mAd Dad Volume #1

December 26, 2008 • 5:20 pm • POSTED BY David Burden

Most of you probably do not know that one of the primary reasons I am in this business is because of my dad. He was an “ad guy” from the 60’s through to the 90’s, having worked as an account manager on the agency side at notable shops like Doyle Dane Bernbach (now DDB Worldwide) on Porsche/Audi and Ammirati + Puris (now Lowe Worldwide) on BMW, as well as a client at British Leyland (MG and Triumph, among other British car brands) and Jaguar. I must say it wasn’t the three piece suits, actual Madison Avenue offices, company cars, martini lunches, buxom chain smoking secretaries or long sideburns that attracted me to the business. Nor was it the long hours, short tempers and abbreviated vacations (as I type this from the office on the day after Christmas). It sure wasn’t his urging or advice (one of his favorites to me was “Don’t go into this business kid or I’ll break your arm.”). It was the cool stories and stuff my dad would bring home from shoots, and the finished ads he would frame and hang on our basement walls. I was also somewhat allured by the frequent travel (my dad flew Concorde …not “on the Concorde” because apparently once you fly it once you are allowed to lose the “on” and simply state “Yes, I flew Concorde”) to exotic locations like London, LeMans, the Nevada salt flats (Volume #2 coming soon) and … a skatepark in California.  So, as part one of a series paying tribute to my dad’s work over the years, as well as some groovy stuff from the past, I present the 1978 print campaign he worked on for the MG Midget (click the images to read the copy…its worth it).  We still have one of the original (skate)boards from the shoot, and the “High Flying Fun” ad now finally explains not only why I am here today, but also my youthful penchant for attempting dumb skateboard jumps and deep-seeded attraction to Jessica Simpson.  Way to go dad.