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Jerry Della Femina

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The Resume

    (July 22, 1936- )
    Born in Brooklyn, New York
    Advertising executive
    Chaired Della Femina Travisano & Partners (1967-86)
    Clients included Blue Nun Wine, Isuzu, Chemical Bank, Beck's Beer, Dow Brands and the New York Mets
    Wrote the memoirs 'From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor: Front-Line Dispatches from the Advertising War' (1970)

Why he might be annoying:

    He described himself as a 'publicity slut.'
    He credited his success in advertising to 'a lack of education.'
    He said, 'We made the Mad Men guys look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. We were much wilder, we drank more, we carried on more.'
    For 20 years, his firm held a 'vote for the person you'd like to sleep with' contest, with the two top vote-getters winning a weekend at the Plaza Hotel. ('Third place was Ron Travisano's couch.')
    He said, 'I'm working with kids in their twenties now. My job is to be as immature as they are.' (1998)
    His firm was sued by the Black Keys for using one of their songs in a bank ad without their permission (2011).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was rejected by the J. Walter Thompson agency because they would not hire Italians.
    He was known for his irreverent approach to advertising.
    USA Today called him 'the most colorful creative guy in an industry full of colorful creative guys.'
    He said he could tell he had landed an account when the client observed, 'You're not as crazy as I thought you'd be.'
    His memoirs were an inspiration for the critically acclaimed TV series Mad Men.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 91.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 84.62% Annoying