Fifty-Four Years in Advertising

Ned C. Clausens launched his career in advertising at age twenty from the mailroom of the legendary Madison Avenue agency, J. Walter Thompson.

From those humble beginnings, he won a variety of roles at New York ad agencies and trade organizations, landing a front-row seat in an industry that has undergone a series of dynamicand sometimes dramatic changesover the last several decades. In this memoir, he recalls his experiences, which were primarily in the business-to-business sector. Along the way, he shares insights on: discovering your passion in life; starting from the bottom and working your way up; and managing a clients marketing communications. With the exception of serving three years in the U.S. Army during the 1960s, Clausen spent fifty-four years in the advertising industry, rubbing elbows with some of the most fascinating people in the world of business. His story is one of good fortune and having the wits to survive and thrive from the creative revolution of the 1960s, through the agency mega-merger of the 1980s, to the digital revolution of today.

Author Biography

Ned C. Clausen earned a degree in commercial art design and business administration from NYU. He began his career in advertising at J. Walter Thompson, New York, and worked for the company in Frankfurt, Germany. He also worked in account management at BBDO on the DuPont account and handled international advertising for American Standard. He has won numerous awards and is the longtime chairman of the Global B-to-B Creativity ACE Awards and a member of the Business Marketing Association of Greater New York.