps he was
there to dole out Christmas bonuses. A look of
blank sulleness swept across his face--had I
screamed "Fire?" And Pat Tyrrell whitewashing
her shoes as Joe O'Donnell turned the corner with a Miller Beer client on the tour. He introduced Pat, who kept up her cleaning, one
foot dangling beside her chair. Yes, it was
Bohemia at its best, Madison Avenue at its
worst-- and pure Chicago at all times. Characters filled each office, most of them
were geninuses. Paul Dezell doing watercolor
storyboards, George Maniates doing just great
art. Others too numerous to mention. New York
cannot remove its soul, its churlish smile and
its dignity. From Dan Bruce's Illinois epics
to Uncola; it was all fun and always inimitable;
sacred to a fault; tearful in its end.
--Vince Kamin

Margaret Tylczak said...

I'm a writer who lucked into the golden glow that was Sandy and David's group operating brilliantly under the soft and gentle drawl of John Scott. I was awash in cheese and cereal and liked it. When the group teams got together to show stuff, it was always all good. We learned the David D mantra:"I like my own stuff best, then my group's then everyone else's." I wrote a tagline for Cheez Whiz about them being real cheese, and I heard they went to court over it. But Bruce C.and I won some JWT Creative Director's award for the print and went to NY to get the prize from Jim Patterson. That should have been a clue. Obviously the guy had no idea what Cheez Whiz was. Note to George: Lynn C and I went with you up to Tony The Tiger Drive and sold 2 or those 3 commercials and produced them. Just look on YouTube where things live forever. That Christmas party our group "produced" was one of the 5 craziest things I've ever done. In time I returned to the Northwest because I missed the mountains. And though Ralph looked and looked, he couldn't find an inflatable Mt Rainier to put outside my window. Note to Lynn: thanks for getting us those windows--we deserved them.
Am I the only one Bruce Beach told to keep kids and puppies out of commercials for Kraft?
Don't cry for me JWT/Chi. The truth is, you never left me....Margaret Tylczak

Charles Martell said...

I can't believe JWT/Chicago is closed. Who in hell will do great advertising in Chicago with it gone? I joined JWT/C in 1962, and left it in 1982. I went through their (then) training program, and learned every aspect of the advertising business. I was everything from a cub copywriter, to a Group Creative Director, to Chairman of the Creative Review Committee, to the time when I left and went to JWT/San Francisco as Executive Creative Director. I was principally involved in the original 7UP Uncola campaign, the Schlitz live taste tests, the Kraft Salad Parlor commercials, and many, many other campaigns I'm very, very proud of. I worked with Bill Ross, Bob Taylor, Art Lunn, John Wallington, John Donch, Greg Obrzut, Bill Bosworth, Joel Slosar, and so many other hugely talented people that I can't even remember them all. I'm now 73 years old, and living in Santa Rosa, California, but I remember my years with JWT/C as the most enjoyable, fulfilling, and rewarding of my career. What in hell is happening when a great agency like this can't survive?

Anonymous said...

Here's a Louie story, passed on to me by one of the martini and pork chop regulars

Louie took his entire family on a vacation to Hawaii, flying first class on the proceeds from our creative group.

A businessman sitting next to him droned on about his company, then finally asked Louie.

"So what do you do?"

"Microwoks."


So many memories:

Sardonic Anita scattering raisins behind an Easter bunny cake.

Wordless response from a creative to a client who asked "What is the agency's position?"

Recycled DC-10 tagline, "Good to the very last drop"

Can't wait for the wake.

Larry Watts

scott smith said...

I no longer work in the Chicago market, or the industry so I have no qualms about naming names.

I was the art studio mgr. in the late 90's. Thus, most of my stories, begin and end with new business pitches; the over-indulgence of takeout food, I earned a black belt in Pad Thai.

I had blogged about the Gateway pitch a couple of months ago; I'll try to update that and share the url in the near future.

It's no secret that i had issues with certain policies and tactics both at the Chicago office and throughout the JWT empire.

Or that I became insensitive to the ubiquitous mantra of "This is for a very important person at Kraft. I don't have a job number, it's non-billable." As I said to dennis once, Kraft was a snake eating it's own tail. How many freakin' corner offices were they at Kraft.

Still most of my memories are fond. I was lucky to have managed a group of some of the most talented, hard-working people I'd ever been around. . None of you work for me, but you have my permission to take the afternoon off and go to the Cubs game next week; you earned it in the last millennium.

I also had possibly the most tolerant boss in the history of corporate america. I wouldn't hesitate to through myself in front of a bus for of those people.

I realized that there's probably many folks reading this who might have seized an opportunity to push me in front a bus.

I don't have as much agency exposure as some of you, but my assessment from my limited perspective is this: even the my worst days at JWT were filled with laughter. I would not trade my worst day at JWT for my best day at Draft.

The news of the closing of the Chicago office hit me a little harder than I would have expected. Like i said, many good times with good people.

However, the news coincided with some events in my personal life. Thus in my re-evaluation of priorities, I remind myself that our mission at JWT Chicgo was to sell bologna (if you know me, you realize that hell yes, the pun was intended).

Some of you I'll see again, many of you I won't, though I wish everybody well.

Marathon Financial Group, Inc. said...

1981-1986. Hancock Building. Color coded jackets for each department (creative silver – who was black, who was green, who was red?) I still have mine – raggedy and loved.

Anybody remember the Snails, our corporate running team? Bob Taylor drew us the logo – the commodore on top, holding a life preserver ring, and a pair of skinny legs in running shorts & nikes down below. Distinctive.

Joe O’Donnell, Kal, John Furr and the liquid diet all the execs tried (and turned yellow), crazy Johnny Z, the Lion Bar. The Oscar Mayer group, Ralph Rydholm (he always knew the last line of the storyboard before you got to it). Sure was fun. I’ve been a freelancer for 20 years but I’ll always think of myself as a Thompsonite.

I’ll be there to hoist one for the Commodore.
-DJ Long

Patricia Rossi said... said...

Patricia Rossi says...
I came to JWT in the early 60's. My first impression of the agency came from seeing an original Marc Chagall in its reception area. As a very young girl, I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to work in such an elegant environment. And I was right. Actually, I credit my hiring to a case of "mistaken identity." While awaiting my job interview, a man and two huge German Shepherds came into the agency lobby with an appointment to be seen regarding a commercial shoot I suppose. He proceeded to show off his dogs' skills by giving them commands in German and French. At each command one of the dogs came over and removed an article of my clothing...a scarf, my earrings, my purse. After what seemed an interminable amount of time (to say nothing of the paralyzing fear I felt of these huge "foreign speaking" dogs), I reminded the receptionist of my interview. The next thing I knew, Rosemary O'Meara came out apologizing profusely and saying, "Oh, we thought you were part of the dog act." I've always believed they felt they had no alternative but to hire me as a secretary to the head of the Research Dept. In the 11 years I spent at JWT, I became a Qualitative Research Analyst aka focus group moderator.

What a place it was in the 60's. I met the woman who named Miracle Whip, Marion Dawson, who, I believe, came up with "The Diehard" for the Sears battery, Bill Ross, the drop dead handsome albeit intimidating young man responsible for the "Uncola," and John Furr, who was on the Alberto-Culver account at the time.

What a great time--half hour coffee breaks at the Wrigley Building restaurant, and tales of the after hours shenanigans at the Wrigley Bar and/or Riccardo's. Anyone travelling over an hour and a half automatically flew first class. Profit sharing was great, bonuses were generous, the Christmas parties were amazing. Huge affairs at the Sheraton Hotel on Michigan Ave. with Senior Account Managers dressed in red blazers and playing the bells on stage. Live bands, fabulous food, ice sculptures and every drink imaginable. What great fun, what wonderful, talented, attractive people. In fact, I see comments posted by some I knew...Charlie Martell who I seem to recall always in beige corduroy and Phil Moriarity in dark suits. I was there when Charlotte Boudreaux (now Beers)joined the agency and was the first woman to wear a pants suit to the office. And there were the great women in Research...Melanie Payne, Ellen Plusker, Victoria Eskridge (Squires), Sharon Kestenbaum, Joan Baer, Mary Arnold, some of whom I still call friends.

JWT was a great place to grow up. When I left in the early 70's, I went on to Needham (Chicago) and ultimately to D'Arcy as a Qualitative Research Supervisor and the first woman to be elected a Vice President in their Chicago Office. I left Chicago for San Diego in the early 80's and worked happily and successfully as a freelancer for 20 plus years before coming to Tucson to retire. And to think it all started with a case of mistaken identity. Lucky, lucky me!

Charlie Larson said...

J. Walter / Chicago was described by Ken Ohr as an avocation. I believe it. I had worked at NH&S in the 1970's and J. Walter / Chicago from 1981 - 1991. I think Mary Pat and Thorn Wierum were the heart and soul of the place while many GM's and ECD's passed through the halls. Thorn had the mind of a lawyer and the soul of an advertising person. He kinda, sorta tried to keep us on the straight-and-level so we had enough profits for NY to leave us alone.

While many people have called J. Walter / Chicago a "country club", my experience is that people worked very hard during the day and it became a "country club" after hours. Many people had travelled around the world extensively, so if you were going some place you could get advice on the best hotel, bar, etc you could afford on a JWT salary.

In 1987 I had won a trip any where in the world United Airlines flew to so we chose Hong Kong. For some odd reason I would up at a bar with Debbie Rubin and Lori Sheehan a couple of days before we took off for Hong Kong. They lent me some Hong Kong dollars so we could get from the airport to the hotel in Kowloon.

We were having dinner with the Managing Director of the Hong Kong office, Alan Fairington, when he got a call that someone owned 5% of JWT group.

After we had returned to Chicago I was out at a hotel near O'Hare at an Ameritech meeting when I ran into someone I had worked with at Armour-Dial in a previous live. His name was Fred Rentschler and he was CEO of hunt Wesson at the time. I told him I worked at JWT and he said:

"Oh yeah, Marty Sorrell. He was my room mate at Harvard. When we divided up the case histories, Marty always wanted to be the marketing guy. Marty was terrible at marketing. A financial genius, but terrible at marketing." So now you know the beginning of the story.

On June 23, 1987 we had an office meeting at the Westin. At the beginning of the meeting was a short video showing the commodore in a I love Chicago tee-shirt. Then several bandages and a sling appeared on the commodore and then it went into some movie war scenes and the voice over talked about advertising being changed so drastically with all the financial holding companies.

Kal: I have that video and I'll bring it to the reunion.

Charlie Larson
charlielarson@earthlink.net

Anonymous said...

So, after becoming a victim of one of Earnie Cox's drive by firings, I had a meeting with Steve Davis, always a gentleman and professional, we had been discussing employment in one of JWT's other offices. Mr Davis was truly trying to find a spot for a young eager copywriter...
Steve, just wanted to let you know, I'm an art director.
Bill Dillard

Anonymous said...

Louise (Sanders) Mueller

Wow!! - talk about bringing back fond and fun memories...

I was one of Mary Pat's assistants, (Karen Brandt the other) we worked in the Creative Dept from '81-89 some of the hardest working, most fun filled days of my advertising life

Just a couple of memories that particularly stand out....

New Biz meetings-Patti Ross, Anne Conner and yours truly using brown markers to paint small styrofoam box fillers to look like horse turds at 2:00 am for the Godfather pitch.
Ralph was telling some story(which I don't recall) about two ponies - who would have thought this would be part of
my ad career???

Keeping studios in Chicago open overnight "just in case" we needed last minute tracks, boards,etc. God knows our internal people were drowning.

Being the firewall for Max, David & Sally so they could eat lunch -and even use the bathroom.

Listening to Mary Pat's stories of the "old" days when she used to bail creatives out of jail at all hours!

Being part of the planning committee for the Park West "Leader of the Pack
Show" (Xmas I think). Ralph as Boy George, Tukey as Mick, weren't you ZZ Top, Kal?

Collecting time sheets (the bane of my position) from Yeider's couch where he used to stuff them to piss me off!

Using my master key to get into Joe/Tenney's shared office only to be overwhelmed by the stench of stale food and tennis shoes
- Louie's place was a sterile operating room by comparison.

Finding out that one of the secretaries (no names) I suped had a very lucrative "night job". I did wonder about all the Gucci she wore on a JWT salary!!!!

Planning and being a part of the Summer Party in the 80's at Saddle & Cycle Club - what a blast! - so much so we were asked never to return!

Finding a jock strap in my top desk draw and knowing Joe was up to his usual tricks.

Breaking up golf tournaments in the hall - no golf balls, but plenty of apples & oranges flying against the walls.

Having the receptionist giggle about me wearing the same clothes two days in a row with a wink/wink - she never did believe I pulled an all nighter.

Breaking up a near fist fight in the conference room at 3:00 am between a creative and an arrogant suit -too much Thai and beer!!!

Most of all working with the best and the brightest, working hard and laughing harder - It never felt like it was work.
Louise (Sanders) Mueller

Unknown said...

Cathy Warga Cascia

Favorite Quote: "Three Drunks A Year!!!"
-- Joe O'Donnell

Anonymous said...

Being on the supplier side I have to thank all of the great people that worked at JWT...(especially during the 900 North Michigan days)
You guys were a great bunch and very fun to work for. It's sad to see this kind of stuff happen, but every ending is a new beginning and usually for the better. Peace and Love...

Anonymous said...

Started in the Wrigley. Came with the first group to the Hancock, (holding a map because we all got lost in the new building). Then spent almost twenty years in one of the most creative environments imaginable; working every day with hundreds of brilliant practitioners and bigger-than-life personalities in every discipline of the business.
Left before the big changes began ("J. Walter Takeover", manager after manager, New York's insatiable desire for margins, goodby Kraft, then goodby most everything else). Did not enjoy watching the ever-increasing decline and demise of that Great Endeavor that started on a little office on LaSalle street 118 years ago. What a terrible, corporate self-created loss to the business heritage of a city. (But probably just a yawn to the New York folk, judging by the AD WEEK and other East Coast coverage).

Jim Root said...

Wow. What a lot of fun reading these posts. Kind of makes up somewhat for the sadness of JWT's demise. What a lot of great memories of some great people and fun.

I came to JWT in the early 80's from NH&S- brought over by Linda Yellin and Bob Taylor. My first day there kind of told me what kind of place it was. I rode my bike to work from Evanston on a beautiful summer morning. Checked out my incredible window office looking up LSD from the Hancock. Spent a couple hours being introduced around and filling out health forms. And then we all headed up to the Saddle and Cycle Club for the my first JWT summer party. Many images are forever burned into my mind from that day. The good: playing chicken in the pool with Laurie Runyan clad in a spectacular blue bikini on my shoulders for hours against the likes of Sonia Klevinow in her own spectacular bikini. I cannot remember who her partner was, but I have modified my memory to make it Eric Anderson. The bad: being introduced to Marty Levin who was wearing only a tiny Speedo by the pool. Sorry Debbie. It was scary at the time. If I could ever get that moment back, I would most definitely give that big hairy man a hug. The day just got better and better. After it was all over, someone (I'm not sure who) gave me an my bike a lift home. First days on a job are supposed to be tough. I thought I'd gone to heaven.

I partnered with Keith Condon soon after and we've been a creative couple for about the last 25 years since. Our first job was Pepsi. Shot in the UK and Canary Islands. Budgets were no object then. The account group was out of NY (account groups should be kept at remote locations) so we were pretty free from pestering. We knew at the time it might be the pinnacle of our careers and were right. What a blast. Hyatt hotels was a great account. Darryl Hartly Leonard (Hyatt CEO) used to love to compliment Debbie Rubin on her hair before the meetings would start.

Reading all the names in these posts really bring back memories. Mainly what a fun group of talented people. Think that was what made JWT unique. People put fun right up there with hard work. Joe O'Donnell was a class GM. Mary Pat kept trying to blame me for pranks I did not commit and not blaming me for a single one that I did. Bob Taylora always enjoying a refreshing beverage as he worked away in his office. Linda Yellin giving us lots of free reign until it came time to carry her bags. Joe McCormick who took writing too seriously to write ads. Having Steve Ford play for office parties. Ralph Rydholm and Tom Hall- "Space Hyatt"- 'nuff said. Although Tom Hall did have one of the best comebacks I can recall. Some young cocky copywriter showed up for a beer creative review with the "big idea" that he would hire comedians to write funny scripts for commercials. Tom looked at him like he was nuts and said, "That's what we hired you for." Rita Winters and Keith Rabadeu- quite a couple. Jack DiGuiseppe. Alan Webb. John Scott. Just a small sample.

After 4 years of bliss- Keith decided we should jump to FCB. It was the stupidest decision he ever made and I've never let him make another for me. We did have several good years at O&M but when I think of that, it was run by a lot of old JWT folks so it figured to be OK. Agencies always seem to have a tidal ebb and flow with the good year and bad. I have always felt I was at a real high tide at JWT in the mid 80's. People were smart. They were highly entertaining. It was a blast. I think I can speak for Keith that if we had the chance now to go work for JWT exactly as it was 25 years ago, we just might close shop and start commuting downtown again.

I look forward to a big party. Or two.

Marilyn said...

Oh, wow! The names listed above are so amazingly full of memories! I was at JWT-Chicago from 1978 thru 1989, but I think I know 90% of them. But then, those WERE the days! We surely did have lots of fun; did some really great work; had the best people. Like they said about us then, we were the "country club". When the RIP party comes, I'll cancel any plans and be there. I want to see all of you again! One of my favorite memories: the morning we learned we won the 7-11 account. As we lifted our champagne glasses, Mike Kalasunas quipped, "Uh oh, doggie caught the car!" Yes, we did. Marilyn Stone Keenan

Natalie (Laski) Walesa said...

I was at JWT from 1991-1997. I started as an Account Management Secretary working on the 7-11 account with a great group people. I had the privilege of working on the Brainfreeze account - even though all I did was type up Conference Reports and make presentations look fancy with a new program called PowerPoint.

I then went to work for Mary Ellen Phelan and Steve Bumba in the MIS department. Two of the best managers I have EVER had. In MIS, I helped people send their memos electronically with this new thing called email. What a day it was when we found out we could email to people OUTSIDE of JWT!

I had a lot of fun at JWT and a lot of great memories. Here are just a few:

- Playing vicious games of Monopoly with Ozzie and Tisha in the server room with this HUGE Gateway monitor. Flat panels would put that monitor to shame nowadays.
- Working on the milk new business presentation. What a party that was when we found out we won the account!
- Helping people at all levels in all departments
- Playing softball every Wednesday in the summer and getting our butts killed EVERY year by the Burnett team but not caring by the time we had our first drink at the bar.
- Spending every Thursday in the summer watching the guys softball team suffer the same losses we did. But having a blast at Melvin B's and The Alumni Club afterwards.
- Playing volleyball on Wednesday nights and celebrating our championship victory at Bottoms Up. Bump. Set. Spike. Drink.
- Playing in the Softball World Series in San Jose, Phoenix and Lake Tahoe. Thank you, Susan H, for organizing some fantastic times!! I still cherish my JWT Detroit Strip Softball jersey.
- Helping organize after parties and telling those that needed to know "A wet bird never flies at night".

While my experience at JWT was different than your typical "advertising" employee, the common thread is fun while working there and sadness that it had to end. I wouldn't be where I am today (still in IT) if it weren't for the opportunities I had at JWT. I hope to see many of you at the party Kal is organizing. Here's to that "wet bird" one more time.

Debi Feinman said...

I still can't believe it. The early 80's still seems like yesterday. JWT was my first real "corporate" job. Thank god it taught me how to make irreverance charming....asking forgiveness not permission....that drinking was good (ok, not really...) that work could be challenging as well as fun. The Media Dept was at the top of its game ( with the exception of the halo of that NY barter debacle....), the creative was fantastic....the account management, smart and strategic. I pity the people who didn't get work at the Hancock. It was a true life experience. Party? for sure. Will come from parts east.....debi

Scott Smith said...

In my previous post, I had alluded to a blog that I'd done about the Gateway pitch (March 1997). Thought I'd get a chance to update it, but don't probably won't get a chance in the near future. So it here it as it first appearedThis was my first new biz pitch as the studio manager and it was a mutha. I'm sure Loriann processed some memorable expense reports following our effort.

Thanks to Liz & Beth for the comments today. Other fellow survivors of that pitch please comment as well.

Scott

joe mccormack said...

I joined JWT Chicago on my 30th birthday--February 1, 1983--clearly destined to be an auspicious move.
I think the '80's was the end of the business we all loved. A "business" filled with talented, volatile, egotistical, over-paid, self-destructive, larger than life characters and we counted ourselves lucky to be among them. JWT years were like dog years--seven normal years condensed into one. Here are my top ten memories:
1. Seeing my future and current wife Anne for the first time in tight pants as she jotted down the creatives' random utterances during a name generating session in the CRC.
2. Mike Kal cracking Bernadette Doran's ribs on the dance floor
3. The random Park West Party thrown about a month before the official Christmas party in 1984 just because business was so damn good. The sexual tension was so high you needed a machete to move around.
4.The hedonistic Saddle and Cycle Club Party Jim Root (Hey Jim!) mentioned featuring the kazoo band, overly competitive touch football and (rumor has it) quietly drawing to a close with water sports in the pool.
5. Selling a TV spot to Kellogg's with Rita Winters and George Lang and then the three of us being asked to help the pilot push the plane back onto the snowy runway for the return flight because they pilot aborted the first take off. Yes, it's true.
6. Keith Condon and Jim Root doing nothing but play darts for two weeks just to infuriate the other creatives in the group who took themselves too seriously.
7. Watching as a desperate creative director sat at his typewriter with his entire group assembled in his office the night before a pitch. "If anybody gets an idea, just shout it out!", he hollered.
8. The Fear and Loathing Hyatt Tour through the South with Bob Ravasio--beginning in the French Quarter, passing through Graceland with a citing of the furtive Aunt Delta and on to an unforgettable luncheon with the University of Alabama Birmingham Basketball Boosters.
9. Watching Tom Hall sell. Sooooo smooth. Like watching MJ hit the fallaway jumper.
10. Traveling with gentleman pirate Bob Taylor, who became more charming and hilarious as the night wore on.

Amazing times. I could go on but will mercifully stop. --joe mccormack

Cathy Beres said...

As a lowly account exec in the 80s on the less than exciting SCJ account, what can I possibly add? Maybe that's the point, even THOSE were good times.....

Riding to Racine with Wayne Childers and Jane Ellen Murray.

The Brat Stop.

Pulling off the highway to ride the American Eagle and promptly getting back in to get to a meeting.

Avoiding the three legged chairs.

Adding, re-adding, and adding yet again columns, no, pages of SAMI floor wax numbers long into the night for Matt Kurz. I hear he's a college professor now, go figure.

Shooting a shampoo commercial with a has been star from Dallas, the tv show, with THE Richard Avedon only to discover on the set that her illustrious mane was attributed to hair extensions.

Getting legal clearance of same.

Selling yet another Tom Hall jingle.

Trying to actually make said Tom Hall jingle happen anywhere close to budget.

Sandy and David. John Scott. Ellen. Shari. Paula. And yeah, Tom Hall, among so many others.

I really hate it when people say "those were the days", but ya know what? Those really WERE the days.

Cathy Beres

Linda Kleiman said...

I have been gone from JWT for over 30 years, yet reading all of these posts has brought back a flood of memories like it was yesterday. Like many of you, JWT was where I honed my craft. Watched in awe as the giants before me set the standards of both work and play. We yearned to be like them, but had to pay our dues. We learned, and then grew our wings to put our own spin on things. I was very proud of the work I did at JWT. I credit the spirit of the company, my writing partners, my mentors, and other collaborators.
I, too, would like to share some things that come to mind most vividly- at least PG rated.
1. JWT= Bob Taylor, Mary Pat, Barb Harriman, Ralph, Bobby G……
2. Battling with the Kraft photographers and home ec’s over lighting, styling, and plates when Kraft was on Pestigo Ct.
3. An elaborate, mandatory pre-shoot tasting of 50 things to do with liverwurst at Oscar Mayer during my vegetarian days.
4. Where are they now? Schlitz’s Erlanger, Oscar Mayer’s Brooklyn Dogs-(with the disclaimer Made in Wisconsin,) Oscar Mayer Cheese Hot Dogs, Hart, Schaffner, Marx…
5. Bob Jones and George Hermelink- the original William Shatner/James Spader duo from Boston Legal. I actually still quote things said by them both.
6. At lunch, giving the maitre’d, Chris Strange’s name- so we could enter the dining room doing politically incorrect things when they called “the Strange party of 4”.
7. The most expensive raisins in the city were at the Hancock. I used to go down to the Lower Level for a box of raisins to recharge my brain, but somehow ended up in Bonwit Teller on my way back.
8. The 28th floor.
9. Keylines, transparencies, transparency retouchers, c –prints, press type. Fighting over Sally A. to do our boards.
10. The run led by Marty Levin from the Hancock to the Saddle & Cycle club for the summer party. It was 100 degrees.

When I opened my own food company in the late 80’s, I never dreamt it would be my training in advertising that would set me apart and be my source of strength:
creative problem-solving, out of the box thinking, perseverance, rebounding from rejection,harnassing passion, having fun and sharing the success.

I have not been to a high school reunion, but I will definitely be at this one.

Ellen Plusker said...

This was my first job, first home, first love, first family. Started in the Wrigley, moved to the Hancock, then 900. Spanned 18 years ('68-'72; '76-90).

Recognize so many of you; thanks for the laughs and memories.

Just one thing to add: Damned if we're not the most lucky and blessed group of people!

See you at the party...

Kathy Kraft said...

So many names!! So many people! So many good, good times!! How sad this is. I will certainly be at the wake and the funeral and after-funeral. I worked there during the best time, I think. Steve, Nina, Rita, Donna, Hal, Mike, Ed, Malchy...the list goes on and on and on...

THIS is one reunion I will not miss unless I'm at my OWN funeral!

Greg King said...

I was shocked to hear that JWT was no more. I see so many names and stories posted here that remind me of all the great people and times.
It seemed like there was always some Lowenbrau sponsored party in the photo studio going on. There was so much craziness going on its a wonder that any advertising was getting done. But it was getting done and I guarantee it was better than most stuff that's being done today.

Yes, I think it's time for a good ol' Irish Wake.

-Greg

Debbie Solomon said...

Is there a way to get on the list to hear about what is planned? I'm so sad that they killed this office.

Matt Mc said...

We'll be generating a mailing list or some other way of spreading the word about the reunion soon. We'll also begin asking for feedback about timing etc. very soon as well. Stay tuned.

Jon-O said...

Is there still a plan to meet at Hangge Uppe on Friday April 17th at 5pm?

Debbie Bliwas Glickman said...

I am the account chick that got hit in the ass with the dart! I am living proof that a "chicka" survived the bad boys on 27 and lived to tell about it!

So many great memories! I have been having a great laugh and cry reading everyone's thoughts and memories.

Patty Teulet and I still laugh at being up all night before a new business pitch only to have the entire direction of the pitch changed at 11pm. Running presentation boards back and forth from the mart at 4am and binding decks with our eyes half open while the big hoo haas slept at the Four seasons.

I learned the most about work ethic at JWT that has carried me through my life. The best group of people ever assembled at an agency and lifelong friendships that are still cherished greatly.

Can't wait for the BIG reunion. Kal, plan a party, that only you can plan!

JWT Alum said...

I don't know? You gotta read this blog http://blogs.suntimes.com/media/2009/04/jwtchicago_a_requiem.html

Mark Grehan (mark.grehan@ddfhb.ie) said...

Hi All,

I worked at JWT Chicago for two small stints in 95/96 and 99-01. I was the lad who had just emigrated from Ireland from and was learning the "American way of advertising". It's great to be reminded of the people and even the small but memorable things including the "late night iron curtain". My favourite story is from when I had just moved from the Kraft global account to the Nabisco business a few days earlier. Ron B and Brian H decided I should tag along to the meeting in New York which was supposed to be a credentials meeting prior to a pitch for Miller Genuine Draft. I think the reasoning was that I was Irish and there was therefore a connection to beer and alcohol!!! Well, it was one of those rare, great meetings where we were basically handed the business there and then - no pitch required (a testament to the reputation of JWT Chicago). We were in the Limo (along with Kal and dennis R) on the way back to the airport when Brian suggested I move off the Nabisco business immediately and work as Account Sup on the MGD business (see earlier alcohol ref..). From memory, it was decided to tell the Nabisco client I had only been introduced to days earlier that I had been in a bad car accident - so I had to make sure I was not on the 23d floor whenever they came in for meetings from there on in.
Anyway - hello to all from those times, and the best of luck to those who were last out of the buiding. Raise a glass or 3 on the 17th (tonight!). Sorry I can't be there.

C. William Hooe said...

Will Horard called me to tell me about the sad news. Its hard to believe that JWT/C with all the great talented people had to close. Its the times. It reminds me about the time that I had the dubious responsibility of coming up with the monthly numbers for the office. Early in in the years JWT would send a representative from the London office to Chicago to be sure Chicago were clearly doing their job. A little guy in a black suit sat down with me for the first time. He look through the numbers and said," where are you hiding the money?" I quickly said,"talk to george Lange."

It was a great honor for me to work with such a group of intuitive people at a magical time. IT WAS JWT/C, the University of Advertising. Bill Hooe 1977-1990. God bless.

Jeff Sherman said...

It's a sad day for Chicago. I grew up at JWT and left in 1980, when it was still strong and proud and giving DDB and FCB a run for their money.

I also worked in 2 different departments, media and creative, and I firmly believe NY envy did us in. We taught NY how to buy media, we taught NY how to actually produce TV shows. Our demo tracks were better than their finished work. And whenever the "help cry" went out, we showed them how to do great advertising for Kodak and Burger King and Kawasaki and so many more.

We were different than big and braggy Burnett, clean desk and client-pleasing FCB or McNeedham, plus a ton of small, unique shops like Lee King, NW Ayer, Y&R, D'Arcy, Tatham or Post-Keyes. We were JWT-Chicago!

Even folks from London and Sydney would come into town to see what we could do. (Or was it Les Pinto's side business of transferring foreign films onto video tape long into the night?)

So many great ad people came from the ranks, the list could go on and on and on. And in a very sad way, I'm a little bit happy that any of them who aren't here anymore, never saw this day.

JWT-Chicago will carry on for years to come, where it matters most; in the hearts of the people who walked those halls.

Jackie McCauley Lyle (formerly Butler) said...

Valentine's Day, 1972 -- my first day at JWT Chicago...and the start of a great romance.

Anonymous said...

It has been 23 years since I left JWT-Chicago and remember my time there as if it was only yesterday (of course, I can't remember yesterday very well, anymore!). I still have my "Best It" jacket (thanks Joe for some of the best parties I've ever attended!) and my JWT cooler from the Saddle & Cycle Club party. I worked for some of the best bosses, first as an Account Rep Secretary, then an Executive Secretary (making too many pots of coffee for Bob and getting Gerry too many cartons of cigs), but my favorite and best boss was Patty (Ross) Teulet! I, too, painted "turds" to simulate horse poop and stayed up all night to get a New Business presentation out-the-door! And, of course some of you must remember my little stint prancing around the agency back in '81 or '82 dressed as a turkey for The Great American Smoke-Out! Working at JWT-Chicago was a great experience and I am sorry to see it go.
I'll definitely be at the "wake." I'll also be happy to help organize! RIP JWT!

Anonymous said...

By the way, I meant to type "Beat It" not "Best It" (if I had caught that mistake while photocopying a presentation booklet, I certainly would have redone everything so it was right!) Also, I can't figure out how to get my to show -- not as computer literate as I should be (that's why I'm scared to get a job!) But the above comments attributed to Annonymous came from Judy (Fields) Curley! Hope to see everyone at the "wake."

Bob Ebel said...

I feel like I've lost a good friend. JWT Chicago was a home where great advertising was created for great clients. We had great leaders. I was a member of the creative team for over 11 years during the late sixties and seventies. The halls were filled with Chicago finest creatives and management people. Frank Johnson, Bill Lyman, Bob Edens,
Burt Manning, Bob Jones, Ralph Ryholm, Tom Hall,Tim Cronin, Eddie George, Bobby Garland,John Wallington, Monty Wyne, Pat O'Hara, George Maniates, Mary Pat Hutton, Bob Taylor, Bill Boswroth, John Donch, Larry Walters, John McKee, Larry Moss, John Trusk,Steve Ford, Paul Petite, Norm Kranz, George Knatt, Barb Harriman,Mary Aries, Charlie Martel, Marian Howington, Liz Harrington, Phil Smith, Wayne Fickenger, Wally O"Brian, John Wiley,
Dan Odisoo, Marion Dawson, Frank Mingo, Fred Stenger,Carol Gold Lande, Jimmy Sawyer to name only a few. Sorry if I forgot you.
Every day was an experience to be around to learn from the best in the business. This was one of a kind creative group of people that cared about their client's product every day.
You'd think being JWT's most profitable office, in the world, the most creative office in country during our time, don't you think some of that would have rubbed off on New York today. I guess it's hard to teach midwestern values to New York city slickers.
What a ride.
Thanks,
Bob Ebel

Blake Ebel said...

I had the rare opportunity to grow up in the J. Walter Thompson family. My dad worked there for 11 years in the 60's and 70's. I used to run the halls and steal candy out of Bill Ross' office. I remember some of the JWT greats (Bob Jones, Bobby Garland, George Maniates and Tim Cronin) coming into my dad's office and stealing my dad from me while I colored with his makers. I had no idea as a 6 or 7 year-old kid that this was a great agency, it just felt like a great big family. A great place to be. The work they did in those days will never be forgotten.

My dream was to someday work at this great agency. When I broke into the business I worked there for a couple years. One of the great learning experiences of my life. The people I worked with and for are still good friends today.

It's a sad day in Chicago to lose an agency with such a rich history. I do believe though that someone in New York will wake up, maybe a couple years from now, and realize what a mistake they are making and bring this great place back to life. I know a few people in town that would sign up to help make that happen.

Blake

Nizar Swailem (JWT DubaI) said...

I have been in JWT for just 5 years so far, and have only met John Furr from the Chicago office during Sam Meek last year. But reading these posts has really given me a much stronger sense of just how sad the loss of the Chicago office really is. It is truly an end of a legacy. Sure, times are tough, and everyone is having to see close friends go, but to shut down an entire office, I can't even begin to imagine what that must have felt like, especially for those that have spent decades there.

If it helps, RMG Connect is looking to recruit a Digital Creative Director for the Cairo office, working on global business, so if there is anyone that fits the bill or for more information, please email the Regional Managing Director, Wassim Bassil, at wassim.bassil@rmgconnect.com. We will of course try to update this site with any other potential vacancies that may open up in this part of the world.

Our hearts are with you all during these tough times.

Anonymous said...

The Martin Sorrell Coroner(sic)

Sad but true, Martin Sorrell was actually knighted for realizing his squinty-eyed vision of legendary ad agencies striving for the margins of a steel company.

o His chief tools included elimination of free coffee, jobs, free thought, plus revolutionary concepts in ordering pens, pencils and musical notes in bulk.

o Sir Martin’s wife is now known as “Lady” Sorrell, which makes the guys she knew “down at the docks” laugh heartily.

o Martin graduated from Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School and Harvard at the same height he was born, 21 inches.

o He is now jealous of the notoriety many of his fellow HAB and Harvard alums receive for causing the banking collapse.

o Sir Martin recently was seen taking his shoes off on youtube to prove he did not have cloven hooves. On close inspection however, each toe resembled a pig snout.

o If a writer, AD or AE overpaid as much for a house as Martin did for JWT or Ogilvy, they would have been on the street sleeping in a cardboard box. Yet the God(s) of Banking, his buddies, bailed him out so his vision Wall Street running Madison Ave. could be complete.

o World Weekly News reports that his brother, Sir Thrown-Out-of-Haberdashers-for-something-he-didn’t-do-because-Martin-didn’t-want-to-share-a-room,” regrets having saved his brother when he fell through the ice sledding. His brother adds, “I can’t go back and not save him now. But I do jolly well wish a pharmacist would smack him in the head and make his ear bleed.”

o Martin would still trade it all in just to grow 9 inches and make it to an even 30.

Eric A said...

That Championship Season

1984. When Orwell’s prophesy failed to materialize by May of that year, a band of us decided to dedicate the year to the greater glory of JWT softball (and it’s $200 per game allotment for beer and sundries). At the time, Leo Burnett and Third World Puppets had 100,000 employees and hired support staff based on Division I slugging percentage and body fat ratio. They hadn’t lost a game in two years. Worse, they had little pre-game chants and even their cheering sounded smug. They were the obnoxious team you’re supposed to hate in Bad News Bears…and we did. Following the script, we lost the first game of the year, 20 to 1 (I’m not exaggerating). It was clear we were starting to gel.


A couple months later, Leo and JWT moved through the playoffs and met in a best of three championship series.
Leo chanted.
Leo cheered.
Leo took anabolic steroids.
Leo gave us apples with razor blades in them.
Leo lost game one.
Leo lost game two on Greg Hemingway’s two out single in the bottom of the 9th.
There was much rejoicing.
The only thing that could have made it better is if Greg King, our pitcher, was a girl.

Rest assured, we spent far more than the allotted $200 that night.

A hearty hello to all my old team mates out there…
Greg King, Erik Koelle, Greg Hemingway, Chris Thompson, John Keller, Jerry Johnson(shame on you for not playing the next year so you wouldn't hurt your widdle fingers for golf!), Ron Klingensmith, Mike Parent, Tim Martin, Craig Opfer, Steve Atwater, Bill Kauss, Mark Weiner, Steve Brown, and we can’t forget All-Star scorer Bill Hague who caught Leo B. batting out of order and got us a free out in the championship. Those giant glasses must have worked pretty well and it was great seeing Leo go ape.

Other good years had great guys like Dave Linne, Jim Hurd, Tim Murphy and John Schmidt on the team. I know I’m missing a bunch, so sorry about that.

Not long thereafter, Martin Sorrell, the William Wirtz of the Ad Softball league, came knocking. He traded Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio. Then got rid of 9 writers and 10 art directors, replacing them with a typing pool of 50 underage Peruvian immigrants and 20 winners of the “Can you draw this?” contest on the back of WPP matchbooks. The rest as they say, is infamy.

Eric A said...

Rumor has it

1. Joe O’Donnell staged his own assassination in Dallas, 1963 when he saw it would be more fun be the President of JWT than the President of the U.S.
2. Mary Pat Hutton is preparing for the reality show, Super House Mom, in which she visits wayward fraternities to help them straighten up and get off Dean Wormer’s Double Secret Probation.
3. The mailcart is now a wing of the Space Station.
4. Recently, someone saw Bruce Cascia’s lips move when he spoke. Scientists dismissed the report, saying it was caused by “swamp gas.”
5. Jack DiGuiseppe dons his Conan the Barbarian “Thirst Slayer” garb when he answers the door for trick or treaters at Halloween.
6. In an ironic twist, Ralph’s buyout billions created a black hole, collapsing in on themselves and preventing the escape of light, sound, and even electronic withdrawals.
7. Every day since 1981, David DeVary has dripped or spilled on that’s day’s chic and trendy shirt.
8. By zooming in on a particularly bright light on Google Earth, you will find it to be the smiling teeth of Tom Hall as he looks to the heavens, selling God on some sort of Popeil smokeless altar candles.
9. Andy Anema finally stopped sweating from a workout at the Westin in 1985.
10. Closer to home, I was linked to the overly zealous football game at the Saddle and Cycle Club…as well as overly zealous events anywhere else. Sorry Joe Mc., hope your wounds have healed.

Anonymous said...

Nizar....such kind wishes from so far away....Eric Anderson would be perfect for the position....he'd be great in the middle-east....do you have a baseball team? do you want one?

Eric A said...

Nizar, if Cairo does have a baseball team, I am ready!

Wait, that's Cairo Illinois, right?

Tim Kane said...

I've held off commenting on this sad state of affairs, because I'm still shocked by the news. But as Kal used to tell me, "The wind always blows hardest on the top of the mountain."

Of course, he also used to say, "Nothing feels better than a long-delayed piss."

Count me in for the wake.

Judith Mara said...

I meant to post sooner. I have really enjoyed catching up with many of my 80's colleagues. I have never again worked with a more talented group of people, including the 10 years I spent at Leo B after I left JWT.

One of my funniest memories was on the day I started at JWT in January of '84. Marian Howington had hired me two weeks earlier. When I got there all excited about finally making it to my "dream" agency, Mary Pat had no record of me being hired. And not only that, Marian completely forget she hired me. Mary Pat saved the day and I spent a remarkable 4 years there. And it took me 4 months just to get an office with a drawing board and a chair.

As many folks have said, the people made JWT. All of my dearest friends, still to this day, I made at JWT.

I also have to say RIP to my dear friend Ron Rasoletti who mentored me on the Kraft business and my wacky and lovable creative partner Marty Levin.

Hope to see you all at the fiesta grande!

Anonymous said...

NO WIRE HANGERS!!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Nizar....what's Cairo's weather like in say January....do they have any fishing holes?

Eric Anderson

Dan Brownlee said...

Many of us would come in mornings and find a voice-mail from the very unique, Henry Springs. My favorite is this one:
"Let Fity Cent know and let Bill Cosby know that they are now on my list."

Henry stopped calling my extension when I actually answered once. I wonder if he has received the news.

Anonymous said...

JWT/Chicago gone? Not in our lifetimes.

It was never an office address or a collection of office equipment. It was always the people. Reading these posts brings much of it back. In Technicolor.

I joined JWT/Chicago as part of the Account Management trainee class of 1980 due to a temporary weakness in judgment by Gary Moss who recruited me at MSU.

Here are some names from that era
Account Mgt- Jim Ahtes, John Furr, Ned Gardner, Ben Gilmore, Bob Lansdowne, Dick McCullough, Harvy Scholnick, Brian Squires, Uncle Lloyd Stein.

Creative- Tom DeMint, Donna Exline, Don Greifenkamp, Harion Howington, Mary Pat Hutton, Bob Jones, Charles Martell, Ralph Rydholm, Bob Taylor.

Media- Phil Gerber, Bob Irvine, Leon Luxenberg.

Research-John Hadley, Mike Kalasunas.

Admin- Wally O'Brien, Jim Deese, Linda Fite, Ed Strable, Thorn Wierum

(I wish this was from memory, but I found some old records)

Other members of the 1980 account trainee class were- Peter Chadwick, Liz Dauten, Jan Kournetas, Lucy OuYang, Doug Rothrock (not the Photographer with the same name), Jody Solomon, Cathy Warga, Deborah (De Bor ah) Withers.

JWT/Chicago had an incredible training program at the time. We spent several months rotating through every department, getting to know the people, learning the process, helping out whenever our limited skills would allow. All the while experiencing first hand the impact of our future requests on each department.

In media we experienced, flow charts drawn by hand with foot thick white out tape covering past revisions. All plans calculated on hand calculators, struggling for hours to find small math errors. Media bought on rate card. Agency commissions of 15%. No problem as Bob Irvine's razor sharp eye in hiring made the environment very attractive to say the least.

In creative, laughing so hard your eyes were red by the end of the day. Baptism by fire (extinguisher) by one of the copywriters. Seeing good work, really good stuff.

In ad services, endless typing, using white out by the gallon, but learning that a plan revision sets in motion a ton of paperwork.

After training it was get to work time. Cranking out weekly SAMI reports by hand for every freaking market in the country, looking for trends in what was the usually random noise of measurement or a change driven by a spot market promotion by a competitor.

I remember fondly-

Driving to Racine for a 4:30 Friday meeting. Afterwards, stopping at the Brat Stop for enough liquid provisions to make it home without losing too much distance from friends already at Happy Hour.

Launching a new shampoo but changing the name in mid process because an unnamed Racine based company had not registered it in time.

Trying to get a various divisions of a telecommunications company to invest in a corporate branding campaign and set aside their various self interests.

Unnamed financial company advertising director sleeping through post lunch meeting and being told by my boss to keep going.

A flat cart stacked with Edge Shaving cream presentation boards. Recycling same boards every time a new product manager was announced.

And of course the company picnics and Christmas parties. Unnamed Account Director with a periscope problem whenever a secretary entered the pool, any secretary.. A certain Research Director dropping trow at the summer boat party.

Most importantly, I met my wife at a JWT Christmas party. Married 22 years so far.

My JWT/Chicago experiences were all aided by the catalyst of inexperience and the unbridled glow of naiveté. It was my first job in the big city of Chicago.

Time it was, and what a time it was.
It was,
a time of innocence, a time of confidences.
Long ago, it must be,
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories.
There all that left you.

Bookends Theme - Simon & Garfunkel

http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/mp3/Simon%20And%20Garfunkel%20-%20Bookends%20Theme.mp3

Patrick Bachler class of 1980.

Paula Kahn said...

Mostly pleasant dreams are being recalled by all these postings. Along with a few nightmares. What a time! What an amazing collection of people and personalities!

I am lucky to have been a part of it all and to have kept in close contact with so many of you. In fact, just spent a day in NYC with Thorn Wierum in early March.

See you at the wake. Can't wait!

Paula Kahn
JWT Chicago 1978 to 1987
JWT Bangkok 1992 and 1993
Retired from Advertising 1998 (thankfully, I'm not out looking for a job anymore!)

Anonymous said...

Best people. Best ideas. Too bad they were all wasted on Kraft cheese.

Dina Ellithorpe said...

JWT was the first ad agency I worked for. I started off in the Atlanta office when they first opened their doors and transferred the the Chicago office in 1975 after getting married to a producer for JWT. They were in the Hancock building back then. After a couple of years in the Chicago office I transferred to the LA office. I worked with some really great people and had so much fun. Never thought I'd see the day that JWT would shut any doors let alone Chicago.
Dina Ellithorpe
JWT Chicago

Anonymous said...

Man, misty water colored memories, for sure....a very early memory, for me, was walking down the hall to my interview to be Ralph's secretary, heya Ralphy boy, when all I could hear was "kibbles n bits kibbles n bits, I'm gonna get me," etc. over and over and over and over and over.... through the entire interview. Little did I know, having "Z's" stuido as a neighbor would make working at JWT Chi-town that much more interesting....the characters.....the stories... You truly could not make it up...FUN!

Big warm fuzzy hugs n love to all.
Can't wait to catch up in the fall!

Sandy (Matonic) Millman or
RWR/sam

Unknown said...

As a kid right out of college and dreaming of a career in Advertising, JWT/C was the place to be. Made no money, worked crazy hours and loved every bit of it. From working for Matt Kurz on Kellogg International - had to keep my Spanish skills up to date, to my "promotion" into the Traffic Department with Donna Exline and all of the fantastic Women of Media, JWT was truly a special place to work. I still have a great connection with everyone who has resurfaced at other agencies in my career. Looking forward to the "Camp" reunion, and toasting to an "old friend and our memories."

Audree (Epstein) Shuman JWT/C 1984-1986

Eric A said...

Sorry Nizar, somebody posted stuff above and signed my name to it. If I had written anything in reference to your post, it would be to say thanks for your kindness, compassion and for posting your information. Hope things are well at JWT Dubai.

The real Eric A

Adam Callow said...

During my 15-year career, I've had the fortune (and occasional misfortune) of being able to work at several very well-known ad agencies represented by any number of letter combinations on their stationary. None was quite as special to me as JWT/Chicago. When I worked there, I remember waking-up in the morning on some days with a feeling of excitement in wondering what kind of fun was to be in store for me once I got into the office. You see, at many of the other shops I had worked before, the people in the office were simply colleagues. At JWT/Chicago, my colleagues became dear friends and trusted allies (a rare commodity in this business, no?). A streak of playfulness ran through the halls there, even on some of the darkest of days (and there were many of those). Honestly, who didn't enjoy the times spent in the JWT bowling league, or playing for the JWT softball team (both of which were made up of many alumni who still came back to hang out and drink beer with friends). I really miss:

*Sitting in meetings while Jeff York playfully sketches caricatures of people who deserve it (for achievements either respectable or dubious).

*Listening to Lorenzo talk about his grandkids while beaming with pride.

*Playing bunko and Guitar Hero via a projector on a giant wall with my favorite print production girls.

*Hearing Katie J really let somebody (who probably deserved it) have it over the phone.

*Watching Charmin bust balls until people stood-up for themselves.

*Finding all the many ways one could actually eat for free after all those catered meetings (props to Katie C on this one).

*Being tickeled at how open and candid everybody in the office was with each other. if there ever was an agency where any semblance of political correctness did not exist and everybody liked it that way, this was it.

*Being able to open a bottle of wine and drink it at my desk at the end of a hard day (ala 'Mad Men' style)...and then needing to go buy several more bottles as my act of solo-indulgence quickly escalated into a party with many more interested takers (usually starting with Chris Stuart).

*Coming in on some Mondays to hear the nonsensical ramblings of the phantom 'Henry' on my voicemail. What is he going to do now? (Henry, if you're reading this, I suggest you start calling the NYC office to vent your grievances. I hear they like this sort of thing).

*Going out to LA with my peeps: Marianne Velonis, Sarah Roberts, Stephen Bach and Jeff York to stay in some amazing hotels (at a great corporate discount) and eat in some of the finest restaurants (with clients of course).

*Witnessing Sarah ride the mechanical bull at the Saddle Ranch Bar in West Hollywood.

*Getting Lost in the wrong part of south Brooklyn with Seinn Schlidt during a gastro-tour of comfort-food restaurants (for a Nestle client project).

*Betting $100 on the Cubs to win it all at the Bellagio sports book in Vegas (with chips the LKK clients gave us to celebrate their 100-year anniversary party).

*Watching 'The Grindhouse' in a Santa Monica theater with Chuck Taylor, Mike Frease, Jeff York and several Nestle clients...and then spending the next 3 days quoting lines from it while on the set: "If you're gonna hire Machete to kill the bad guy...you better make damn sure the bad guy...isn't YOU!"

*Listening to Jenny Thayer's wild Weiner-Mobile tales that never got old.

*And so many others I will likely remember later and wish I had typed.

To all of you...I miss you and all the times we shared.

Adam Callow 2006-2008

Pepper (Hunter) Miller said...

So nice to see old familiar names.

I grew up at JWT. Started in the late 70's . I was only 20 years old. It was at JWT that I learned about Market Research by attending internal focus groups. I was often invited by Mike Kalasunas. (I was also on the Christmas committee with Kalasunas. It was the year that we a 20's theme. Kalasunas was a wild man!!) We had lots of fun.

I left JWT in 1984 and started my market research business which is going strong today.
Herb Kemp and I wrote a book in 2005 and I still see my buddies Marti Worell, Linda Lightfoot (Ruffins), Ray Lyle, Delia Coy, Jackie Topping and Natalie Jarrells and we constantly talk about the old JWT days.

Bud Mc Cullen has been working with me since 1985. He is our lead strategist and a smart beautiful writer.
So many good people, opportunities emerged from JWT/Chicago. Would love to see everyone.

Anonymous said...

Late August 1983
I was a young,not yet vitriolic writer, whose small agency of employment had recently gone defunct. I wandered down Michigan lugging my portfolio case after getting a job offer from Marsteller. I told them I needed a day to decide since I had other “irons in the fire.” In truth, I didn’t have jack.

A pretty decent band was playing by the Tribune Building, so I stopped to listen for a couple minutes. That short pause changed my life. While sitting there, Bruce Cascia, art director extraordinaire of J. Walter Chicago, happened by. I mentioned my job offer. He mentioned his group was looking for a writer. The next five hours went something like this…
2:30 Met Sandy Stern
2:45 Met Dave DeVary
3:00 Met John Scott
3:30 Met Marlene Calders
4:00 Michelle Lowe questioned Sandy about
hiring a guy in Hush Puppies
5:00 Job offer nonetheless
5:01 Accepted
6:00 Hush Puppies given to Good Will
6:01 Hush Puppies returned by Good Will
6:02 Hush Puppies purified with fire
7:00 Day dreamed about doing a Miracle Whip
commercial almost exactly like the one
Bruce and I sold a few weeks later where
the guy dreams about running out of
Miracle Whip.

For years on September 4th, my first day at J. Walter, I would call or leave Sandy a note thanking her for hiring me. And I meant it very sincerely. So Sandy, I hope you can hear me now…Thanks again…I miss your kindness, your gentle re-direction of a junior writer’s energy, and your friendship; and I know a lot of other people do, too.


Besides Sandy and the whole group, things I would have missed if the band at the Tribune Building had sucked…

♣ Sonja’s gluteus maxibuns bouncing down the hall in those little khaki shorts

♣ Our boys Cody, Christian and Wyatt

♣ Spending days with Johnny Z. in the studio putting together “The Anderson Wedding Tapes”

♣ All the great characters –
Charismatic Joe O’Donnell, unflappable Ray Lyle, Ms. New York Michelle Lowe(in her Norma “Tamale”), House Mom Mary Pat, Mr. Shtick Mark Burke, the man in the button-down shirt Gary Rosenbaum, former rocket scientist Pat Byrnes, Ron “Ratso” Rasoletti (gone too soon also), and great salt-of-the-earth vets like Ed Maroney (describing his early recording sessions on wax cylinders).

♣ Drunkenly agreeing to come in for a “big” meeting with “Kitty Litter” magnate, Ed Lowe, at 9am the day after the Saddle and Cycle Club party. Stumbling, nauseous and late, I went to Ned Gardner’s office to meet Ed and learn the project was for package copy describing Ed’s special technique on “how to pour new Two-Step Kitty Litter into the cat box.” Ed ceremoniously demonstrated how one opens a bag and pours out its contents, going slow so we wouldn’t miss any of the nuances. For ten minutes, I sweated and teetered with clenched esophagus, wondering how well his Kitty Litter could absorb vomit.

♣ A half hour after the incident above, Bruce Cascia found me on my office floor, curled around a one-gallon “Merry Christmas” jar that once held Chex mix, but was now filled with an upchucked sampling of Saddle and Cycle Club snack trays.
• BRUCE (OPENING DOOR): “Hey Eri…Oh maaannn….
SFX: DOOR CLOSING QUICKLY

♣ Tackling some girl at some party on a dare (or was it for $1?). Thanks loads, Andy.

♣ Spending week after week, dollar after dollar, to create a Conclave Party that would be forever burned into the psyches of holding company CFO’s.

♣ Our Operating Committee in their Conclave Party finery: Thorne Weirum as bouncing Billy Idol, Ralph Rydholm as a coquettish Boy George, Joe O’Donnell as an early, less frightening version of Michael Jackson, Bruce Beach as a Bruce Springsteen who forgot his own lyrics, Lloyd Stein doing a very respectable Prince, Marion Howington as a blur of color and motion as Cindy Lauper, John Scott strumming and Tom Hall struttin’ as the Beach Boys, John “Jump!” Furr with his “Back against the record machi-ine!” and “Demint” Inglesias crooning with Alan Webb, who turned into Willie Nelson with surprisingly little effort.

♣ Impromptu beerfests in the photo studio, first with Doug Rothrock and then with Robert Bonham.

♣ The R2-D2 sfx of the mailcart making its
rounds

♣ Sandy Stern telling how she would call
Jack (with his always perfect hair) and
whisper in the phone…”It’s windy
todaaayyy.”

♣ Ron Rasoletti’s ability to get rep
lunches. He was magnificent – like a
seasoned sailor with a rep in every port
– each eager to share their ample expense
account. The best thing was we usually
got to tag along, beneficiaries of this
master of his trade.

♣ The pleasure of seeing so many talented
people having fun doing what they love
(beyond drinking).


PS In an earlier post, I erroneously referred to our All-Star Official Scorer as Bill Hague. It was in fact, Bill Hebel. My apologies to both Bill’s.

Eric A

Anonymous said...

I remember JWT/CHI as well—but not as fondly.
It smelled of an Ivy-league keg party gone on too long. Few took the opportunity and challenges facing the business seriously. "Buds" hired "dudes" and a pervasive North Shore couture kept it lily white till the very end. The country, technology and industry went through profound, cultural and economic changes while a revolving door of charismatic but clueless Presidents and ECD's steadfastly steered that place into smaller circles. There were individual talents while I was there, but the small spark of creative fire was routinely doused by vermouth or smoked up a bong during those careless days.

Marti Worell said...

Marti Worell 1976 to 1987
WOW! Seeing so many of these names awaken many sleeping memories. My time at JWT left me with some of my most favorite memories as well as relationships which have stood the test of time. As Pepper mentioned, we still talk and hang out whenever we can along with Linda Lightfoot, Natalie Jarrells, Jackie Topping, Delia Coy, Don Woodson, Ray Lyle, Jackie MacCauley, etc. If we don't see each other, we know where we are. One of my favorite memories happened my first week. I went up to the 28th floor via the impressive reception area staircase and as I stepped on to that floor Bobby Garland rolled up on a skateboard, put his around me and kept rolling saying "hi, you're new" with his signature big smile and wild, curly hair. I said yes and told him my name and which dept. I was in. I knew I had landed someplace really special. The next 11 years were unmatched in any work experience I've had since. It's the place I received some of my most ardent support for my "vocal stylings" which began the first Christmas party we hired Roger Pemberton's Big Band of the 40's where I sang "Ain't Misbehavin" for the JWT crowd. I was so nervous and afterwards everyone was so complimentary. My first party was the one we had at Arnie's when we signed Schlitz. There was an ice sculpture damn near the ceiling. I knew I was in for the ride of my life. I am very sad to hear that JWT will no longer be a part of Chicago, I can't imagine it because then, it was larger than life. I really hope we do have a party because all of these comments are a testament to how much of a family we really were. I still have my 5 year anniversary ink pen from Tiffany's (still in the pouch/box); I have my JWT mug, umbrella, wool scarf, my 10 year anniversary gift (lead crystal glasses also from Tiffany) and a few other things. Anyway, I could go on, but I'll stop. It's been great to read the comments from those I remember and I hope you remember me. See you at the party and I will bring photos. Marti

Marie deGroh Gutshall said...

I am so sad to hear about the closing of JWT! I have no idea how I got an email about this website, but I am very thankful as it has given me the opportunity to see all these wonderful notes and stories.

The story I still tell from my short time at JWT ('95-98)is when I believe we had just pitched and lost the Dell account and people were getting laid-off left and right. It seemed we had going away parties every night of the week.

A few of the guys upstairs had the idea to make up a freelancer named Ed Miller and have a going away party for him.

They made a photo composite of all of their faces, got the go-ahead from Corporate Communications (my department at the time) and sent out an email (yes we had email then!) announcing Ed's departure. People began responding with great stories about Ed and all were invited to show up at his going away party at the local dive bar.

His picture was up on the 25th floor in the lobby on his "last day" and people signed the card. I had thought everyone knew that he was a joke, but when we got to the party there were people seriously asking where they could find Ed to wish him good luck. I have always thought that was such a sign of those times and so hysterical! :)

What a sad sign of the times we are seeing now. I wish all of you looking for a new home the best of luck in your search.

Charlie Larson said...

This is a true story about Norm Kranz. It was at the time, perhaps 1990, when there was a "list" of people who would be let go during the "next wave" of layoffs. Norm had offered to Mary Pat that he would take retirement to "save" someone else on the "list". Mary Pat said: "List? What list?"

Norm and I were walking down Michigan Avenue discussing the waves of people leaving JWT. We came up with the idea of forming an alumni association. I told Norm he could do the quarterly newsletter, charge for it, and probably make more money than he did as a copy writer at JWT.

Norm came up with the idea of "class tables" at reunions. This would be for people who left JWT during the same year. Then Norm paused and asked: "But where we put Joe and Ralph? They wouldn't sit at the same table anymore."

Rob Glen said...

Many fond memories at JWT Chicago. Too many to recall but the best memory was meeting and working with the finest people in the business, Tukey, Lange, Malacky, to name just a few....

A special thanks to George for bringing me to JWT Chicago (probably never thanked him enough) and Tukey and Norm for sending me off to Japan for an adventure of a lifetime.

I too experienced the Kraft days and dennis ryan made it fun while it lasted.

In these days of agencies with lots of letters but little personality, the Commodore in Chicago was a proud ship and i'm proud to have been one of many members of the crew. Sail on!

Bill Shanahan said...

When I left Bob Heydt's Group at JWT/C in '88 after many years, I opened my own agency and was lucky enough to run it for the next 17 years. I don't think I could have done that without having spent my time at JWT. While there I was doing art direction, but I was soaking up information from every department I came in contact with and was learning more than I ever realized. It was a blessing to be there then and to have developed good long-term friends. I closed my firm in 2005 to go into teaching creatives full time at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). I know others from the Chicago office also have gone into teaching. Over time I have relayed my stories to students of great times, great people, and great memories at JWT. My knowledge gained there and at other Chicago agencies is now shared with them. It is the case for many of us with children that we expect to live on through the next generation. So too, some of JWT/C will live on through our students, and their students, and their students.

By the way, one of my former students, Maite Canto, has been working at JWT/C during the past year. She's very talented and really wants work. Can anybody help her?

I hope the big get-together will take place when I'm home in Chicago during summer break. I would enjoy seeing so many whose names appear here.

Ed Sweet said...

Searching for meaning in my mid 20s in the late ’80s, I randomly came across an ad in the Reader with the headline, “Write If You Want Work.” I figured, “What the hell?” So I sat down and answered the six or seven crazy questions, not expecting a whole lot to come out of it. After a couple of weeks, however, since I didn’t have many other options and was running low on cash, I began to hope that somehow this fluky thing would actually work out.

Time passed, and I started becoming a little antsy because I hadn’t heard anything and it was way past the deadline. My future mother-in-law told me that her sister was friends with Jack Sisk, a JWT big-wig in New York. I wrote to Mr. Sisk, who put me in touch with George Lange in Chicago. I think I wrote George a letter every two or three days for several months, just to check in.

Finally, I was called in for an interview. And then another. And then another. It was a painful process that took about 11 months. After meeting with just about everyone in the Creative Department, even the Junior Writers and Art Directors, I found myself in Rita Winters’ office.

She wanted to see my book—which wasn’t much because the only formal training I had was reading How To Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising—but it was in an unknown location somewhere in the agency. When it was apparent that Betsey wasn’t going to be able to find it, Rita asked me to tell her what was in it. So, with my heart pounding, palms sweating, and mouth drying up, I went through my lame concepts and headlines. I’ve never been so mortified in my entire life, and I was sure that this was going to be the tragic end to a very, very long journey. But for some reason, Rita took pity on me and gave me a chance.

My two or so years at J. Walter in the early ’90s gave me a trial-by-fire education that was filled with challenges that made me a better writer. Working for Rita, Tenney Fairchild, Jeff York, and Ernie Cox brought out things I never knew I was capable of, and I gained even more inspiration from working with Gino Gianneschi, Johnny Z, Dennis Yeider, David Dali (sp?), Peg Cameron-Gill, Larry Lipson, and so many other wonderfully talented people. I also learned a lot on the Account side, and I appreciate the willingness of Jill Rossett, Diane Kucera, Amy Zimmerman, and others to put up with my relative inexperience.

Random memories that will stay with me forever include:

• Riding on Johnny Z’s motorcycle—my first and last ride ever

• Liz Graves thinking Dave Dali was really going to the bank when he said he had to “make a deposit”

• Falling in love with radio

• Ernie telling me that it took him “38 years to write that headline”

• The Bocce Ball

• Gino’s debilitating pinky accident, which got him off the Premier Cruise Lines brochure

• Working with Willard Scott and Tom Poston

• Hanging out at the 3rd Coast

• Tullio & Rans

• Diane’s Trunk Shows

• No raises

• Being sad to leave for a job in Boston that paid more

The only good thing about the office closing is that it has caused me to think of my time there so deliberately. I couldn’t imagine a better introduction to the ad world, and I’m grateful that I had the chance to learn and contribute.

Cheers to the Commodore!

Ed Sweet
edsweet@pipeline.com

Nina Kertesz Holden said...

J. Wally World, where 20-somethings could spend three weeks in London on the Commodore's dime because that's where the best guy for the cheese shoot was (Gino and Miguel - remember the food poisoning?! Ug)... then get shot out for an international stint in Milan or Madrid selling cheese food and diamonds to the Europeans (shout out to Susan Brown). Thanks to Amy Zimmerman and Erin Clarke for hiring me as an intern and keeping me on, and Ray Marione for the international opportunity (remember when Ray fell down the stairs at the Christmas party?!)I loved being the "little Nina" to Nina DiSesa (except when my drunken friends called and asked for Nina, getting the boss instead of little old me...) "Oh lottery lottery lottery lottery, 7-Eleven, 7-Eleven..." You guys rock. When's the party?

phillip gerber said...

Don't forget the Media all-stars that populated the 26th floor at the Hancock: Larry Olshan,Ron Kaatz,Leon Luxenberg,Shari Wall,Ken Ohr,Joe Zeller,Bob Irvine and many more.

Laura Frerichs Kurzu said...

The day that I was hired by JWT in 1984 was the same day that the HR manager who extended the job offer was fired. He had been representing the agency in a 4A’s class until it was discovered that he had left work every day for the class but never attended. Luckily, Linda Fite relented and agreed to hire me anyway even though I didn’t have an MBA – which most every other trainee had at the time. The MDTP at JWT was legendary. One year of packaged goods ‘discipline’ followed by a year on a ‘service’ account – to see if you could apply what you learned without a net. Ralph taught us Fresh Eggs and Flying Lessons, George and Jack told us how to write and manage a client, and Joe O’Donnell told us to appreciate our youth, but also to use this time to learn – because ‘some day in the not too distant future we would not be as attractive and someone will want to know what we are doing in the room’. It was an amazing place to work, and I am grateful to have learned from some of the best. The postings have brought back a flood of memories for me – here are a few of mine:

Discovering that it took 3 cases of La Choy bi-packs to make one good-looking bowl of Shrimp Chow Mein.

Swearing to the client at the photo shoot that the giant prawns in the bowl of said chow mein really came from the canned bi-pack product.

Having Alan Rose explain to me what happened to the bad little assistant account rep that worked on the Campbell’s Chunky Soup account and ‘allowed’ creatives to put marbles in the bottom of the bowl to make the veggies stand out.

Flying to LA to hand deliver said TV spot to the networks on the west coast (pre-FedEx). Another trainee got the east coast.

Crunching SAMI numbers with Elaine Love for 34 days straight during the Beatrice Hostage crisis so we could tell the clients what happened 4, 12, and 52 weeks ago with their brands by region, market, size, and flavor.

Trying not to make purposeful eye contract with Mary Pat Hutton in the hall – she scared the shit out of me. Later I discovered how wonderful she was and how much she enjoyed scaring the crap out of baby suits.

Will Howard pitching me that I should not accept a job at A-B because Northern Telecom was the ‘packaged good of the future’.

The Northern Telecom TV shoot where all of the ‘competitive computers’ were stolen but the Meridian prototype was left untouched. Then to have the spot scrapped because the product could only do 3 of the 7 promised functions.

Murphy’s Marauders

Flying round trip to Long Beach to meet with Beatrice and returning same day to save on hotel bills because ‘pudding doesn’t pay’.

Valdo’s laugh heard down the hall

The Christmas party at the Hyatt where the ball room was filled with sand for a beach party. How decadent was that?

Will Howard dancing at every party with a beer bottle in his back pocket.

Kal mooning someone at every party.

Asking Malachy Walsh virtually any question in the universe, and listening to his answer…pre-google.

Having the agency pull together every pitch, celebrate every win and feel every miss. And mean it.

Being truly proud of being part of a great agency.

J Walter did that?

I look forward to seeing old friends at the party! Long live the Commodore.

Anonymous said...

It's hard to single out favorite memories but here goes--
79--Gasper Marsala's terrible double knit polyester suit and the story we weaved of the suit's escapades--last seen on Rush St.twirling etc. This story went on for days... Asking Will Howard in 85 after we had successfully won the Lowenbrau pitch if I could take the month of Dec. off to go to Australia-Will looking down at his shoes and then repeating a line from
Risky Business "There comes a time when you got to say what the ----" I went. Melissa Sturgeon and I spending an entire day filling Dermid Eagens office with rolled up newspaper even clients were in on it---Crazy Bruce Beach presentations when Chuck Otto did a header later diagnosed with bad flu...Susan Seban and I out at Louies and me pouring drinks on the floor so I wouldn't have to drink it only to discover I was pouring it on her shoes and she's thinking leak somewhere...flying out to LA arriving 4am I'm 7 mos. pregnant and the consierge makes me wait for ever then says sorry lady but the guest in front of you was Sean Lennon at which point I almost start to cry so they give me mega suite with the shower for 10--what a waste did I mention the 7 mos pregnant. All the countless wonderful friends-
Carin Winghardt, Tracy Louis , Ethel Duble, Leslie Shelton, Sonja Andersen, Kimberly Miller and Cynthia Mull, Rita Winters, Cheryl Cooper Stevens and Al Gross who I spent countless hours goofing off with. Count me in.

PS I just saw Pat Tyrrell she looks beautiful.

Nancy Touhy Statza

Anonymous said...

Pat Tyrell?!!
Gimme some o those vitamins!

Go Pat Go.

ed huerta said...

i had the pleasure of being with jwt twice. the first was when i started my career in 1980. i started as a "floating secretary." hey - i typed pretty damned fast. i moved from there into donna exline's b'cast traffic group. the memories i made there - just wonderful/frightening/awesome. i do remember that i seemed to be on probation more often than not. i had a lot to learn. i started working with nora mccall on the oscar mayer account. i was moved over to kraft to learn under marcia krueger. and damn did i learn. a lot. but it did provide a strong beginning to what could have been a problematic career. and for that i am constantly grateful.

and the place was jumpin'. anyone remember nancy brown's parties? the entire floor of her third floor apartment literally bouncing up and down with all the people? myrtis washington? charlie harper, steve weiss? just amazing. i left in 1983, much wiser for my experience. i came back the 2nd time in 2005 as creative manager/director of project management. a lot had changed - physically - but the spirit of the people was just the same. the opportunity to work with jeff york, dan bruce, loriann dowell, lars, laura, becarren, catherine, dan, brynn, etc. was something i really cherish. though my time there was not as long, i still felt like a long lost relative coming back to the fold. i look forward to gathering together and raising a number of glasses to those memories.

Anonymous said...

It was the ultimate shock for me to find out about the demise of JWT Chicago. As a way out-of-towner, I had no idea this was going on, having lost track of things somewhere after the Sorrell takeover. What a place it was! The flagship of the JWT organization.

I don’t know whether to feel sad, or pissed-off. A little of both, I guess. Times changed and so did the business. While I don’t know why, clearly we didn’t do what was necessary as an organization to meet today’s needs.

Since my frame of reference was the 80’s, the semi-recent pieces on the web provide a strange picture. We send a couple Brits to Chicago to save Kraft? What would Joe Durrett have said about that? Ms. Ryan "doesn't know why it failed"? Chicago "does not seem to have had the kind of momentum you see in some other places"? Cramer-Krasselt was eating our lunch?

I could complain about the takeover(s) and how they changed the business, and how all that merging and purging put greed above quality of product and client needs. But that’s history now. Looking back, 66.7% of my former employers are now owned by WPP or Omnicom.

I feel for those of you who suffered the past few years and ultimately went down with the ship. It sounds like you didn’t have the leadership or the commitment from the top to succeed.

I was at JWT for only 3 years, 1981-83, and some of that time was in New York. But JWT Chicago owns a much larger space in my mind and heart. I wasn’t a Chicagoan, and moved away afterward, but remain one deep down. I think we were at or near our peak during those years. The work was terrific – not flashy, but we had a reel that made you smile and a mid-American approach that was right for our clients. Nowhere else did I ever work with a group of people so consistently good at what they did, or who cared more, or who were such genuinely good people. It’s great to see the posts from so many of you from that time and so many from other eras that feel the same way.

Unlike the many of you who learned the business at the University of Advertising, I came in the middle of my career. But there was always more to learn, and people to learn it from. It was amazing how many evenings evolved into serious (and not so serious) discussions with smart people about things like how advertising really works, stimulus response, and more. Yeah, we were called the Country Club, and our mascot was the Owl, who either was wise, or hooted all night, depending on your point of view. But we did what we needed to do by day, and by night when necessary.

Memories? Some of the ones I can mention include:

• A trip by a large contingent for a major presentation to 7-Eleven. Ralph had a company song for the trip, “We drop from skies to advertise.” (That was the first time we had 7-Eleven. We had to resign it after BurgerKing decided their competition was convenience stores.)

• The parties. There were many, planned and impromptu. Maybe the best was the day we resigned Schlitz. (Does anybody remember “Drink Schlitz or we’ll kill you?”)

• Flying to Battle Creek on one of those dawn patrol flights from Meigs Field with Wally to be introduced as the new guy, only to find I was wearing one brown and one black shoe from dressing in the dark. Wally noticed, but they never did.

• Driving to Kraft for what seemed like 50 consecutive Friday Salad Dressing creative presentations to an indecisive client. God knows the cost in time, storyboards and gasoline at ‘80’s prices. There were plenty of good ideas in there. I hope someone used them later.

• Joe O’Donnell drinking outside with the valet parking attendants during a semi-dull client party.

• Singing In The Raisinets.

• Ralph’s showings of the worst JWT commercials. For some reason, I don’t recall that any of them were from Chicago.

• Working on a new business presentation in New York to find out, when we reviewed the charts at 3AM, that Burt Manning’s version of the T-Plan had 5 questions. So we added one, and won the business.

• Coming to work one day when a guy, who naturally became known as Spiderman, was climbing the Hancock building. And the fire department was hosing him down to try to get him to quit. Only in Chicago.

For those of you who may have toiled at JWT Chicago past the heyday, I hope you still got to feel the passion. You should have seen us when ….

I stayed in the agency business until 1993, and then had a consulting business. I still do a little consulting (damn little, but otherwise I’d have to play golf). I’m now in North Carolina, but Kal – if at all possible, I’ll be there.

Bob Lansdowne blansdowne@earthlink.net

Ed St. Peter Executive Producer DTC/Interactive Production Abelson Taylor Inc said...

Wow. And the posts keep on coming. I first set foot in the hallowed halls of 875 N. Michigan in 1989(?) and I was totally intimidated. Did I really think that I'd be able to peddle my demo tape to these guys? I mean, it's JWT and they produce so much work...Oh My God!

Turned out that about 8 years later my partner, John Ovnik and I were among the preferred music vendors doing work from Kraft to Ban Dai to 7-11 to whatever was hot and in need of music. What lucky guys to work with Michael Rivera, Carole Gold, Caren Spigland, Doug Kamp, Gib Marquardt, Jeff York, Johnny Z, Michael Antonucci, Bobby Garland, Corrine Serritella, Ed Maroney Sr, Adrienne Daniels, Dean Bastian, David Moore, Joe Burke, John Barry, Susie Weiner, Liz Graves, Chuck Bauer and on and on and on....Sorry if I missed anyone. I'm sure I have.

How grateful I am to look back and think of how much it meant to me. These people believed in our contribution to their work and had faith in us as a creative partner. I won't forget it, or them.
And boy how things change. I'm on the agency side now for the last 6+ years and having experiences that I once only heard about from others. What a great opportunity. Many thanks to all my JWT friends who have helped me grow professionally and personally.

George Kase said...

Served two tours of duty in the Hancock building and learned a lot each time...inspired and equipped me and Maggie Ford to start our own agency (continuing even today)...JWT/Chicago was a place filled with the best ad pros in the world and I'm still proud of having worked there and of the caliber of the people I worked with in every department...it truly was the standard by which all other agencies could be measured...
Can't wait for the get together...
George

Peter Studney said...

Setting up this web site was yet another great JWT Chicago idea. Actually, this is what I told George: I found a ton of vacant space across the street, so let's re-name to X-JWT and move everyone overnight (clients likely to follow) to avoid the clutches of WPP. We should have tried that. Anyhow, a few favorites of mine...names withheld so I don't get them wrong. There was the creative who took down his/her apartment drapes down, packed them in an extra suitcase, had them cleaned while at at shoot on the West Coast, and then returned with what seemed like a rather large charge for laundry on trip expense report. Or the BK presentation in Miami...how could our senior most leaders forget that they had traveled down in a chartered jet, returning via commerical carrier? After a day or so, we got a call asking if the customer would be returning to the jet soon. Think that was a $36,000 tarmac/wait charge. Or, the time the team forgot the tape for the Southland presentation. "Quick, charter a jet and fly a copy down here ASAS!". Whew, got it done. Then the call, "Never mind, we found it". And then there was the time Ralph had about five teams working on the Lowenbrau pitch. Somehow, creative management forgot all about one of the teams, with the result that they went on working for an additional three weeks. In the end the out-of-pocket for the pitch came to only $490,000. Those, were the good old days.

Anonymous said...

I remember the $490,000 vividly. Miller had given all competing agencies $50k to pitch. After the pitch was won and prior to the launch I was told to have a come to Jesus meeting with our client and ask if she would post- sign an estimate for the $490,000. This conversation took place in one of the big conference rooms following an all day creative launch presentation . Mysteriously all the senior people were urgently called away and I was left alone to present the overage. I told her they were all hiding down the hall and she laughed and graciously signed saying did you all really think we thought you did all that for $50k. After she left I ran the estimate down to Mary Pat's office only to find most of the conference room attendees huddled there. Mary Pat winked at me and said "you did good kid".
It was a good day.

Nancy Touhy Statza

Ginny Falcon said...

Ginny Falcon, Formerly GinnyGregory...Admin. Asst. 1983-1990
It's been 19 years since I worked as a secretary for some of the big guys at JWT like Gary Moss, Thorn Wierum and Jack Tukey. I remember flying to New York to deliver video tapes to the Ad Council and also the JWT New York office so that our competitors wouldn't be able to steel our ideas. They also gave me expense $ and I took my friends in NY out to lunch and got back to Chicago by midnight and was back at work by 9 a.m. All the secretaries at the agency had one thing in common...we loved our company and especially the people we worked for, some more than others! I often time wished that I had stayed on because I never had so much fun working and being around people from all over the world. This is a sad day, but the memories will stay with us forever.

phyllis said...

Phyllis Vaughn Johns (Curry)

I started at JWT in 1969 was hired by Mary Pat Hutton, thought I had died and gone to heaven, JWT had great people, lots of fun and in the midst of it all learned a lot.Parties, Parties, Parties, If you got your work done you could handle the long lunches and all. CFO Burns and Jackie Kautz taught me how to play bridge. Left and returned for a second bout in 1974, I will always remember JWT is was the greatest agency and all you wonderful folks. Hope to see you all real soon.

Anonymous said...

I passed through fairly briefly ('83-'86) via JWT NY en route to JWT SF and then 3-4 too many other agencies. About JWT Chicago, I feel the people were human beings first, advertising people second, and that in all its simplicity is what made for better advertising people. You could see very clearly human being first in much of the work. You felt it daily coming off the elevator. I find myself wanting to tell stories, but censoring all of them before I begin. That's how good the stories are. It's surprising Hunter S. Thompson never worked at JWT Chicago, and it's more surprising to talk about JWT Chicago in the past tense. Actually, talking about JWT Chicago in the past tense is both sickening and edifying, and cause to find a rank-smelling bar, have a watermelon shot like I haven't had in 22 years, and try to learn something from this ... in honor of what I did there above all: learn.

Anonymous said...

I love it....watermelon shots!
How 'bout kamakazies, root beer shots and upside down margaritas at the Tex Mex Christmas Party!
It's no wonder my memory is "shot".

Anonymous said...

Anyone remember the boat party on the "Clipper" that went from 12N until about 1AM th enext morning? I can still see people jumping off the boat into Lake Michigan! That was a party.

Charlie Larson said...

Yeah, I remember the Clipper party. When I walked across the plank to the Clipper Linda Fite was the first person to greet me. I looked around the deck and said I used to take this clipper with my parents when I was 10 years old. Linda said: Don't repeat that story or you'll never get "lucky" today.

Anonymous said...

Hek yes I remember! Gorgeous June day....life did not get any better.
I had only been working for JWT for 2 weeks and felt like I fell into something very very good....oh, and I believe there was another party/pep rally scheduled within 2 weeks of that at the Westin....yeah, I think we need to congregate.

Amy Smothers-Brown said...

From Amy Smothers (now Amy Brown)

JWT Chicago was my first job (well, I can’t even refer to it as a job – it was an absolute blast!). I started in January 1981 – I was 18 years old – as an Account Management secretary to Jeff White. He scared the shit out of me. I replaced Sally Ozga who moved into an Executive Secretary position. Those were big shoes to fill. I worked for many wonderful people during my time at JWT: Rich Everett, Brad Vom Baur, Tom Condon, Mary Dill, Jill Rossett, Susan White and of course, my very favorite boss EVER – Charlie Larson. What a sweet, wonderful man he is. We still keep in touch – yes, after 28 years. He still calls me on my birthday – how many ex-bosses do that? I remember sexy Dan Roman (that’s what we secretaries use to call him), George Lange, Dean Proctor, David Moore, Terry Freidlander (sp?), Linda Fite, Mike Lynn (oh, how I loved Mike), Myrtis Washington, Nancy Brown (yes, I remember those parties!), Dorothy Lee, Jack DiGiuseppe, Monty Wyne (what a crush I had on him!), Bill Katakis, Will Howard, Mike Kalasunas, Chris Yarwood, Judy Fields, Sue Belew, and many, many more - I can see their faces, but can’t remember their names (remember, I spent my 20’s at JWT parties …). Here are some of my memories:

At my first JWT summer party (I don’t even remember where it was), I won tickets to see the Rolling Stones. To win, everyone was asked to write down why they thought they deserved to win the tickets (right there on the spot – no preparation). There were many creative entries. One person had a laundry list of bad things that happened to them that day, but a very young, blonde secretary from Acct. Mgmt. won – how? I said that my mother had slept with every member of the Rolling Stones and for 19 years, I had been searching for my father!

After one celebratory luncheon at La Margarita, I was over-served and was not able to go back to work … the best part? Nobody seemed to mind – but, they were probably all over-served, too!

Answering the phone for Janice Kidwell before 10:00 AM and telling the client (who knew very well she wasn’t in before 10) that “the bridge is up”.

Commuting from Kankakee (where I still live) to the Hancock Building (two hours door to door , each way – I could never do it today).

Riding the train home with the frozen turkey we were given Thanksgiving or with a case of Lowenbrau.

Singing in J. Walter Rock. A short-lived, but fun and entertaining band made up of JWTers in the 80s. We actually performed at one of the Christmas parties.

Hearing “walkies” so many times I could puke while working on the Woodhouse campaign for Purina.

Being selected as one of the first people to be taught how to use the “word processor”.

I still have a bottle of JWT Wine – a Chardonnay, I think – I’d say I’ll bring it to toast with at the wake, but I can’t bring myself to part with it.

Thanks for the memories – I had a blast and would go back and do it all over again in a hearbeat.

Amy Smothers-Brown
JWT Chicago 1981 - 1989

Julie Ehret Adams said...

1985-1988
Mike Lynn's group---Media
First job out of college and couldn't have been luckier. Despite the whopping 13,000K salary to start, survived on doggie bag lunches c/o magazine reps, and endless laughs. A cast of characters that rivals "The Office" . Top 3 laughs:
1. Walking into my office to discover about 100 stuffed yellow chicks pinned to my ceiling (can't remember why)
2. DeBartolo pulling a 48 hour work day with the assistance of his couch in 9 x9 office.
3. Zeman running down hall (away from Bob Irvine) on firing day.
Many more...hope to see everyone in August or September

Anonymous said...

I remember the "Clipper" boat party as well.

Judy Linklater was making the making the rounds asking rambunctious, potentially erring, account guys about their wives.

JWT was a great place to make friends for life.

Larry Watts

Peggy Tew Studney said...

Wow, what fun to see all the old JWTers write in. Names of people and stories I haven’t thought of in years.


When I think of JWT, I think of one person immediately, Mary Pat. She was JWT. She gave her heart and soul to that company and all who worked there. She not only made sure the business in creative was running smoothly, but she made sure the people were taken care of. I saw her do some amazing things while I worked there (1973 – 1984). She co-signed on mortgages, school loans, and gave emotional support to people going through divorces, death, affairs, and drug and alcohol problems. If you needed a mom, she was there. What a woman. I wish she were here today to share in the stories. She had a million of them. Then came the big change and the boys on the east coast wanted to know who she was and if they needed her. Well, the rest is history. I could cry just thinking about it.

I married a person who worked, as Ralph Rydhom put it, in the bowels of the company…Peter Studney. His memories are of the outrageous expenses, while mine where of the wonderful connection we had with each other and how much we all cared for each. Sometimes a little too much!!

How about the time when a couple in creative was caught having sex in the office during working hours. Yep, someone walked in on them. And who could forget when 5pm rolled around and the smell of weed came wafting down the hall. And how about Joe in the mounting room, who would be in pretty bad shape by the afternoon from drinking his coffee, spiked with a little Jack Daniels! So many other stories I couldn’t possible put writing!

God… cigarettes, cigars, drugs, drinking, sex and this is all during business hours. There could never be another JWT/ Chicago.

Did someone really see Pat Tyrrell??

Peggy Tew Studney
1973 - 1984

Anonymous said...

I worked for JWT in the early 80's and on my first day at JWT there was a softball game that evening. Afterwards, we headed to the bar and our "head of HR" was behind me while I played shuffle bowl. After a few minutes she tapped me on the shoulder and said, "you've got a great ass". It was all downhill from there ... and I loved every minute of it!

Love the posts, (especially the softball memories - thanks Eric), and will look forward to ANY reunion coming up. I was a "media guy" and only got to mingle with Creatives at Louie's and through softball - drinking & playing was our platform for understanding each other. I was lucky to spend time at Louie’s with Bob Taylor, George Lange, and Ray Lyle while eating vile food that went down a lot easier with those slightly pink Bloodies.

Jon Keller

Karen Davis said...

I started as a floater secretary at JWT and worked there from 1985 to 1991. It was terrific exposure, because of all the different ad people I met throughout the Chicago office (over 800 strong at the time). The pay was pretty low, but the experience gained at JWT was invaluable training for life!

I eventually settled in to the Quaker Account Group working with Alan Moser, Dan Stumpf (now O’Brien), Kathy “Valdo” Valdiserri, Eric Rosenthal, Jackie Butler, Cathy Warga, Bill Minor, among many others.

A few years later, I replaced Cindy Ballo Yeider working with Jack DiGiuseppe in the Creative Group. One memory was of Mary Pat Hutton driving me home after working late, she had a heart of gold.

Here are some additional memories:
o The tons of meetings we had to line up with the Quaker client and our JWT team. If Jack D. or Alan Webb couldn’t attend during critical meetings, we’d have to start all over again—this included Charlie Decker—head of Quaker advertising. Cookie Noto was his assistant—what a jewel. Conference reports for every meeting—in those days we had to type those on the old Selectric typewriters—utilizing correction tape and liquid paper for errors.
o The JWT secretaries were a fabulous group. Bonnie—with her changing haircolor, John Marshall—the actor, Gina—she had plenty of high style—and my good friends, Ginny Gregory, Sheila Woolfolk Steward, and Georgia. Other staffers—Pat Lofthouse in the Creative Library, Walter McMahon and his many plants, Cecila Razo in the Research Library.
o The parties were so fun! One Christmas party, our own JWT band played I believe I still have my JWT watch from Secretaries’ day, and the blue and white cooler from one of the Saddle Club parties.
o Remember in the Hancock building, we had our own Chef Tony--complete with kitchen and executive lunchroom?
o Jack DiGiuseppe handing me a mini shopping bag with tons of receipts to generate the appropriate expense reports from rumpled receipts.

RIP to Pat FitzSimmons, and separately--Donna Scalfani—there isn’t one St. Patrick’s day that passes that I don’t think of her and her untimely passing.

RIP to JWT/Chicago. As in the Gershwin song, the memories of all that “they can’t take that away from me.”

Anonymous said...

Media Allstars through many years that I can name off the top of my head: Grace Hanley, Walter McMahon, Bob Irvine, Shari Wall, Phil Gerber, Denise Bucher, Robin Lampert, Steve Buerger, Nigel Potter, Chris Thompson, Honora Dee, Swami, John Zeman, Brian Quinn, Donna Tidd, Karen Rushing, Bill Hebel, DJ Reali, Laurie Kwasnowski, MIriam Birch, Monica Eorgoff, Mike Parent, Mike Lynn, Clare Haggarty, Cindy DeLeon, Bryan Kirkland, Maggie Ford, Mark Ford, Enrico Mowatt, Mike Wiletzky, Steve Krupkin, Bob Warrens, Alice Sylvester, Debbie Solomon, Bill O'Neill, Corrine Sidler, Juli Jones, Stacey Walthers, Julie Everett, Julie Erhet, Alison Thomas, Scott Reimer, Lisa Chicoris, Diane Wigger, Kim Deasy, Shane Ankeney, Jodi Emery, Leila Greenspan, Trisha Fuller, Bob Bernstein, Krista Wray, Mike DeBartolo, Teri Dickman, Scott Ashmore, Kathy Litwack, Laura Menezes (sp???), David Starenko, Kitty McMahon, Bob Johnson, Michael Welch, Dean Ferenac, Harold Dawson, Joshua Ring, Kevin Fraser, Liz Cocoma, Amy Rutledge, Sarah Brandt, Margaret Graff, Sandy Hellstedt, Paula Stein, Angie Packard, Chris White, Janice Wolf, TJ Clark, Joe Petrillo, Karen Koehn, Margo Smale, Melissa Patton, Shannon Cale, Maggie Knoll, Seth Mindel, Diana Smith, Vicki Mack, Barb Babagan, Sharon McDonald, Janine Cin, Heather Faust, Kayne Lanahan..and so many many more!!

Anonymous said...

I remember John Zeman's office at the Hancock Building...he had a HUGE office with an orange sofa and chair and we called it the talk show set (and I also remember him avoiding Bob on layoff day), I also remember how all the secretaries wrote the names of people who got laid off and holding the pads up as we walked by. Or the day DeBarts brought a futon to his TINY office in the Hancock Building. The Discover Card team being nicknamed the Cartwrights by someone in the creative department. Doing media flowcharts with striped tape, exacto knives and white out - they got so thick you coulnd't even xerox them. Or when we got our first computers - we had one for each team of about 10 people set up in the computer room. Doing budgets by hand - before excel even existed. Calculating R/F by hand. Our crazy secretary named Shacqulia but we called her She'll kill ya. Walter saving EVERYTHING. Ken Green creating MediaTools flowcharting Doing 20+ revisions of the KFE launch plans. And LOTS of laughs!!

Anonymous said...

Congrats to jwt on IBOT win.
never say die!

Karen Davis said...

I just saw the article:

JWT/Chicago may not have to shut its doors--
in the Chgo Suntimes 5/29/09!!

Yeah!!!

Anonymous said...

I could not have had a better first (adult) job.
It was fun - I actually preferred being at work than home on the weekend-in those days.
It was interesting - learning something new everyday about advertising and the business of our clients. JWT had a great mix of premium clients - Seven up etc. and smaller businesses like Health and Tennis Clubs of America that allowed a novice like me to get real experience.
It was inspiring - lots of great women as mentors - Marion Howington, Charlotte Boudreaux Beers, Mary Pat Hutton, Susan Cole, Normandie Galassi to name a few. And I made a life long friend in Mary Martin.

I could go on forever but here is a partial list of memorable people and happenings during the 7 years I spent at the Thompson School of Advertising!

• Doing client films with Marion Dawson - one of the worlds funniest people, Dick Voss and starring in at least one with Ralph Kurek.
• Frank Mingo in a continuity role in one of those films
• Ice skating - Ice Capades style - with Normandie Galassi, Tom Hall and Eddie George.
• Jungle Jim’s office - I’ll say no more.
• Celebrating the LOSS of the Alberto Culver account.
• Chaka Khan and Rufus at one of the Christmas parties
• The immortal advice from Bob Edens “Your success in advertising lies in knowing where when and on whom to firmly fix the blame”!
• Editing on the night shift to save money.
• Baking and bringing brownies to bribe Mickey Mitadero for an extra half hour of editing.
• Producing Ford Dealer spots on such a tight budget that I was often an extra.
• The impeccable style of Bill Ross and his wife Helene.
• Recording KenLRation tracks featuring a 5 year old Richard Marx with the very picky Burt Manning. “Burt it is 9PM - these kids are tired!!”

... to be continued...on August 28th.

Susan Leick
JWT Chicago 1969-1976

Bart said...

So... RIP now means "Rebuilding in Progress". ;)

Anonymous said...

Today's Tribune obit-Marion Howington passed away.
Memorial is this Thursday.

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Marion

Ray Helmers said...

Ah, the glory days.
JWT was college, with F-you money.
The best bunch of backstabbing,
arrogant, ego-maniacs I ever worked with.
Long live the memories of JWT Chicago.
(I’ll miss Marion, too)

Anonymous said...

It was great to see a number of you Thursday under unfortnate circumstances - Marian's memorial service.

Obviously, many fond, happy and funny memories I'll be happy to share in late August with anyone who cares to listen - thanks to the organizers Paula, Mike (and others I am undoubtedly unaware of).

A 1982-1986 Alumnus.

Joe O'Donnell

Anonymous said...

Rereading my typos reminded me of Diane's importance.

Joe O'D

Robyn said...

Hi everyone,

I too will miss JWT Chicago, as my grandfather, Norman Kranz, was the executive Vice President there for 26 years.
I loved going there as a child, visiting him and everyone else and we all remember the beautiful retirement party that everyone threw for him. We even still have the pictures and video he shot.
I remember a lot of the names everyone has been posting, including Mary Pat. But please don't forget about Norm either-he was an institution at JWT!
Thanks everyone!

Robyn Kaplan

Anonymous said...

NORM KRANTZ?!? HE WAS BELOVED BY ALL....HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO HAVE HAD HIM AS YOUR GRANDFATHER....WHAT A CHARACTER?!

Robyn said...

Hi all,

Any new reunions coming up?
This is Norm Kranz's granddaughter-I love seeing all the names from years past-it instantly brings back happy memories of my grandfather bringing me to the office and meeting everyone and typing on his typewriter.
I know he would be sad to hear that JWT is shutting down to a staff of just 20, but know that my whole family wishes them well and hopes things get better soon.
And PS-it must be kismet, because I am now working at the Hancock building for Margie Korshak! So, I guess my grandfather wanted to make sure the family stayed working in the Hancock, near where his office was!
Great reading all your posts!

Robyn Kaplan

Anonymous said...

actually, Joe, i only see one! Diane

Charlie Larson said...

Diane: Being the consummate pro that you are, you didn't tell Joe where the typo was located. That'll drive him nuts.

Susann Rivera said...

There are so many stories and so many incredible memories of my time and the people at JWT Chicago. I remember when I left for FCB San Francisco, Mary Pat Hutton looked me in the eye and said "This will always be your family. No place you will ever work out will ever be like this." She was so right. I learned my craft under the tutelage of greats like Pat O'Hara, Norm Kranz, Tom DeMint, Margo Wallace, George Maniates, Marion Howington, John Trusk. Smartest people all together in one place I have ever seen.
Favorite memory is when they installed the italian leather floor in the lobby and the gorgeous Donghia teal couches. The very first day, tiny drips of coffee carried from the break room across that floor, staining it for all eternity! But it was pure class for the first fifteen minutes.
A sad ending to an amazing organization--I couldn't believe it when I heard the news. To me it was invincible,

Susann Rivera

Anonymous said...

We were hunters and gatherers,
early adopters,
reparative drinkers.

We were flamethrowers,
fall-on-the-sword soldiers,
and demanding children.

We had career opportunities.
Creative challenges.
Romantic encounters.

We saw the rise and fall of Disco.
We survived Jovan meetings with Dick Meyer
and bad road trips to Racine.

We remember the sway of 875,
dodging falling ice
and the occasional ‘jumper’.

We liked the neighborhood.
We liked doing ads.
We liked mixing it up.

We were Madmen/Madwomen--Chicago-style.
We were family.
We were good.

Ray Helmers
Early 1979 – Late 1986

Cynthia (Brower Walker) Kenny said...

Does anyone remember Jovan?

Having worked on package design for Man & Woman @ Source/Inc (Source Brands now), I was hired to work in Marion's group on 28 in the Hancock. 1977. It was beyond a dream -- opening that first box of business cards and seeing YOUR name... Art Director. I remember touring my parents through the office one Saturday and Bill Ross was working at his desk. A real gentleman, he talked to them for 10 minutes when I'm certain he had more pressing issues at hand. Mary Pat was the center of many of our lives. She delivered the bad news that I had to fly to Hawaii to present Hyatt creative for approval on New Year's Eve. Remember when persons unnamed taped a sardine under Norm Mortons desk? Clearly too many sakis at lunch. Laura Kaiser, Bill Pittman, Callie Coburn, Annie Holton, Roger Green, May May, Pat, Hollis Cobb (Bernstein).....our group worked hard and played hard. Not being from Chicago, JWT was my family, and many named remain my best friends today. As others have said, I've felt under the wave of all those memories since learning of the office closing -- and Marion's death. It is amazing that those eight years at J.Walter were such a big part of who I am.

One day a year ago, while on a drip to the Merchandise Mart, I almost wandered into the new JWT.... ? I couldn't believe it would be the same place. I had to ask the receptionist.....Only 60 people?

Wish it all could have lasted forever. Guess in many ways it continues as we have built careers on the best training ever. I look forward to seeing everyone in August.

Anonymous said...

So, I’m here in Florida…no not retired…reading Ad Age’s bevy of articles on “the demise of advertising” …when depression turns to surfing the Web…hey it’s Friday afternoon and payday…what else do you do? Thanks Mike, what an amazing whirlwind of memories… the blur of animatics, demo tracks, editing hours, all-night presentations, 3 hour lunches, and first class hotel excursions that 4 years at JWT produced. And oh, the work – the best work ever. Madmen have nothing on us. Was it really only 4 years? OMG - was it over 25 years ago?

- Ralph: Kid, you need a lesson in expense reports. NO ONE spends $1.32 for breakfast. It’s at least $6.00 – now go fill this out again.”
- Trying to beat Wayne into the office each morning. Forget it. He sleeps here.
- Three Manhattan lunches…did we ever order food?
- Ron Rasoletti’s love birds. (I bought two)
- Phil Gant: Toronto again? The last Labatt’s campaign we gave them was good enough.
- Alan Webb’s guitar at lunch.
- “All that spray glue will make you sterile!” (Nope – had two healthy kids).
- Tim’s Fridge of Beer: open for business at exactly 5pm.
- Closed door hallways at 6pm – “Come in – but close the door. Here, your turn to roll one. Oooops, hi Ralph. Bye Ralph.
- Editors Choice Christmas Parties – well worth the wait.
- John and Sheila – best secretaries ever!!
- Two beer mugs fused together for the marathon Coors presentation
- “Mary Pat, it may be August, but it’s FREEZING here in San Francisco – we saved Chevron - can we come home now?”
- Never-ending conference room lunch hours dreaming up names for the Sears Propietary card. “Spectrum” wins! Really?
- Mike K: No, you tell me which animatic should win – THEN I’ll give you the research results.
- Tom Hall: Who’s got the pictures of my Mackinac house?
- Mary Pat: You spent the night here again? Go home – you look awful – the client will be here in 2 hours – here’s money for a cab - be back in an hour.
- Burt Manning will be here by 7pm…no 9pm…no, go to dinner…be back at midnight…leave your storyboards.
- All night demo sessions with Bobby Whiteside and the Chicago Symphony.
- “Please, Sally… just 3 more frames… in an hour. Can I try on your fur coat?”
- The fish bowl glass conference room - listening to the S.C. Johnson R&D guy drone on about the latest study in wax. Ugh. I still hate meetings.
- You spent how much on this Lowenbrau demo? I said $5,000 not $10,000!
- Hey guys, your CLIO’s are here…Mary Pat has ‘em.
- Exacto knives and glue pots and magic markers.
- All-nighters with Barry Soloff & Kellogg new product ideas – how about chocolate covered coconut cereal? How ‘bout a Margarita?
- “Get to NYC now. The client hates the Spectrum card design. Tell ‘em to redesign it. Oh, and it’s now called Discover.”
- Joe ODonnell as CD after Ralph goes MIA: “Here’s how I see the Discover visuals – now go shoot it just like this, and don’t come back until you get enough for 3 commercials.
- Heads up! Here comes another chunk of Hancock ice.
- Did you get the memo, you’re all VP’s…now where’s your storyboards?
- Ralph: Good. You’re finally back from lunch. (spinning in 3D before my eyes) You and Jane Ellen are it. The Pepsi guy will be here at 9:30. I won’t. So get some storyboards together and wow him…here’s the music track. I gotta go.
- Wayne’s “2 oz. of milk.” Pass the pitcher. No, the beer.
- Get to Nashville now. The client changed the lyrics again – they’ll know what to do. Your flight leaves in 3 hours.
- “The latest track is on Ralph’s radiator…I think it’s marked #58.”
- Hey Normandie, do you think I can bury this new French wardrobe in your expense account?
- 1986. Super Bowl and Discover commercials debut…best night ever.
- Thanks Barry for finally setting up the blind date. We’ve been married for 23 years.
What a ride. Thanks JWT for the memories. And a terrific career.

Unknown said...

I was at JWT Chicago in November 1977, and it was my first job in advertising. I wanted to work in a big agency and have the chance to learn from others around me, as well as stretch my wings and see what I could bring to the creative world of advertising. Not only did I begin a long career in this business, I made many friends there, some who have lasted all these years.

It was a wild time. We were lucky to have such freedom and fun and get paid for it! I will for sure be there at the celebration, and can't wait to see so many folks with whom I share this rich history.

Unknown said...

That was me, Arlene Wanetick. The blog is inactive, so please don't respond to it. You can email me though at arlenewanetick@comcast.net.

Anonymous said...

Hi all --

I worked at JWT Chicago from 80 to 83.

The building was architecturally sleek and cool and inside I met some of the warmest, brightest and most wonderful crazy people I've ever known.

Looking back, it seems surreal: Did I really see a guy wearing a fez and using a spittoon in his office? Have I truly witnessed an entire office of professional adults joined together singing Burt Bacharach songs? Seriously, did that guy just xerox his ass?

Occasionally, people will tell me about some episode of Madmen. In response, I can only say ...

"I've got stories..."


--Lynn Dangel

PJ aka Paulette Julian said...

JWT days will never be forgotten, that's for sure. I started working for Bob Irving and Shari Wall in 1986. Considering their relationship at that time, it was interesting to say the least. I will never forget the day a Rep sent a stripper for Bill Hebel's birthday. She stripped down to nothing, right there in his office. I had never seen anything like that in my life. Hebel never forgot that! Or the time I went to lunch with Pat Thomas and she introduced me to a pitch of margarita's. It took me 20 minutes to construct a note letting Shari know that I was going home sick. Remember the horse we rented for the Christmas party at the Westin? We ended up paying for it because some creatives rode it and broke it (smile) You know who you are. I learned some valuable lessons from Bob and Shari. The things I learned from Shari were to follow through, always have a back-up plan and to anticipate the next move. From Bob I learned how to play the game, all of which serves me well now that I am an educator. I have worked with some fantastic people and I would like to thank Tim Mauery and Malachy Walsh for their kindness and generosity during the time of my Mother's passing. I will always remember Walter McMahon and Grace Hanley. I always thought Walter was J. Walter Thompson anyway (smile). I met my best friend at JWT, Helen Cobb, what a God send. I will never forget Joe O'Donnell for giving us 1/2 day for Halloween, and the every Thursday afternoon drinks in Shari's office.

Anonymous said...

amen to the half-day Halloween's....if that doesn't sum up the salad days, I don't know what!

Cynthia Yen McIntyre said...

Just thought I'd put this out there in case anyone's interested... was notified of a few random job opportunities on the client-side:
- Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL PPC, Inc., is recruiting for an Associate Product Director, VISINE® to work out of Morris Plains, New Jersey.
- Johnson & Johnson Consumer Healthcare Companies is recruiting for a Product Director to work out of the Morris Plains location. The Product Director reports to the Marketing Director for Oral Care North America and is responsible for: developing the long term strategies and new product pipeline for Listerine Whitening, supervising the Assistant Product Director, running the day to day business, developing and implementing the marketing business plan, P&L management, and leading/partnering cross-functionally with sales, finance, operations, R&D, market research and other functions necessary to develop the consumer and customer strategies.
- Pepsi North American Beverages seeking Manager, Supply Chain Strategy (Location: Chicago, IL)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota is searching for a CEO.Chief Executive Officer. This person will direct the company in achieving the mission and vision of the Board of Directors of Noridian Mutual Insurance Company and Boards of Directors of all subsidiary companies. This person must create a positive corporate culture for the company based on the shared business values. He/She must enhance corporate and financial stability through the development, implementation, and administration of a three year strategic plan.

Please email me at mcyentyres@yahoo.com if you're interested in getting a detailed job description + contact information. Thanks.

Kay Crowson Rasoletti said...

Hi everyone, It's bittersweet to reconnect with everyone as the memories are enchanting yet so melancholy for me-You all knew me as Kay Crowson-Art Director in the Ford Group , then Marion Howington's (bless her!) group, and later Rita Winters' and Phil Adams'-all such personalities and talents. And teachers. Working at JWT was not work so much as school-with the dorm atmoshphere to go along with it.
It was here that I met Ron Rasoletti (waist-length mullet hairstyle, roaming the halls shouting "I love it!, I just love it!", messiest office on the planet-genius creative. If anyone had told me at the time that I would marry this guy I would have sent them to the nearest shrink.
But years later after he found himself divorced and a Creative Director at Bentley, Barnes and Lynn- and I an un-busy freelancer,I showed him my book during his editing session at Daily Planet in hopes of landing work. Ever smooth, he said "I don't have any work-but how about dinner?"-Gulp-What to make of this?
Flash forward to a wedding in 1995 and a move to Chagrin Falls, Ohio near Ron's family home of Cleveland. Idyllic life with horses and dogs and lovely old home.
These things don't last -Ron was diagnosed with a very rare cancer that actually had origins in a brain tumor removed in Chicago in 1993. He fought it from 2002 until he died on Dec. 12, 2008. I just want all who knew him to know how brave, how relentless, how mindful of others he was in fighting this fight. He did not want to say goodbye.I was fortunate to share his life for a too-short 13 years-but the image of that impish face and twinkling blue eyes will never leave me-nor the image of the hall-wandering crazy guy of JWT.
Won't be at the reunion, but e-mail any time, all of you precious people.

rrasoletti@roadrunner.com

Anonymous said...

I am very sad. JWT Chicago was where it all started. It was only two years, but it was a lifetime...in good ways and other ways.
Hope to make it to the party.
Melissa Murphy

Anonymous said...

What I learned at JWT, or, How I Spent My Summer Vacation:

As many of us have noted JWT was a great place to work if your parents could afford to send you. It was a great place to receive your education in classic advertising and marketing. But what has not been said was that it wasn’t by osmosis absorbed from the walls of that great agency, it was from the incredible group of individuals assembled there on a daily basis. I promise not to drone on, but here’s a short list of my personal education:

From my 750 co-workers I learned we were FAMILY.
From Ralph Rydholm I learned that brilliance could arrive in the most unassuming packages.
From George Hermelink I learned that my bologna has a first name.
From Art Lund I learned that the two best meals at Louie’s were the Chop-Chop-Fizz-Fizz and the 8-and-a-Half.
From Ray Lyle I learned what “Cool” really was.
From Carol Faron I learned that a good producer was 10 minutes ahead of everyone else.
From Jane Lorie I learned that tragic losses happen unexpectedly.
From Pat O’Hara I learned that’s it important to always retain your inner child.
From Callie Coburn I learned to surround yourself with people you can rely on.
From John Trusk I learned that in New York you always need to know where you were and where you were going.
From my JWT Softball teammates I learned that it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how much can you drink at Elliot’s Nest after the game.
From Dale French I learned that when you appreciate the job someone has for you bring him a gift…like a Darth Vader coffee mug (which I still have).
From Jack Phelps I learned that David Moore was “Cavalier” while I was a “Smart-ass”.
From Louie’s Cantonese I learned serve your clients drinks that are tall and strong and that cockroaches are ‘atmosphere’.
From Jim Voss-Grumish I learned that in order to grow you had to leave home.
From Ralph Waycott (photog-extraordinaire) I learned that to get the shot you needed ‘film is cheap’.
From Rick Ledyard (Avenue Edit) I learned how to edit on a KEM and film has life.
From Johnny Z I learned that no matter how weird you acted you could still have some of the most reliable talent around.
BUT most of all from Mary Pat I learned Fairy Godmothers smoked and did crossword puzzles in ink…and that the gift she bestowed on me gave me some of the best years of my life.

Terry Friedlander tdfx27@comcast.net facebook.com/terry.friedlander

Paul Jackson said...

Well, there has to be at least one FDAF person post, so here it is: I had the pleasure of working in both the Hancock and the Bloomingdales buildings while on the Ford regional account (stints in NY and Memphis in between)...While technically "JWT-Detroit employees", the Chicago office fully embaced us as one of their own and I will always be grateful for that...(Of course it may have been my 900 slugging percentage on the softball team that brought favor to our little group in the corner???...;) It was a magical place and time....Thanks to all...Can't wait to see familiar faces on the 28th...
Paul "Action"Jackson

Anonymous said...

This is Sonya and I can't believe JWT-Chgo. is closing. I was at JWT from 1982 to 1987 and I feel like I grew up there! So many memories...hey Gloria Quigley, Keith Kaplan (still my baby and buddy) , Tim Dorgan (the best boss on earth; I still love him so!), Chuck Otto (he was so fine!), Leslie Shelton, Dinny Cousins, Lorraine McGill, Myron (in Account Mgmt), Cheryl Harper, Johnetta Moore, Pat Smith, Gail, Joe Holman (one of the funniest men on earth), Mary, Mark Mitten, Swamy...I could go on and on...

moonwriter said...

Memories of JWT Past - Tony Moon

After ten tumultuous ands rewarding years with JWT Sydney, I joined the JWT Chicago office at Ralph’s invitation, working principally on Jovan and Schlitz as well as Kellogg, S.C. Johnson and Oscar Mayer from mid-78 until mid-82.

The day I joined, I briefly met John Donch who was to take over my role in Australia as Exec. Creative Director of JWT Australasia. We passed each other like ships in the night. The protocol in those days required new arrivals, regardless of their tenure, to be reviewed by key personnel. My first meeting was with Charlotte Beers. She subsequently wrote: “I would follow him anywhere.” Thank you again, Charlotte, for your generous and undeserved appraisal but I would rather I had followed you.

Working with Ralph was sheer joy. Regardless of how gloomy a client situation might appear, Ralph illuminated it with sunshine.And Mary Pat Hutton, a loveable combination of Mother Theresa and General George Patton. I miss you. As I do Bill Ross, Wayne Fickenger, John Furr, Jack Tukey and Wally O'Brien.

What a wonderful circus of troops in the trenches. John Wallington was a brick; an incredibly talented rock in a stormy sea and a good friend sadly passed on. Likewise Marion Howington. A salute to Tony Viola wherever you may now be; to Tim Cronin, Bob Jones, Tom DeMint; to Bill Pittman ... and that wonderful scalawag John Trusk.

At one point, John and I had adjoining rooms down the hall from Marion’s corner office.

One Saturday, John decided to repaint his office walls in a rich, dark velvety brown and persuaded me to do the same. We worked all day. The results were stunning. On Monday morning, Marion came into my room to say hi and stood dumfounded. She gave me a withering look, turned on her heel and stormed out. “Oh, Lord,” I thought, “ I’m gonna be fired.” I later discovered Marion had called Thorn Wierum demanding that her office also be redecorated.

Later that day, Trusk and I each received a memorandum from Thorn that read in effect: “ On termination, you will be required to pay for the cost of repainting and restoring your office to its original color and condition.”

Ralph had once told me that Thorn’s name was his promise. Thus, for the next 30 years I trembled in anticipation of the bill that never arrived.

30 years hence I met John Donch for the second time recently in Hawaii. It had been so long, I didn’t recognize him. He hired me to help out with the creative at the Harris Agency in Honolulu. It was so great to be back at work doing what I loved. Thanks John.

Of all the agencies I have worked with in years since, none surpassed my Alma Mata ... J. Walter Thompson. God bless this great ship and all who sailed her in Chicago.

Tony Moon.

alex page said...

My first day in advertising was the 1985 summer JWT party. I couldn't believe what stellar fortune had befallen me! Great, great folks

Lynn Dangel said...

I look back at what people have written here and I think just what I thought thirty years ago, I think ... "Darn, that Ray Helmers sure can write."

Mitch Riber said...

My first day at JWT Chicago was on my 26th birthday in 1983. Today it is 26 years later, almost exactly to the day. I blinked and my age doubled.

I was only at JWT for 4 years, but they were four of the best years I had in the advertising business, largely because of the smart, funny, wonderful people I met and worked with. I learned so much in those 4 years that it seems like I was there much longer.

In some ways, it's too bad the JWT of the 80's was my first agency. There were a lot of special things going on that I, as a newbie, took for granted and didn't fully appreciate until I worked elsewhere. And while I went on to eleven mostly-good years at DDB there was still something about the JWT magic and camaraderie that was never equalled.

One of my favorite memories that shaped my feelings about JWT came on my second or third day of employment. The agency team working on the Agree shampoo account spent the afternoon in a conference room watching "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in order to gain insights into teenagers of that era. In knew then that I would like it here!

I think JWT Chicago was way ahead of the curve in being supportive of women in advertising because we had some of the best and the brightest and I was really fortunate to work with and learn from many of them...

...Paula Kahn, who I happily worked for twice and who always had my back

...Ann Jackson, my first boss who told me "If you look good, then I look good"--incredibly selfless words that I've repeated often as a manager myself, only to be surprised how few other managers say it or believe it.

...Sue Frankel, who I worked for on 3 different assignments and who made it the toughest job I ever loved (to borrow a phrase). An amazing teacher and mentor.

Outside of Account Managment, Ellen Plusker and Kayne Lanahan were so talented and a pleasure to work with. And Sandy Stern, whose passing I was so sad to learn of from reading these posts, who good-naturedly called me "The Pooch King" because of all the undesirable assignments (FSI's) I would bring to the group as an Assistant AE. I never told her how much I appreciated that she was never dismissive toward me and how much her actions influenced her staff, who could've grumbled a lot more about handling these "pooches". RIP, Sandy.

And finally, to Sonya Gregory, whose post is just a few ahead of this one....You used to tell me that I was the man that you loved. Do you remember yelling it out on Oak Street? I do. So imagine how disappointed I was to read your post and not even see a mention of me while you listed almost the entire JWT directory. Maybe the memories are just too painful... :-)

I hope I can get to the reunion. It sounds like a blast and I'm sure will be reminiscent of some of the unbelievable parties of the 80's.

Mitch Riber (1983-1987)
mriber@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

I will never forget my interview at JWT-- my second job after college. I was to meet the august "Executive Creative Director." Enter Ralph Rydholm, dressed as an angel, complete with white gown, wings and a bobbing halo. Who wouldn't want to work at a place like this, for a guy like that? It only got better.

Tim Dorgan said...

The sense of loss that accompanied the demise of J. Walter Chicago has been balanced a bit by this wonderful outpouring of memories and camaraderie.

I was only at J. Walter Chicago for 3 years. But, I learned more and had more fun in those 36 months than in any other time in my business life.

I joined the agency in the summer of '84 to work on Kraft. In my first week, there was a Kraft-J. Walter party at Ravinia and the agency's summer party at the Saddle & Cycle Club. Not a bad way to start. When asked to describe those S&C parties, the only analogy I can come up with is the scene from Caddyshack when the caddies take over Bushwood. I'll bet they're still finding Lownebrau empties...and articles of clothing...in those bushes.

Thanks to all of you that I knew and worked with for making it such a great experience. A few of my memories:

J. Walter Rock: the band that inspired me to start a garage band.

The Kraft-J.Walter picnic where we had to restrain Ernie Banks from hitting on young female account executives.

The Kraft Account Team party at my house: an event for which I'm still apologizing.

The Sam Meek Seminar: I learned a ton of life lessons, a few of which actually pertained to advertising.

Sitting next to Joe O'Donnell on the plane ride back from Sam Meek as he entertained us with stories of Lee Iacocca and Mike Miles.

Getting Halloween afternoons off so we could trick-or-treat with our kids...another example of how Joe "got it".

The take-no-prisoners approach of Bruce Beach, who started a letter to Kraft's Bob Morrison with the line; "I am going to remove the scales from your eyes".

Seeing a different side of Lloyd Stein as we drank beers and shared stories of our dear departed dads...both of whom were huge Cub fans.

The advertising/marketing lessons I learned from clients like Morrison and Bill Weintraub.

Learning how to sell great advertising to tough clients so I wouldn't disappoint any of the great creative people with whom I worked...Mark Burke, Andy Anema, Dave Devary, Eric Anderson, Bill Reichstein, Greg Smith, Greg Miller, Ron Rasoletti, Tom Riley, Rita Winters, Judy Linklater, John Scott and so many others.

The joy of working with Sandy Stern...my good friend who is gone but will never be forgotten.

The privilege of working with the best advertising professionals in the business. From Mike, Debra and the research team (before it was called "planning") to all the great account people I worked with on Kraft and Kellogg.

And, a special shout-out to Sonya Gregory who kept me out of trouble, no matter how hard I tried to get into it.

That's all for now. I have to save a few stories for 8/28.

Best to all.

Tim Dorgan 1984-1987
tdorgan@gmail.com
tdorgan@tap.tv

Johnny Z said...

Some other things I remember fondly in no particular order:

• Getting all of John Zeman's phone calls
• Working on the first corporate sponsored rock 'n roll tour with Jovan
sponsoring the Rolling Stones
• Dick Meyer from Jovan getting snubbed by Mick Jagger
• Dick Meyer firing JWT
• Jack DiGuiseppe wearing leather pants to Gerber baby food meetings.
• Gerber firing JWT
• Jack DiGuiseppe shooting 2 epic commercials on the agency's dime
for a Gatorade pitch
• The Gatorade business going to Bayer Bess
• Jack DiGuiseppe's Ferraris
• Betsey Dalbeck trying to keep Jack out of client meetings
• Someone (not me!) dubbing a Wilton Cake presentation video over
a porn tape
• Wilton Cake firing JWT
• Alan Webb's wife Jane still getting royalties from her name on all
Discover cards still used in their commercials
• Sneaking my daughter into a Discover Card commercial
• One year of college for my daughter paid for
• My daughter's crush on Joe Van Trump and Jeff York
• 8/7/87 on the board that Pat Tyrell kept at reception
• Norm Morton renting a car for a SCJ meeting in Racine then forgetting
he parked the car in the Hancock garage for 3 months
• Norm Morton forking over the cash to Mary Pat Hutton
• Norm Morton always putting his Lounge Lizzard girlfriend in every
spot he did
• Marty Levin's live Super Bowl taste test for Schlitz
• Marty Levin going from Producer to Group Creative Director
• James Patterson as an account dude on Kelloggs
• Resigning Coors for Lowenbrau
• Rita Winter's one continuous dancing shot spot for Lowenbrau
• Lowenbrau going from a $40 million account to a billboard and
2 radio spots
• Resigning Lowenbrau for Miller Special Reserve
• My $50k spot I shot with Carl Ross and Lori Graf for Motorola that
ran during the Olympics and the Superbowl.
• "Brain Freeze"!!!
• Snausages-In-A-Blanket
• Johnny Carson suits at Sears
• The Kemper Calvary
• Kibble's 'n Bits
• Godfather's Pizza
• Chuck E. Cheese
• The Quiet Company
• Sherwin-Williams spots with 3 tag lines back-to-back
• Kraft pulling out all their business the first time
• Kicking ass to get that Kraft business back
• Producing over 150 radio campaigns for 7/Eleven
• Ending up alone with Gilbert Godfried, Don Johnson and Hunter S.
Thompson in L.A. after a 7/Eleven wrap party - and still alive to
tell about it
• Actually seeing all the property Ralph Rydholm owned with Kelso
Herston in Tennessee

Johnny Z said...

And even more useless information:

• The shoe wars between Bob Potesky and me
• All the great woman who totally enabled me with my shoe fetish :)
• All the great woman who made up the 80's era Luvabulls working
at JWT
• All the great Thompsonite bands over the years
• Getting a ride home from Norm Kranz one night while he's being
chased by the Chicago Police
• Norm Kranz in handcuffs
• The Great White Hope - Dennis Ryan
• Joe O'Donnell fired for trying to make JWT a private company again
• JWT Board Of Directors selling JWT to WPP
• Ed Maroney looking for me everyday at 9:01 am
• Ed Maroney teaching me production
• Ed Maroney's integrity
• Ray Lyle doing voice-overs
• Ray Lyle producing for Tenney, Sciarotta, Canzano and DiCirccio
• Ray Lyle's "Boys, boys, boys"
• Mary Pat Hutton bailing people out of jail for child support violations
• Mary Pat Hutton to Jack Phelps "what do you mean that that
Johnny Z guy doesn't work here!? I thought you hired him?"
• Jack Phelps offering me $7k more than I asked for
• Going to lunch with Phil Gant and all the ladies who came over to get
his autograph thinking he was Gregory Hines
• Epic nicknames from Tenney, Sciarotta, Canzano and Larry Lipson
such as "Glazed Donut Head" and the epic "Wally World"
• Jeff York's impersonations, especially the one of
"if Z and Liz Graves were to make love"
• "Peacock Alley" in the Hancock
• An actual JWT Media Department
• All the freelance I got away with in the studio over the years
• All the broke musicians and unemployed bartenders that made up my
interns and assistants
• Betsey Dalbeck ending the audio studio intern program
• No matter what year it was and what the revenues were, there was
ALWAYS a raise freeze

AND......

All those great parties!!!

Anonymous said...

Believe it or not Mitch, I remember thinking that I forgot to include you on the list but you'll always be included in my heart...

And so: Tim Dorgan, My Mitch Riber, Keith Kaplan, Andy ("you look mahvelous!), Mark Mitten, Chuck Otto, Swamy, David Blanton, Joe Holman, Bruce Beach (he didn't know he'd made "the list" but I thought he was one of the toughest and sexiest men at JWT), you will always be THE MEN THAT I LOVE! Even my husband knows it:)

Sonya Gregory-Hayes

Dean Bastian said...

My first trip to Chicago was while I was a student at Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati. The year was 1972. There were a few graduates CACA working in Chicago one of which was Larry Walters who was an Art Director @ JWT. He had just finished the famous Oscar Mayer Bologna spot and his stories of life @ JWT were inspiring. A few years later after graduating I moved to Chicago and by "chance" moved into the same apartment building where Larry lived. I really didn't have a clue what I was doing in Chicago and my portfolio was pretty lame. Larry looked at the work and saw something in it to the point were he became my mentor and helped guide me into the business. Over time as I worked on my book Larry set me up with interviews with many of the stars at JWT. Bob Jones, Bob Ebel, John Donch, Tim Cronin and many more. Ultimately I wasn't good enough to work there. I did finally get hired @ FCB and worked at some of the best agencies in Chicago thereafter. But in my mind until I was hired by JWT I was not complete.

It finally happened in 1989.

Thanks Larry. And thanks JWT Chicago.

Patty Ross Teulet said...

You guys are killing me with your creative writing and captivating stories. Here’s my best attempt at remembering a wonderful career with JWT CHICAGO.

Remember … New Biz questionnaires, product clearances, company and management backgrounds, credentials presentations, slides, bios, tchotchkes, endless presentation boards and leave-behinds (the binding machine)! I wonder if any of it exists anymore.

Changes, changes, changes … all through the night and into the morning. But following some 20 rehearsals, it was all about the food to keep everyone happy, energized, and the creative juices flowing! (Pasta meals didn’t do the trick).

I remember, fondly, the nights that turned into the mornings before a new biz pitches, Mary Pat and I kept each other company. She was a great lady, and she is sorely missed. She knew how much we depended on her sound advice and guidance. And she knew how loved she was by everyone.

Remember …
►Playing Cruise Director to the Premier Cruise Lines executives. The 27th floor reception was transformed into a ship – the “Big Red Boat”.
►Walking a stallion in circles to keep it awake while waiting for the pitch to end (yeah, that’s right - a horse) at Godfather’s Pizza HQ in Kansas City.
►Painting Styrofoam nuggets brown to fulfill some cockamamie story about boys looking for toys in boxes and then looking through manure in a box leading up to the punch line “there has to be a pony in there somewhere”. (See Don Sullivan)
►The van full of soybean plants that got pulled over for a “marijuana check”. It was a prop for the American Soybean Association presentation.
►The aroma of pies and bread baking in a staged kitchen on the 25th floor for the American Dairy pitch.

There were countless other wins. Those were the days … parties to celebrate every win. And then parties to celebrate the parties. A trend that may never again resurface.

JWT pulled me up through the ranks – specifically Charlotte and Mary Pat did the pulling. Jackie Butler showed me how to dress (Saks Fifth Avenue was downstairs in the Hancock!) because the white plastic boots and hot pants didn’t fly with Human Resources.

I owe a ton of gratitude to some great bosses for a wonderful experience from 1971 to 1995 at JWT Chicago: Ron Kovas, Frank Mingo, Bill Ross, Wayne Fickinger, Wing Taylor, Charlotte Beers, Thorn Wierum, Joe O’Donnell, Wally O’Brien, Mary Pat Hutton, Robin Restall, Mike Kalasunas, Byron Schlesinger, Ken Ohr, Bruce Beach, Brian Squires, Mark Pearson, Don Sullivan, Dick McCullough, Alan Webb, Eric Rosenthal, Dinny Cosyns, Steve Davis, and Brian Heffernan - amazing how the names just come rolling out.

I look forward to seeing a lot of close friends that developed over the years and the many people I worked with drumming up new business for one great office. What a ride!

Patty Ross Teulet

terry Friedlander said...

After re-reading the entire list of posts I realized that if we could all write a chapter of the Book of JWT/Chicago, however mine would be under continuous re-write.

I want to publicly thank Pepper Hunter for introducing me to fellow JWT'er Leslie Donnelly who gave me 3 of the most beautiful, intelligent, funny, and talented daughters any one who hope for. And although we're divorced she has remained one of closest and truest friends.

Least I forget Bill Shanahan and his wonderful wife Trish for all those trips and New Years Eve's we spent together. Nigel Potter, the best 3rd baseman England has ever produced and gracious host to my family when we spent time with him and his wife Jodie and son James in London many years ago. And of course Ralph Waycott and his incredible wife Edon for always feeding me and giving me their guest room when I would just show-up unannounced on their California doorstep.

I've had the "Ol' Blue Eyes" film transferred to dvd for the reunion along with a Coors test spot I had the honor of producing starring the finest ensemble of JWT Players ever assembled in a Northside Biker Bar. For those who will not be there, I will post both videos...after the reunion.

I am so looking forward to seeing all of you.

Gino Gianneschi said...

Count Bob and I in! We can't wait to see everyone. It has been too long.

Susann Rivera said...

Gerry Hart and I will be coming. I can't figure out how to put Gerry's name on attendee list. Help!

Susann Rivera said...

I paid for both of us--Gerry Hart(AE on Ford and Hyatt) and Susann Rivera and want to make sure his name is on guest list which it currently is not.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Susann - don't worry - it's noted and we'll put Gerry on the list too

Anonymous said...

So sorry I can't attend. I just wanted to wish all our friends and colleagues from JWT Chicago my very best. Please do stay in touch. Christine and I are enjoying our new twin girls and new home in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. I'm now at St. John & Partners, and all is well. davidbonner@sjp.com

nick said...

JWT was a lifetime ago, and a whole different career (though Marilyn Keenan always told me: you never see old people in advertising, so start thinking about your next life - heck I was only 27)

What a place to be.

A flood of memories came over me the other day when I happened to drive by Lake Lawn Lodge near Lake Geneva WI. The JWT boot camp I attended was the last time I was there -- over 20+ years ago! I thought about all the unbelievably great people I worked with at JWT/C - all of you. And what great experiences with the likes of Kraft, Gerber, Godfather's Pizza, Kelloggs, Turtles/After Eights, the list goes on.

Here is a start to my top 10 list.

>Joe Sciarotta/Tom DeCerchio are certainly on it for just about everything they did every day.
>One crazy planes/trains/automobile trip from hell and Battle Creek while hung over.
>Another snowy night time white out trip with Rita from Battle Creek wondering what the hell we were doing with our lives...
>Daily meetings at Kraft, and glad to be 'home' in the Hancock building
>Finding out the Miracle Whip man was a porno star, and dealing with it.
>The absolute class of folks like Stern, Devary, Lange, Walsh, Kalasunas, Tukey, Lyle, O'Hare, Knoll, Faust, the list goes on.

more later - see you all soon.

Nick Bothfeld
nbothfeld@hotmail.com

David Blanton said...

Gosh, JWT...it has been a while. I have stayed in touch with Marilyn Keenan and Bill McCann (we all went to grad school together), and I also hear almost every year from Tim Dorgan and Pat Rosberg.

I am hoping to attend the reunion, but my father-in-law is under Hospice care, so making plans beyond a day or two is difficult.

Great memories as well from my years at Thompson--1980 to 1987, working on Sears, then Kraft, and finally Kellogg's. After reading much of this blog, some names and faces are clear, others a bit blurry; but hell, we all are so damn old now. Here are just a few...

One of the best-looking women in Chicago, Jackie Butler, and how her office looked like a florist shop every Valentine's Day and each of her birthdays.

Jackie's and Cathy McCormick's comments about each other's style of dress before they became good friends:

Jackie on Cathy's very expensive new suit (back in the days when only the designer would have thought the jacket went with the skirt): "It looks like it was woven by some drunken Navajo."

Cathy on Jackie's style: "She dresses like she is always ready for an emergency cocktail party."

Witnessing Monty Wyne and Bill Katakas (spelling?) make another Sears sales spot look like a work of art.

Brian Squires, Ben Gilmore, Tom DeMint, Alan Webb, Jeff White

Mike Lynn and Honora Dee

A western-themed Christmas party entitled “JWT’s Reindeer Round-up”

Media’s Kayne Lanahan. So smart, so good looking, and Mom and Dad had retired to a cottage at the Greenbrier. What more could a man want?

John Furr saying more than once “Advertising is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.”

The arrival of Bruce Beach, and Marion Howington saying to either Joe or Ralph "How can you expect me to work with somebody who has been trained to kill people with piano wire," alluding to Bruce's former military experience. The reported comment back "You do it every day with a strand of pearls."

The absolute privilege of working with Sandy Stern and Dave DeVary on Miracle Whip. So sorry to hear Sandy is no longer with us. Truly a heart, personality, and talent you do not forget.

The dinner immediately after Bruce had told his direct reports on Kraft that Lloyd Stein was taking over. Suddenly, we were a “band of brothers.”

How smart Lloyd was and how much I learned from him. The compliment Dorgan paid me regarding my ability to get along with Lloyd, ending with "He actually likes you."

Kathy Valdiserri and her story telling abilities

A couple of great weddings--Julie and Richard Everett’s with the reception at the Drake. That was quite the party. People came from Italy to attend. Also, Cheryl Cooper Steven’s. Both the bride and groom were tall and thin so Cheryl followed a “long, lean” theme for the service and reception. It was great.

The Kellogg sales meeting in San Francisco, where one night the JWT group had dinner in some restaurant’s private room. Details are fuzzy but I think Paula Kahn was the most senior person present. There were maybe seven or eight of us—-no clients. After a few bottles of nourishment, we went around the table and confessed who would be the one person from the agency you would want for a one night stand with the condition that no one would ever find out. Paula, my lips are still sealed.

Bob Westerfield, such a classy guy. But who was the younger guy heading up the Kellogg account when I resigned to go to Maybelline? Whoever he was and I at a Kellogg’s new business conference in Toronto. Canadian strippers and Kellogg management.


Hope I make it on the 28th.

Karen Davis said...

I have also paid an additional entrance ticket for my husband, Greg Davis to attend (please update the list-thanks).

It's great seeing the list growing. Thanks very much for arranging this event! Working at JWT was a blast, many friends and memories.

Karen Davis

Anonymous said...

This secretary's recall of a wonderful life at JWT:

I first worked with Angelo Antonucci at the Kudner Advertising Agency (Wrigley Gum account) in the Wrigley Building starting about 1967. Angelo was moving upstairs to JWT and brought me with him. I interviewed with Mary Pat Hutton and became secretary to Marion Dawson, George Hnatt (sp?), Dave, a producer whose last name I can't remember, Tom Hall. My desk was right outside the kitchen where there was always something great cooking either for a meeting or for a food shot for Kraft, and I was fortunate to sample lots of it! What a wonderful place to work especially being in the Wrig. I remember wonderful 2 hour lunches at Riccardo's, martinis and green noodles...simply the best! And the Wrig. restaurant! And who can forget the Billy Goat back then. In the day of the introduction of the mini skirt, walking down the stairs into the Goat must have been interesting to the male patrons who say near the stairs!

And so we moved into the Hancock Center. Wow, the 28th floor was spectacular. Everything brand spanking new! Us creative folk were told there would be no more lewd pictures hung on office walls and no more smoking the weed. But a knowing nose knew that rule was being bent.

My desk was in the northwest corner of the 28th floor, working with Tom Demint, Tom Hall, Marion Dawson, Glen Fugimori, Bob Watson, Bill Bosworth. The recording studio was in that corner also and I had many chances to work, help and perform there. Doing demo voice-overs for 7-UP, Oscar Mayer and others. Having beautiful waist length hair I was used for some Alberto-Culver head shots. I remember being dressed in a wedding gown and I think it was George Hnatt as the groom...we went into the courtyard of that beautiful church across Mich. Ave. and posed for pictures for an account I don't recall.

A fond memory is making a record to be played at John Monseratt's retirement party. Marion Dawson wrote the songs. Marion, Tom Hall and I sang on the record WHICH I STILL HAVE! One of my favorite numbers...Stay loose, stay loose as you can, stay loose as you can dear John, act real bright, always be right, while in meetings wishing you were out fishing, stay loose, stay loose as you can, stay loose as you can....dear John!

I made some great friendships at JWT and writing about this is bringing back wonderful memories. I remember eating my brown bag lunch in the conference room and watching TV as we ate. We actually viewed the very first showing of All My Children. I sometimes shared lunchtime with Carol Faron (just a secretary then!), Cheryl Ferguson, Patti Firman, Toppin Martin. Remember us? Remember Toppin and Ted! Wonder what became of that duo.

I left JWT in 1972 to start a family. After raising my two daughters, got started in architecture, then worked for a couple of construction companies and then as a commercial flooring estimator. Alas I have been laid off since February of this year. And I still go back to my desire to do VO work. Came close to having a gig a while back and still having the demo tape I made, I would like to try that avenue again. Believing I've been discriminated against for my age in recent interviews, I don't think age matters when you've got a great voice.

I only wrote all this personal stuff because I'm sure some of you had pipe dreams of becoming something bigger stemming from your work in advertising.

My days at JWT were the best of my young life. I wish all the old timers, those that knew me, my very best.

Anonymous said...

From the secretary in the NW corner...if any of the old timers want to say hi, email me at ldsb45@att.net

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