• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 31, 2016

As everyone gets back to work in the U.S. after the Memorial Day weekend, we arrive to bad news; Harry Jacobs, who was the chief creative officer for The Martin Agency -- his work home for 35 years, has died at the age of 87. Jacobs first began working in ad agencies in 1959. He joined The Martin Agency in 1977, retired in 2005 and has held the title of chairman emeritus ever since.  

Of the loss, The Martin Agency Chairman John Adams said in a statement, “Harry Jacobs was one of the most elegant gentlemen I have ever known. But he was also one of the most fierce. His standards for the work were unrelenting. I’m convinced that the success of our company is due, in no small measure, to the high creative bar Harry set and one that we’re continually working towards. We are heartbroken about this news. But Harry and his legacy will live on here for years to come.” 

The Martin Agency Chief Creative Officer Joe Alexander told AdWeek, “I saw Harry about a month ago, and I brought some work with me. He loved to see what we were up to. I showed him a print campaign and he gushed. Harry never gushed. When I told the team back at the office, you would have thought they had just won a One Show gold. Harry was never satisfied, and that’s just one of the lessons he leaves with us. I’m going to miss him -- he was a mentor and dear friend.” 

Jacobs garnered many industry plaudits including Hall of Fame membership with the One Club, the American Advertising Federation, the North Carolina Advertising Hall of Fame and the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame.