THE REAL
AND
MADMEN
OF
THE
WOMEN SOUTH BAY
Madison Avenue was long considered
the center of the advertising universe,
especially in the 1960s. But as that
nostalgic decade drew to a close, a
new breed of creative execs were
making their mark in the advertising
industry far away from midtown
Manhattan. Their hard work, risk-taking
and creative genius shifted the power
center of advertising from the east
coast to Southern California. Today,
many of the best and brightest in
advertising are located right here in the
South Bay. We sat down with a few of
them and discussed their shops, their
clients and campaigns, and how being
based in the beach cities informs their
work and bolsters their creative spirit.
WRITTEN BY MICHELE GARBER • PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFF BERTING
54 Southbay February/March 2012 | oursouthbay.com
IN AMC’S MAD MEN, DON DRAPER
LEAVES LA FOR MADISON AVENUE.
IF HE KNEW WHAT WE DO, WOULD
HE TRADE IN HIS GREY SUIT FOR
BOARD SHORTS? THESE SOUTH BAY
ADVERTISING LEADERS GOT THE MEMO
... AND HERE’S THEIR PITCH.
oursouthbay.com | February/March 2012 Southbay
55
THE ICON
I
t almost sounds like a script. The ad
agency credited with shifting the ad
industry from Manhattan to SoCal
was founded in one of Los Angeles’
most iconic locales. At Dodger
Stadium in April 1968, with a
handshake and a hot dog during the seventh
inning stretch, Jay Chiat and Guy Day agreed
to merge their two smaller, LA-based agencies. Both men admired each other’s work.
Day had the brilliant idea that if they combined their agencies to form one larger shop,
they could attract stronger accounts.
As the story goes, Jay and Guy flipped a coin
to see who would be president. Guy won. Then
the two new partners gathered their employees
together, informed them of the newly formed
company and asked them to get to work … there
was new business to win. The merger proved
successful, as the new agency won the first accounts it pitched as a team. From its inception,
Jay and Guy determined that Chiat/Day would
be dedicated to doing great work.
At that time, the Southern California ad
industry was primarily based in downtown
Los Angeles or in Hollywood, closer to the
production companies also servicing the
film business. But Jay Chiat knew there was
something magical about the beach. He knew
that a more casual, laid-back vibe could spur a
new, creative approach to a dated industry.
At the same time, a talented young native
Angeleno named Lee Clow had begun his
own career in advertising. Growing up in LA,
the avid surfer loved the water and had the
inspired yet naive notion that he could somehow merge his personal aspiration of working
near the beach and wearing shorts and flip
flops with his professional ambition of contributing to a top creative ad agency. But up
until this point, such a place did not exist. Yet
he knew there was something exciting happening in advertising, and he wasn’t about to
miss out. Then he spotted Chiat/Day.
Lee tried for a year to get a job with the
fledgling agency, practically camping out
in their lobby, until finally one day his luck
changed. He met Jay Chiat and was hired. As
Lee’s dream came to fruition, the agency was
infused with Lee’s unbridled creative energy. It
was a perfect match. Now widely considered
the guru of advertising, Lee brought a drive
and uncompromising genius to their creative
team. Chiat/Day created some of the most enduring ad campaigns ever to run, transforming
the once small agency into a creative powerhouse, while essentially relocating the mecca
of advertising from Madison Avenue not just
to LA, but to the beach.
Though a living legend, Lee, a longtime
Palos Verdes resident, is as genuine and
down-to-earth as they come. He epitomizes
Southern California cool. Dressed in casual
beach attire with his kind smile and warm,
relaxed yet clearly inspired manner of speaking, he puts all those around him at ease.
He’s proud of his work yet modest about his
achievements. As he explains, “I think the
basic makeup of a creative person is a lot of
ego and drive and also a lot of insecurity. I
think most creative people never know if
they’re any good. If they decide they’re good,
they’re probably not that good. To this day,
everything I look at, I see something wrong
with it. It’s not as good as it should be and
could be better. And I think part of the creative temperament is being very insecure that
your work isn’t good enough and at the same
time having an ego and a drive to be at the
forefront of doing great stuff.”
Lee’s body of work speaks for itself. Lee is
the creative mind behind indelible campaigns
for Nissan, Absolut and Pedigree and those
evocative California Coolers ads, as well as
the Energizer Bunny. But Lee is perhaps best
known and most admired for his work with
his close friend and colleague Steve Jobs of
Apple. Together they created transcendent ads
that permanently altered modern advertising.
The monumental “1984” ad, inspired
by Orwell’s eponymous book and directed
by Ridley Scott—which aired only once
during the third quarter of Super Bowl
XVIII, introducing the world to the Mac—is
considered one of the most powerful and
impacting ads of all time. In 1997, when Steve
Jobs returned to turn around the company
he founded, he hired back his old friend Lee’s
agency to again handle their advertising. Lee
and Steve created the influential and timeless
“Think Different” campaign. Then as the
company began to launch its succession of
revolutionary products—the iMac, iBook,
iPod, iPhone, iTunes, iPad and so on—Lee
and his team were right there, instrumental in
creating every notable advertising initiative to
launch and support each of these innovative
products. Together, Lee and Steve not only
changed the face of advertising, they changed
our lives and our world. The ripple effect of
their incredible work together is enduring.
When asked to elaborate on the culture
of SoCal advertising, Lee explains, “The west
coast created casual Friday. We impacted the
dress code. And we impacted the creativity
of our business, because we came at it from
a relaxed, fun, casual approach. One of my
favorite campaigns was California Cooler, because it’s as if I almost got to stick a product
right into my life.”
In the mid ‘90s, Chiat/Day merged
with TBWA, forming TBWA\Chiat\Day.
It’s now known as TBWA\Chiat\Day\Media Arts Lab, a name that reflects its core
tenet of Disruption + Media Arts. The success of TBWA\Chiat\Day\MAL brought
new respect and cache to SoCal advertising, paving the way for other creative
agencies to make their homes in the beach
towns of Los Angeles as well.
“The west coast of the U.S. is the media arts capital of the world,” says Lee. “It’s
the epicenter of all entrepreneurial artistic
things—from Hollywood to Disney to
Silicon Valley when it became genius to all
the video game designers that are here. When
advertising moved to the west coast—here
and Portland and San Francisco—we all
started setting a new standard for advertising that Madison Avenue still hasn’t actually
caught up with.” 
PHOTO COURTESY OF LEE CLOW
LEE CLOW, TBWA/WORLDWIDE
“THE WEST COAST
CREATED CASUAL FRIDAY.
WE IMPACTED THE DRESS
CODE. AND WE IMPACTED
THE CREATIVITY OF OUR
BUSINESS, BECAUSE
WE CAME AT IT FROM A
RELAXED, FUN, CASUAL
APPROACH.”
–LEE CLOW
56 Southbay February/March 2012 | oursouthbay.com
THE DREAM TEAM
MARGARET KEENE AND CHRIS ADAMS, SAATCHI LA
25
“IT’S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE OUR TEAM DOESN’T LIVE HERE
IN THIS AMAZING PLACE IN VAIN. WE’RE TRYING TO CREATE A
CULTURE HERE WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND ENJOY AND
RESPECT AND PLAY IN THIS INCREDIBLE PLACE.”
– MARGARET, SAATCHI LA
58 Southbay February/March 2012 | oursouthbay.com
years ago, when Londonbased agency Saatchi &
Saatchi decided to open a
Southern California outpost,
they ultimately chose Torrance as home.
Clearly, part of the decision was proximity to
their largest account, Toyota, but the South
Bay’s relaxed and creative attitude appealed to
Saatchi’s sensibility. For example, Saatchi LA
has created several award-winning initiatives
for the Surfrider Foundation, work that is an
enormous source of pride for the agency. But
Toyota is unequivocally the shop’s premiere
client. An account of that scale warrants an
agency dedicated to its efforts. And the marriage between Saatchi and Toyota has been
enduring and tremendously successful.
Under the direction of its chairman, Kurt
Ritter, and president, Chuck Maguy, the
agency has enjoyed great success and has won
countless awards for its initiatives in multiple
mediums. Last year, creative partners Margaret Keene and Chris Adams, two prominent
veterans of TBWA\Chiat\Day, joined Saatchi
& Saatchi as co-executive creative directors.
The pair have been partners for nine
years and previously worked on marquee
accounts including Apple, Nissan and
Pedigree. In joining Saatchi, they have an
opportunity to lead the creative department,
maintain their partnership and stay in the
local area. Both Margaret and Chris have
young families, and Saatchi’s emphasis on a
prioritization of life appealed to them.
“It’s the concept that everyone matters (as
Kurt has displayed in his office) … that everyone’s ideas matter. All the shops in the South
Bay agree with that,” says Margaret of the local ad agency culture. “You look to everyone
to contribute. You might have a skill set in
one area, but at the end of the day, a great idea
trumps everything. It must have a human core
to it, whether it makes you laugh or cry. It’s
a skill set plus a genuine and innate kindness
and ability to collaborate. There is no plateau,
no matter how quickly things change.”
Chris adds, “It’s that culture of creativity
meeting commerce that exists in Southern
California in a way that it doesn’t exist in
other places. The difference between Madison
Avenue and Southern California agencies:
You can still do really breakthrough creative.
You can do really amazing things. You can
get results for clients. You don’t have to take
yourself so seriously. You don’t have to have
the pressure and the conflict to get things
done and do amazing work. And in fact, if
you take away all that time that is wasted
on the negative energy of the hustle and
the bustle and the friction, and you get the
people that fit with that culture (the passion
is within them to do great stuff that doesn’t
have to be motivated by all this external
stuff ), it makes it a much more fun place to
do the work. And the work ends up being
more vibrant because of it.” 
oursouthbay.com | February/March 2012 Southbay
59
FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF
WHY SOUTH BAY RESIDENTS
LOVE DR. JEWELL

To anyone who visits your facility, meets your staﬀ,
and interacts with you, it’s evident you’ve assembled
a ﬁrst-class organization. You’re clearly very knowledgeable, competent, and have a great demeanor
with prospective patients.”

20 years. That’s how long I waited. The wait is over
and now I want to thank you far deeper than I can
express for the incredibly beautiful results. Thank you
sincerely for my life changing transformation. I ﬁnally
feel like I was always meant to be”
Left to right: James Hendry,
Scott Stanner, Julie Michael,
Sydni Scheidel, Steve Hanlon
“WE REDUCED THE WALLS AND THE
SILOS. THAT’S VERY SOUTH BAY.”
– JAMES, TEAM ONE
See more actual patient testimonials for Dr. Jewell
and the other South Bay Plastic Surgeons at
www.plasticsurgerysource.com/testamonials
GIVE YOUR LOVED ONE A V.I.P. GIFT
THE CREATIVE CORE
BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEONS
TEAM ONE
W
hen Toyota told their ad team at Saatchi & Saatchi
they were launching a yet-unnamed luxury automotive brand and were looking for an agency to handle
that new business, the team at Saatchi offered a
solution: build a new, separate ad agency for them. The code name on
the door of the conference room, where this new agency was created
to work on the new automotive account, was Team One. We all now
know Toyota’s startup luxury brand would become Lexus, but the
code name for its corresponding agency stuck, and Team One was
born. That agency is now 275 employees strong with 11-plus accounts
with global reach, offices in five major U.S. cities and plans to add
additional, international offices in the coming years. At its heart, Team
One expects its staff to embody four basic characteristics: they must be
collaborative, optimistic, results-driven and entrepreneurial … which
happens to form the acronym CORE.
“There are qualities here that mirror the South Bay, in that we’re
a group that likes each other and gets along,” shares James Hendry,
group creative director. “There’s not a lot of artifice; there’s not a lot
60 Southbay February/March 2012 | oursouthbay.com
of structure. We made a conscious effort four years ago to bring the
agency down into just five disciplines. We reduced the walls and the
silos. That’s very South Bay.”
Executive director Julie Michael adds, “It’s almost like there’s this
perfect combination of our employees being wicked smart but also
culturally very cool, comfortable and casual. There’s no pretense.”
Though Team One began with Lexus, it now has many other prestigious accounts. Among them, Ritz Carlton is a client they are especially
proud of. Team One and Ritz Carlton have been working together for
more than eight years … a lifetime in some segments of advertising.
Team One most recently created the campaign “Let us stay with you,”
based on Ritz Carlton’s emphasis on creating memories for its guests.
Though it holds global accounts like Ritz Carlton, Team One remains a quintessential South Bay agency. As Julie Michael notes, “I’ve
been thinking about the idea of South Bay spirit with a global impact.
It’s both a contradiction and compliment. We work in this amazing
place, and we embody the spirit of the South Bay, yet we know our
impact travels not just across states but across continents.” 
Dr. Charles W. Spenler
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cosmetic Surgery
Reconstructive Surgery
V.I.P. Membership Program
Botox
Dermal Fillers
IPL Fotofacial
•
•
•
•
•
•
Complexion Laser Facial
Laser Hair Removal
Sclerotherapy
Facials/Chemical Peels
Microdermabrasion
Acne Treatments
Dr. Michael K. Newman
Our team strives to give
each patient an unparalleled
personal experience. We are
dedicated to your safety and
exceeding your expectations.
Our doors are open to
welcome you with confidence,
compassion, and expertise.
3440 Lomita Boulevard Suite 100 Torrance, CA 90505 | 888-501-4392 | www.plasticsurgerysource.com/SBM
FACEBOOK.COM/SOUTHBAYPLASTICSURGEONS
Left to right: Daniel Martin,
Mark Paolucci, Jack Skelley,
Kristin Tootle, Lori Bero, Peter
Cooper, Christopher Salling
“WE HAVE LIVES OUTSIDE THE OFFICE FROM WHICH
WE DRAW INSPIRATION. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ALLOWS FOR THAT, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.”
– DANIEL MARTIN, PAOLUCCI
THE LOCAL LEADERS
PAOLUCCI COMMUNICATION ARTS
L
ocated in the heart of Palos Verdes, Paolucci embodies the ideal of a South Bay ad agency. Their offices
encircle a courtyard in a historic building adjacent to
Malaga Cove. A more intimate shop, Paolucci offers
integrated, personal agency services, specializing in “place making.” Their impressive roster of clients includes luxury resort
hotels like Terranea, high-end and exclusive residential communities, tourism destinations from La Paz to Bali, and more.
“In our particular situation as experts at place making, we
very consciously remained in this courtyard building with a
view of the ocean,” says Jack Skelley, senior partner and director
of public relations. “It doesn’t mean we couldn’t do what we do
elsewhere, but it helps us to be in a place that’s very satisfying.”
The structure of Paolucci is a perfect reflection of the local neighborhood vibe … the agency feels like a community.
They’ve created an intimate environment where employees
are valued and treated like owners—and indeed they are,
as Paolucci offers their team an ESOP program and thus is
62 Southbay February/March 2012 | oursouthbay.com
an employee-owned company. And like the larger agency
counterparts, or perhaps even more so, every employee has
input and a voice.
“In Southern California, our best work comes from having
a client that allows us to do our thing and isn’t afraid to take
a risk … that wants to push it a little bit,” says president Mark
Paolucci. “Some of the best work comes from our clients that
are willing to get out of the way.” He adds, “Clients out here are
less likely to get involved and dilute the work. So the work is
better out here, which is a reflection of the clients.”
“On some level, inspired location leads to inspired
thinking,” explains Chris Salling, senior partner and
director of creative services. “But because we’re in Los
Angeles, there is an expectation that the quality is going
to be better. There is a certain kind of personal pride in
what you’re putting out in the world. It’s a creative city
… there is an energy to it. Being close to the ocean, we’re
definitely more soulful.” 