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John Waldron
Year of induction: 2000
Bio:
Although John Waldron proudly held the title president, as well as creative director, of HBM/Creamer, Pittsburgh, he never abandoned the skill that he most relished his entire advertising career – writing.
John would say his skills are mostly verbal. He is unlike most creative directors, who because of the power of the visual mediums tend to be visually oriented. He believes he owes his way with words to his unique upbringing. His father was an Episcopal priest, and his mother was an English teacher. “We never heard the language spoken except with great care and consideration. And if we made a mistake it was automatic that you would be corrected,” he said.
From his first Alcoa ad written in 1958, the year he joined the agency, John was the person who gave Alcoa a powerful image that is still a part of the company today.
John Waldron told us that “Alcoa Can’t Wait,” and wowed all football and golf fans with “Fantastic Finishes,” two memorable campaigns that remain in the hearts and minds of not only Pittsburghers, but also people across the country.
The warmth and honesty of John’s writing can be found in his work for Pittsburgh Brewing Company’s Iron City Beer and also for Stouffer’s Frozen Foods. His masterful writing was most certainly a contributing factor in keeping this celebrated nationally recognized client residing in Pittsburgh.
It is easy to remember the award-winning television spots for Stouffer’s Lobster Newburg featuring the dramatic, beautifully modulated voice of Richard Harris reading John Waldron’s poetically descriptive words – a powerful partnership that had not been captured before, or indeed since. Students seeking models of superb creative writing and thinking will find John Waldron’s work well worth studying.
Creativity, it has been said, is after all nothing more than seeing something in a way that it hasn’t been seen before, saying something that hasn’t been said before, creating something that wasn’t before. And this kind of intellectual pioneering requires courage more than anything else. John Waldron has that courage, and for this we give him the Pittsburgh Advertising Club’s highest honor.
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