Early Start in Advertising Career

Today marked the start of spring quarter at The Ohio State University for me. I taught the principles of strategic communication class this morning, which I always enjoy.

During the first class, I usually make reference to the fact that I grew up in advertising, literally. When I was a little kid, I spent a lot of time in my parents' advertising agency. For a kid, this was the coolest thing. Advertising agencies -- at least small ones -- have the coolest stuff. Art supplies. Legal pads. And later, forklifts!


Here is a picture of me one weekend day outside the family's agency, then located in Kansas City, Kan. Although the employees probably got tired of me (I did get shrink-wrapped to a pole once as a teen-ager), I loved being there. Being an advertising professor is a great job, but one regret is that I don't have my own company in which my own kids can wander around while I take care of some extra work on the weekends.

It's a great introduction to the business.

P.S. That was not our car!