I'm a lucky man. I've had a great career at the top levels of international advertising, marketing and digital publishing. And I'm still going strong.
In addition to founding, building and selling three very successful advertising agencies, I also established one of the world's most successful (but little known) digital publishing empires. I've won hundreds of honors including all the major regional, national and international advertising and marketing awards for dozens of well-known multi-national corporations (including Alamo Car Rental, Apple, Australian Tourist Commission, Burger King, Centex Homes, Continental Airlines, Dacor Appliances, Holiday Inn, McDonald's, National Rent-A-Car, Pizza Hut, Qantas Airlines, Shimano Biking, Shimano Fishing, Smokey the Bear, Suzuki Motorcycles, Tahiti Tourism, Thermador Appliances, Toshiba, Vans Shoes, Western Digital, Yamaha Music, Yamaha Keyboards and Yamaha Audio).
Here are the details:
2013 to present
Sole Proprietor
Around the World in 180 Days (JimandJamie.com)
This half travel/half memoir blog, a labor of love, covers the adventures (and misadventures) my wife and I experience as we travel around the world.
Responsibilities: We travel to exotic, unusual places and I write about it. And I occasionally tell a funny story from my advertising career.
2009 to present
Founder/Partner/Creative Director
Hyperbole, the World's Greatest Media Management Company™, McKinney, Texas
My business partner and I identified and developed an untapped niche on the internet and created three blogs dedicated to helping low-income Americans get access to free cell phone service and low-cost internet services. Online sources indicate that our three combined websites are among a top handful of Google AdSense sites in the world, but Google's notorious stinginess with internal statistics makes that impossible to verify. That being said, we'd like to believe it's true.
Responsibilities: Concept development, content creation, strategic direction and execution for our group of world-class websites.
2008 to present
Sole Proprietor
RadioLogoLand.com
An intellectual property attorney buddy sparked one of those lightbulb moments when he mentioned that any logo that goes unused and unprotected for three years or longer automatically falls into the public domain. I began selling T-shirts and coffee mugs imprinted with the great old logos of the world's most famous Top 40 radio stations of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It hasn't made me rich, but who needs money when you're having this much fun.
1999 to 2002
Partner/Executive Creative Director
Hyperbole, the World's Greatest Advertising Agency™, Los Angeles, California
Clients: House2Home
Responsibilities: My longtime business partner and I teamed up with Southern California advertising legend Leonard Pearlstein solely to handle one enormous account. You would be safe in calling House2Home a cautionary tale that should one day be dissected at the Harvard Business School. Overall responsibility for success of the business. Work with management team to develop and implement a strategic plan indentifying opportunities, set goals, and create a business blueprint. Develop, lead, and inspire a culture of creative excellence. Supervising on-staff and freelance talent to maintain highest international creative standards. Important member of new business team.
1996 to 2010
Partner/Executive Creative Director
deYong Ginsberg & Associates Advertising, Los Angeles, California
Clients: Alamo Rent-A-Car, Dacor Kitchen Appliances, ETRPA (El Toro Re-Use Planning Authority), National Car Rental
Responsibilities: Overall responsibility for success of the business. Work with management team to develop and implement a strategic plan indentifying opportunities, set goals, and create a business blueprint. Develop, lead, and inspire a culture of creative excellence. Lead new business team.
1994 to 1998
Marketing & Advertising Columnist
Orange County Business Journal, Irvine, California
Responsibilities: Writing a weekly advertising and marketing column. The Business Journal's Publisher and Executive Editor recruited me for the position and gave me complete freedom to report the news, editorialize, parody, call out those who needed to be chastised, and praise those who earned it.
1994 to present
Partner/Executive Creative Director
deYong Creative
Clients: All Sport Water, Aquarium of the Pacific, ARC Thrift, Artavia Homes, Atlantis Tourist Submarines, Avila Ranch, Big O Tires, Cadence Homes, Cal Poly Health, Cellular One, Centex Homes, Chevron Land, Coast Health, Coast Hills Federal Credit Union, Coffee Bean, Colorado Department of Transportation, CORE Telecom Systems, Cox Cable, Dacor Kitchen Appliances, Desert Care, Diamond Cut Jeans, Drum School 101, Eagle Creek Homes, East West Bank, Estero Homes, ETRPA (El Toro Re-Use Planning Authority), First 5 California, Floor to Ceiling, Gemological Institute of America, Harvest Homes, Hauslane Appliances, Heritage Oaks Bank, Holiday Inn, Hollywood Park Thoroughbred Racing, House2Home, Idlers Appliances, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles County Fair, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, L.A. Weight Loss, Lindora Weight Loss, Mentor Worldwide (breast implants), Mercedes-Benz, National Car Rental, Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism, One OC/Volunteer Center, Orange County Business Journal, Orange County Fire Authority, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pick-Up Stix Restaurants, RADD (Recording Artists, Actors & Athletes Against Drunk Driving), Red Bull Energy Drink, Reliant Energy, River City Bank, Robam Appliances, Rotary International, Sacramento Kings, San Luis Obispo Tourism, Santa Anita Thoroughbred Racing, SLO Brew, Sonoma Cutrer Wines, SoundCure, Southern California Auto Club, Southern California Bowl, StubHub, Tahiti Tourism, The Woodlands, Thoma Electric, Tenet Hospitals (Phoenix, Tucson, Orange County, San Luis Obispo), Thomas Bros. Maps, Traeger Grills, Turtle Island (Fiji), YMCA
Responsibilities: Strategic and financial planning and execution. Create and manage budgets to achieve overall business goals. Develop, lead, and inspire a culture of creative excellence. Provide leadership, managing diverse teams, collaborating with clients, building budgets, and allocating resources. Lead new business efforts.
1994 to 1998
Chairman Emeritus
dGWB Advertising (deYong Ginsberg Weisman Bailey), Irvine, California
1988 to 1994
Partner/Executive Vice President/Executive Creative Director
dGWB Advertising (deYong Ginsberg Weisman Bailey) Irvine, California
Clients: Apple Computers, American Continental Convertible Debentures, Baxter-Edwards, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Biloxi Belle Casino, Boy Scouts of America, California Coolers, CooperVision Surgical, El Pollo Loco Restaurants, Killer Shakes, Lactaid, Langert Golf, Lincoln Savings, Los Angeles Urban League, Miami Coolers, Orange County Register Newspaper, Orange County Transit Authority, Pacific Coast Brands, Phoenician Resort, Pizza Hut, Qualcomm, ROAR Foundation, Shimano Biking, Shimano Fishing, Tektronix Printers, Thermador Appliances, Thomas Bros Maps, Times-Mirror, United Healthcare, Universal Studios Tours, Unocal Ag Products, Vans Shoes, Winterbrook Wines, Western Digital, Wyle Labs, Yamaha Guitars, Yamaha Keyboards, Yamaha Professional Audio
Responsibilities: Transforming a world-class high technology ad agency into a world-class consumer product ad agency. Developing, leading, and inspiring a culture of creative excellence. Strategic and financial planning and execution. Leader of an effective new business team.
1987 to 1988
Executive Vice President/Executive Creative Director
Ayer/Pacific Advertising, Irvine, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California
Clients: Australia Tourist Commission, Burger King, Continental Airlines, Toshiba Copiers, Toshiba PCs, Yamaha Guitars, Yamaha Professional Audio
Responsibilities: Developing, leading, and inspiring a culture of creative excellence across three west coast offices. Integrating a small entrepreneurial agency's creativity and culture into a major international ad agency. Interfacing with creative directors across Ayer's international network. Key member of new business team.
Cunningham & Walsh and Reiser Williams deYong were acquired in 1987 by NW Ayer, the world's 7th largest ad agency.
1976 to 1987
Partner/Executive Vice President/Executive Creative Director
Reiser Williams deYong, Irvine and San Francisco, California
Clients: Anaheim Memorial Hospital, Australia Tourism, Far West Services (Jojo's, Coco's, Reuben's Restaurants), Long Beach Memorial Hospital, LTU Airlines, Pizza Hut, Qantas Airlines, Times Mirror, Vector Graphic Computers and a long list of Orange County and Silicon Valley's leading high tech companies.
Responsibilities: Building a start-up advertising agency from the ground up. Working with management team to develop and implement a strategic business plan. Building, leading, inspiring and retaining a world-class creative team. Part of successful new business team.
Reiser Williams deYong acquired in 1983 by Cunningham & Walsh, the world's 14th largest ad agency.
1975 to 1976
Senior Copywriter
Foote Cone & Belding Advertising, Los Angeles, California
Clients: Hughes AirWest, Smokey the Bear (National Forest Service), Suzuki Motorcycles
Responsibilities: Leading and inspiring a full creative team to maintain excellence on a variety of accounts at this leading international ad agency.
1974
Freelance Copywriter, Los Angeles, California
Clients: Bandini Fertilizer, Glendale Federal Savings & Loan, KABC Radio, Kapalua Resort/Maui, KLOS Radio, Maxxon Trucks, Van De Kamp Bakeries, Yamaha Audio
Responsbilities: Trying to keep the wolf from the door while incorrectly assuming that I was capable of running my own business.
1973
Advertising Copywriter
Clinton E Frank Advertising Los Angeles, California
Clients: Toyota Motors USA, Squirt Soft Drink
Responsibilities: Creating television and print advertising for Toyota Motors USA at the largest advertising agency in Los Angeles.
1971 to 1973
Advertising Copywriter
DJMC Advertising, Los Angeles, California
Clients: Bandini Fertilizer, Glendale Federal Savings & Loan, KCOP Channel 13, Magic Mountain Amusement Park, McDonalds, Southern California Chevrolet Dealers, World Savings
Responsibilities: Learning my craft at this outstanding regional ad agency while being extremely grateful that someone was willing to take a chance on me.
Education
Bachelor Degree in Journalism/Advertising
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
March 20, 1971
University Lecturer | Writing and Creativity
1979 to 1984
Golden West Community College (Huntington Beach, California)
My first experience teaching — a night class called Advertising Copywriting 101. It was also a great learning experience for me.
1980 to 1985
California State University (Fullerton, California)
After two years at the community college, I was offered a chance to teach a similar class at California State University. The money wasn't great, but the experience was. It gave me a chance to pay back the kindnesses that others offered me when I was a student. The fact that I was able to meet and hire a number of talented young copywriters was an added bonus. And I'm very proud that a number of my students went on to achieve great success.
1984 to 1989
University of California (Irvine, California)
My classes at Cal State Fullerton were so overwhelmingly popular that I was recruited to teach Advertising 301 at the prestigious University of California. As much as I enjoyed teaching at the university level, I finally had to give it up because time was a limited commodity after we founded dGWB Advertising.
Guest speaker
1978-1996
Orange County Advertising Federation (Irvine, California)
Apparently this prestigious Southern California advertising club never tired of hearing me speak. I was repeatedly invited me to address the club's monthly meetings, and I rarely said no.
1982
Vector Graphic International Dealer meeting
This prominent maker of personal computers invited one thousand members of its international dealer network to meet in Calabasas, California. I was asked to speak to them about advertising.
1978-1990
Business & Professional Advertisers Association
Our advertising agency dominated the Business & Professional Advertising Association competition, so I was often asked to speak at its annual meeting.
1985
Portland Advertising Club (Portland, Oregon)
Portland is a small pocket of remarkable advertising creativity. Because I attended the University of Oregon, I was extremely honoured to be invited back to address the city's advertising club
1993
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
Because our ad campaign for Orange County Transit District was so hugely successful, I was invited to talk about advertising to the chief executives and marketing directors for all transit districts in Southern California.
1996
Silicon Valley Advertising Club (San Jose, California)
The first Southern California ad agency in which I was a partner was often called "The world's best high tech ad agency." Hence, my invitation to address the ad club in the world's leading high tech mecca.
1996
Chapman University (Orange, California)
A professor at this major private university in Southern California invited me to address her Advanced Copywriting class. It was filled with very bright students who peppered me with insightful questions during the Q&A session that followed my remarks.
2015-2021
University of North Texas (Denton, Texas)
When a professor at University of North Texas learned that I had relocated to nearby McKinney, she invited me to address her Advertising Concepts class, and has invited me back each year to critique her students' final projects.
Judge
1988
Atlanta Advertising Awards (Atlanta, Georgia)
Invited as one of a select group of leading national creative directors to sit on the judging committee of this important regional advertising competition.
1989
Phoenix Advertising Awards (Phoenix, Arizona)
Invited to lead the judging panel of this important regional advertising competition.
1991
Clio Awards (New York, New York)
Along with a number of other leading creative directors from around America, I was invited to sit on the judging committee for one of the world's most prestigious international advertising competitions.
1996
Silicon Valley Advertising Awards (San Jose, California)
Because of the reputation I had earned as Executive Creative Director and Partner in what was widely known as "The world's best high tech ad agency," I was asked to lead the judging committee of this major regional advertising competition.
Advertising Awards
I have been honored to win all the major regional, national and international awards — including the New York Art Directors Club, The One Show, Clio Awards, Best in the West, Beldings, Print International Annual, OCAF, American Advertising Federation, and the Business & Professional Advertising Association Awards.
A friend once referred to to me as "the J.D. Salinger of advertising" and although I do not revel in that description, I accept it. Fact is, I did retreat from the public eye and stopped entering advertising awards competitions in the mid-1990s. Why? Because my advertising agency won so many awards that year that it became embarrassing. "Too much of a good thing," I decided. "Self-congratulatory nonsense." I never entered another advertising awards competition and never again sought publicity for myself nor any of my endeavours. Advertising is a very small business, however, and despite my self-imposed lack of public attention, my reputation lived on, I have thrived, and business continues to come through the door without being sought.
Public Service
Volunteer Day
Executive Committee
Along with a number of other leading business executives, I was recruited to sit on the executive committee for Volunteer Day, a county-wide event coordinated by One OC, a central clearing house for all public service organizations in Orange County, California. We attracted more than 25,000 volunteers who donated more than 100,000 hours of their time and skills to a variety of charitable projects across the county.
Orange County Tourism Council
Executive Committee
Served on the Executive Committee of this newly-formed arm of the Orange County Business Council. We were tasked with developing a unique advertising and marketing program to promote Orange County as a destination. We created the world famous line "The OC."
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
Fundraising Committee
CASA is a nationwide organization whose volunteers serve as advocates for foster children within the court system. Our efforts changed the way CASA raised funds and results in raising more than ten times as much as any previous fundraiser.
Save the Headlands
Board of Directors
A small band of rebels fought one of the oldest, wealthiest families in California to keep them from overdeveloping the largest piece of undeveloped piece of coastal real estate between Los Angeles and San Diego. They outspent us ten-to-one, but we outthought and outworked them and won a 67-33% victory at the ballot box.
The El Toro Airport
Advertising & Marketing Executive
North Orange County's power brokers announced that they wanted to build an international airport at a deactivated military airport in the middle of heavily-populated South Orange County. Although airport supporters had won decisive victories in two previous elections, the cities of South Orange County banded together and got it back on the ballot for a third election. The only difference is that my team's new advertising efforts were so effective that we were able to turn a 33-67% loss into a 67-33% victory. It's one of my proudest achievements.