Stewart Mark Birbrower, advertising executive, commercial film director and artist, died on Saturday, June 14, in Ventura after a brief illness. He was 78.
Birbrower spent 50 years in advertising, eventually becoming executive creative director of Young & Rubicam, at the time the world’s largest advertising agency. He also served with such ad shops as BBDO and McCann. Over his career, he worked on many prominent national advertising campaigns, sometimes traveling to remote corners of the globe. He later struck out on his own as a commercial director. He won dozens of awards including multiple Cannes Film Festival Lions, Clios, Tellys, Andys, and One Show Awards.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sylvia, his four children, Amy and her spouse Michael, Doug and his spouse Tena, Wendy and her spouse Chris, and Cliff and his spouse Kim; his brother Barry, his sister Judy, and his nine grandchildren, Gabriel, Jordan, Rebecca, Sydney, Owen, Sophie, Helena, Phoebe and Isaac. Stewart Mark Birbrower was born September 9, 1935, in Peekskill, New York to Rose and Solomon Birbrower, both immigrants from Eastern Europe. He attended Peekskill High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. On weekends, he often helped his father, who owned The Brown Street Hat Factory, making ladies’ hats. He attended Syracuse University where he played shortstop on the varsity baseball team. Shortly after graduation in 1958 with a degree in Fine Arts, Stew married his high school sweetheart, Sylvia Soskel, and a year later, with a baby on the way, he decided to pursue an opportunity in advertising. Birbrower liked to tell the story that he was hired for his first job in advertising not for his art degree, but to organize and captain the company softball team.
Birbrower completed his Army ROTC service, rising to the rank of Captain before receiving an honorable discharge in 1968. He and Sylvia raised their family in Pound Ridge, New York, where he was an active member of the community as a little league coach and volunteer fireman.
He and Sylvia retired to Kiawah Island, South Carolina in 1999 and later moved to Ventura. In retirement, he continued to be creative by volunteering his time to write, illustrate and direct advertising for various community organizations. In 2003, he received a “Point of Light” award from President George Bush for his work to educate the public about the problem of child sexual abuse.
Birbrower also took up painting, a lifelong passion, in retirement, eventually selling 50 paintings through a gallery in Charleston, South Carolina. Even in his last days, Stew started two new oil paintings and put finishing touches on a new documentary to raise awareness about domestic violence.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 26, in Westchester County, New York at a time and place to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please send a contribution to the BTFmovement.com, a charity Birbrower has been working with whose mission is to empower people with the knowledge and support to combat addiction.
