The Ad Game

Okay, I know truth in advertising’s an oxymoron. Here’s another truth: If you love “Mad Men” You’ll love “The Ad Game.” It’s sort of like - if Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard were swapping stories about the ad world. The ad agency’s island clients are trying to stick the agency’s director with murder and a drug rap, and embarrass the current island regime – who are up to their necks ripping off the drug funnel. The agencies creative team goes up against the drug cartel, crooked politicians and U.S. undercover agents to save their account in a tropical paradise - back at the agency a power play has caused a murder and the loss of accounts that will destroy the agency. The Coast Guard boards a drug cartel ship. The explosion is seen miles away on the tranquil island beaches of tropical paradise. The US Coast Guard and the drug cartel send agents to investigate. The ad agency has to prove to the DEA, FBI, CIA, State Department, but more importantly, the world’s tourists that their client’s image, soul, and beaches are pure - and keep the SOBs from taking their account to another agency. You can fool all of the people some of the time, that’s generally enough. Meanwhile, a long planned secret takeover to merge three ad agencies into a billion dollar powerhouse unfolds with deadly effect. Double-crossed on a production south of the border, a producer is jailed in Mexico for three years. That account is pulled from the agency in mid production. In a fit of rage one board member causes another to be murdered. The agency sends Cinque to the island. He’s a cool black creative director, and an ex-captain in the green berets - a job that just barely prepares him for advertising. A young green art director, Golden, in his first week at the agency has to help Cinque negotiate the agency’s creative department’s island release. They're being held as witness in the case against the agency. The agency desperately juggles to keep a smiling face to the world, prospective and current clients. Corrupt island police and politicians connive to frame Cinque - they fall out. Meanwhile the production crew films the tropical splendor and smiling faces of island natives and tourists at play. Just as it seems the islanders are about to come to an agreement – the body of an FBI agent is planted Cinque’s hotel room - then disappears. The frustrated captain of the island police assures Cinque: while there cannot be a murder without a body; not to worry: “Another body is always walking around somewhere”. Then, the board of directors breaks into a fistfight and a new agency is born. All just another normal agency day.

An ad agency creative team goes up against the drug cartel, crooked politicians and U.S. undercover agents to save their account in a tropical paradise - back at the agency a power play has caused a murder and the loss of accounts that’s destroying the agency. ___________________________________________________________ Truth in advertising. An oxymoron? The ad agency’s island clients are trying to stick the agency’s director with murder and a drug rap, and embarrass the current island regime – who are up to their necks ripping off the drug funnel. The Coast Guard boards a drug cartel ship. The explosion is seen miles away on the tranquil island beaches of tropical paradise. The US Coast Guard and the drug cartel send agents to investigate. The ad agency has to prove to the DEA, FBI, CIA, State Department, but more importantly, the world’s tourists that their client’s image, soul, and beaches are pure - and keep the SOBs from taking their account to another agency. If you can fool all of the people some of the time, that’s generally enough. Meanwhile, a long planned secret takeover to merge three ad agencies into a billion dollar powerhouse unfolds with deadly effect. Double-crossed on a production south of the border, a producer is jailed in Mexico for three years. That account is pulled from the agency in mid production. In a fit of rage one board member causes another to be murdered. The agency sends Cinque to the island. He’s a cool black creative director, and an ex-captain in the green berets - a job that just barely prepares him for advertising. A young green art director, Golden, in his first week at the agency has to help Cinque negotiate the agency’s creative department’s island release. They are being held as witness in the case against the agency. The agency desperately juggles to keep a smiling face to the world, prospective and current clients. Corrupt island police and politicians connive to frame Cinque and fall out - while the production crew films the tropical splendor and smiling faces of island natives and tourists at play. Just as it seems the islanders are about to come to an agreement – the body of an FBI agent is planted Cinque’s hotel room - then disappears. The frustrated captain of the island police assures Cinque: while there cannot be a murder without a body; not to worry: “Another body is always walking around somewhere”. Then, the board of directors breaks into a fistfight and a new agency is born. All just another normal agency day.

Right out of SVA I did illustrations for Saturday Evening Post, Travel Magazine, Fishing Magazine, The Reporter Magazine, Esquire, and a lot of ad agencies. I got an ad assignment to go back stage at CBS TV and draw a live show. What a jolt. Music, dance, acting, editing, color, cameras, directors – I fell in lust, broke my pencils and asked Lou Dorfsman for a job. At CBS TV I worked on every major show for five years: designing promotion, openings and special effects. I taught design in motion, at night, at Pratt Institute – matriculated to BBDO advertising as a TV art director. Then to McCann Erickson advertising as Sr. Art director/writer/producer. Started writing screenplays. Became creative director Sr VP for Jim Jordan on Quaker, Zest, Welch’s, and Butterfingers. I started my own production company shooting hundreds of commercials around the world. I was an Emmy judge for fifteen years. I have written twenty- three screenplays. Three are optioned. I’m currently budgeting a coming of age comedy.