Jim Albright, a long-time advertising copywriter and one of the original “Mad Men” from the 1960s, died Saturday, June 30, in Denton, Texas. He was 77.
As a creative for Tracy Locke, Albright is best remembered for launching–along with art director Ron McQuien–the landmark Doritos campaign that ran for 12 years starting in the 1970s. It starred Avery Schreiber and helped to make Frito-Lay’s brand Doritos the number-one product in its category.
There’s not a snack lover alive who hasn’t been touched by one of Albright’s many contributions to the American pop culture landscape he loved so much. His most lasting contribution, perhaps, may be Funyuns, which he named himself. (He claimed the original name he came up with, “OnYums”, was already taken).
Before getting into advertising, Albright practiced law for two years. He was a copywriter, broadcast producer, creative chief and group head at several agencies, including Tracy Locke, Bloom in Dallas and McCann Erickson.
Dr. Albright, or “Jim” as he preferred to be called, was widely published in many publications, including articles in the Denton Record Chronicle, AdWeek, and many other industry publications. In 1993, he also wrote a textbook, Creating the Advertising Message, which he taught in his classrooms for many years.
In the early ’80s, Albright fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a college professor. He became an associate professor in the media department at Southern Methodist University before teaching advertising and journalism at the University of Missouri. For the past couple of decades, he had been teaching as a tenured professor at the University of North Texas.
He was highly popular among his students, many of whom considered him a beacon of idealism in a world where competition and ambition seemed to trump all else. He had a reputation for reminding everyone–students, colleagues, friends and his own children–to slow down, take it easy and, most importantly, “love what you must do.” He followed that advice for years in all his endeavors, except when it came to faculty meetings, which he absolutely hated.
Albright loved teaching, his friends, the Texas Rangers, and his family very much, but his version of heaven was sitting alone in his favorite chair at home in front of his giant television, reading a Western, petting his beloved cat Jane, while every single television and radio in the house blared at full volume.
Albright was always amused when people would tease him about his many (failed) marriages, because, after all, they produced seven children who love him very, very much and will miss him terribly.
A gathering to celebrate Jim Albright’s life will be held at DeBerry Funeral Home, 2025 W. University, Denton, TX 76201 on Friday, July 7, at 11 a.m. Pallbearers include Jim Albright Jr., Adam Albright-Hanna, Lucky Albright, Ron McQuien, Roy Busby, and Koji Off. He is survived by his sister, Cheryl Teeter, Ducky Albright, his children Jim Jr., Becca, Rachel, Naida, Kate, Adam, Lucky, and his grandchildren, Dominik, Jonas, Rachel, Walker, Sarah, Coleman, Declan, Sully and Gabriel.
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More