Jerry Della Femina

"This guy is probably the single most adored American. If I could get him for one of my clients, I'd use him tomorrow." --Jerry Della Femina, New York adman, on Magic Johnson's image.

Della Femina's Agency to Merge With Ketchum: Outspoken adman Jerry Della Femina said he will combine his 16-month-old agency with the New York office of Ketchum Communications, which has been seeking a higher profile on Madison Avenue. Della Femina, 57, has long been one of the most colorful figures in advertising. He severed 25-year ties to the Della Femina McNamee Inc. agency in June, 1992, after clashing with the French agency that had acquired control of it.

Della Femina's Agency to Merge With Ketchum: Outspoken adman Jerry Della Femina said he will combine his 16-month-old agency with the New York office of Ketchum Communications, which has been seeking a higher profile on Madison Avenue. Della Femina, 57, has long been one of the most colorful figures in advertising. He severed 25-year ties to the Della Femina McNamee Inc. agency in June, 1992, after clashing with the French agency that had acquired control of it.

Jerry Della Femina, the Madison Avenue adman as well known for his trademark bald pate as his offbeat sense of humor, stepped down Friday as head of the agency he founded 25 years ago. The move followed a year of nasty bickering with the firm's French parent. Della Femina has been succeeded as chairman by Louise McNamee, 42, the agency president who is an extremely close confidant to Della Femina--and whom he previously appointed to the No. 2 post.

Jerry Della Femina has one big problem--he has to keep outdoing Jerry Della Femina. Della Femina is that zany New York adman whose free-wheeling agency made a liar out of Joe Isuzu, and, with the help of some special effects, got King Kong to climb San Francisco's Transamerica pyramid-shaped headquarters. Now, Della Femina has begun to imitate the legendary Hollywood producer Cecil B. De Mille.

Jerry Della Femina, the Madison Avenue adman as well known for his trademark bald pate as his offbeat sense of humor, stepped down Friday as head of the agency he founded 25 years ago. The move followed a year of nasty bickering with the firm's French parent. Della Femina has been succeeded as chairman by Louise McNamee, 42, the agency president who is an extremely close confidant to Della Femina--and whom he previously appointed to the No. 2 post.

The advertising agency that made fast-fibbing Joe Isuzu a household word--and American Isuzu a household name--was abruptly fired Thursday by the Japanese car maker. "I hope they call me tomorrow and say, 'We were lying,' " said Jerry Della Femina, chairman of the New York agency Della Femina McNamee, whose Los Angeles office created Isuzu ads. Isuzu's decision has left Della Femina's Los Angeles office reeling.

Did Business Week "lie" about the ad world's most famous liar? The New York ad agency that created the smooth-tongued Joe Isuzu sure thinks so. And Della Femina, MacNamee WCRS has placed a scathing full-page ad in today's Wall Street Journal that could make even Joe Isuzu blush. The ad will run under the headline, "Business Week Admires Joe Isuzu So Much That in Their July 12th Issue, They 'Lied' About Isuzu's Sales." Not surprisingly, Business Week says that it is Della Femina that is twisting the truth.

Don't look for Joe Isuzu to be fibbing in French any time soon. But a big chunk of the British-owned ad agency whose U.S. division created one of the ad world's best-known liars was purchased Wednesday by a giant French advertising conglomerate for $68.6 million. Eurocom SA, one of the biggest advertising agencies in France, purchased a 40% interest in WCRS Group's worldwide advertising network. It previously owned 20% of WCRS, bringing its majority ownership of the company to a total of 60%.

Madison Avenue was abuzz Tuesday about whether Michael Ovitz's move to Walt Disney Co. might affect CAA's relationship with Coca-Cola Co. CAA has just completed 11 commercials for the soft drink company, which annually spends about $340 million on advertising. The Coke-CAA deal marked the first time a major advertiser had turned to a talent agency.

"This guy is probably the single most adored American. If I could get him for one of my clients, I'd use him tomorrow." --Jerry Della Femina, New York adman, on Magic Johnson's image.

The advertising agency that made fast-fibbing Joe Isuzu a household word--and American Isuzu a household name--was abruptly fired Thursday by the Japanese car maker. "I hope they call me tomorrow and say, 'We were lying,' " said Jerry Della Femina, chairman of the New York agency Della Femina McNamee, whose Los Angeles office created Isuzu ads. Isuzu's decision has left Della Femina's Los Angeles office reeling.

Don't look for Joe Isuzu to be fibbing in French any time soon. But a big chunk of the British-owned ad agency whose U.S. division created one of the ad world's best-known liars was purchased Wednesday by a giant French advertising conglomerate for $68.6 million. Eurocom SA, one of the biggest advertising agencies in France, purchased a 40% interest in WCRS Group's worldwide advertising network. It previously owned 20% of WCRS, bringing its majority ownership of the company to a total of 60%.

Did Business Week "lie" about the ad world's most famous liar? The New York ad agency that created the smooth-tongued Joe Isuzu sure thinks so. And Della Femina, MacNamee WCRS has placed a scathing full-page ad in today's Wall Street Journal that could make even Joe Isuzu blush. The ad will run under the headline, "Business Week Admires Joe Isuzu So Much That in Their July 12th Issue, They 'Lied' About Isuzu's Sales." Not surprisingly, Business Week says that it is Della Femina that is twisting the truth.

Jerry Della Femina has one big problem--he has to keep outdoing Jerry Della Femina. Della Femina is that zany New York adman whose free-wheeling agency made a liar out of Joe Isuzu, and, with the help of some special effects, got King Kong to climb San Francisco's Transamerica pyramid-shaped headquarters. Now, Della Femina has begun to imitate the legendary Hollywood producer Cecil B. De Mille.

"IVANAMANIA IS sweeping the city," writes Gary Levin in Advertising Age. Believe it or not, Ivana Trump is the new hot ticket on Madison Avenue, what with the way she and her famous husband, old what's his name, have been making the headlines. Marty Ingels, one of the greatest celebrity bookers in show business, says marketers already "see Ivana as the hero in this foofaraw and believe it's Donald who's besmirched . . . so it seems from the reaction we're getting from advertisers already.

It may be inspiration--or desperation--but some of Magic Johnson's biggest corporate sponsors may be lining up to feature the superstar athlete in ads that discuss the HIV virus that on Thursday forced him to retire from basketball. Executives at Converse shoes and Pepsi indicated Friday that they are considering such ads. They also are considering making sizable donations to any research fund Johnson may set up. At the same time, many AIDS organizations are eager to get Johnson on their side.