linda kaplan thaler
linda kaplan thaler is leaving her post as chairman of publicis new york, a move that comes about eight months after the agency dropped the moniker of her eponymous shop, kaplan thaler .
linda kaplan thaler, the longtime ceo and chief creative officer of the kaplan thaler group and chairman of what was known as publicis kaplan thaler (now publicis new york), will step down from her position within the holding company at the end of the week .
linda kaplan - thaler shares how you can turn up your grit factor to better put in the hard work needed to achieve success .
linda kaplan thaler speaks at the john maxwell l2 leadership conference on her new book grit to great: how perserveance, passion, and pluck can take you from ordinary to extraordinary. find out more about booking linda kaplan thaler to speak at your next event here: urltoken
kaplan thaler was formerly chairman of publicis kaplan thaler, with clients such as p & g, citibank, pfizer, and wendy’s. she was also previously ceo of the kaplan thaler group, which she grew from a fledgling start - up to a company with over a billion dollars in billings .
as guest judge linda kaplan thaler put it in a wonderful pearl of throwaway wisdom: “there’s the difference between men and women: men say it, women feel it. ”
not surprisingly, mrs. kaplan thaler, a diminutive and sunny mother of two teenagers, is funny herself .
in the 1970s, linda kaplan thaler was fired from her job as an actor in a road show production of
hair
after she refused to take off her clothes onstage .
kaplan thaler group and sibling agency publicis, new york merged in the summer of 2012, and some16 months later, ms. kaplan thaler' s agency partner for many years, robin koval, stepped down from her post .
today, linda is a renowned motivational speaker and is president of kaplan thaler productions. linda is also a nationally acclaimed author and, together with robin koval, their newest bestseller ,
grit to great ,
was ranked one of the top business books for 2015 .
ms. kaplan thaler, who founded the kaplan thaler group in 1997, has decided to
embark on a new chapter ,
according to an emailed message from the longtime ceo and creative officer. she was most recently chairman of the agency .
we will welcome linda kaplan thaler to campus this fall for a “conversations with leaders” event, hosted by the colin powell school. we will formally announce the date and location of the event in early september. to read more about the power of identifying your passion and taking your own life from ‘ordinary to great, ’ pick up a copy of “grit to great” by linda kaplan thaler and robin koval from
leo durocher was wrong! linda kaplan thaler and robin koval’s the power of nice is the antidote to our increasingly mean - spirited culture. i’m going to send a copy to every political campaign consultant i know .
according to kaplan thaler, the extra mile is now a given. your clients expect it. so after you go the extra mile, keep going .
in negotiation, the cheapest concession you can make is to be nice. and the returns can be high, as linda kaplan thaler and robin koval show in this delightfully readable primer packed with practical advice and entertaining stories. i recommend it with pleasure !
linda kaplan thaler and robin koval take on the conventional wisdom that bigger is better and show how thinking small gives you a true competitive advantage in life. for best results, get small now. this little book can make a huge difference in your life .
advertising hall of fame luminary linda kaplan thaler is the creative force behind many of the industry’s most famous campaigns, including the hilarious aflac duck, kodak moments, and the daring “yes! yes! yes! ” for herbal essences. much of ...
“you can create million - dollar businesses by solving the tiniest problems, ” kaplan thaler said. “for the next big idea, just look down at your feet. ”
linda kaplan thaler, a proud ccny alumna, has created advertising recognized in virtually every household across the country. from major campaigns for wendy’s, toys ‘r us, and clairol, to the tremendously popular aflac duck, kaplan thaler’s ad agency has played a key role in establishing name recognition for some of the world’s largest companies, and with her co - founder, robin koval, built one of the fastest growing ad agencies in the country .
according to linda kaplan thaler, one of advertising' s most admired leaders, it is not native intelligence or natural talent that makes people excel—it' s old - fashioned sweat equity and hard work. in her upcoming book grit to great, and in her inspirational lectures, kaplan thaler shows career - minded, achievement - oriented people—everyone from senior managers to personal assistants and aspiring college grads—that with the right attitude and determination, success is within reach .
ms. kaplan thaler ended up working for 20 years at j. walter thompson and other agencies. in 1997, she launched her own company out of her manhattan brownstone .
linda is a terrific speaker. linda was able to articulate one of my fundamental managing tenets - be nice. she’s inspiring and she captured the imagination of my team. hers is a most refreshing approach .
kaplan thaler is the founder and chairman of marketing agency publicis kaplan thaler, whose clients include procter & gamble, citi bank, pfizer, wendy’s and hilton. she’s won 13 clio awards and is the woman behind some of advertising’s most recognizable campaigns, from alka - seltzer' s iconic “plop, plop, fizz, fizz” ads to the aflac duck .
a native new yorker, kaplan thaler is a phi beta kappa and magna cum laude graduate of ccny and currently sits on the advisory council for the colin powell school at ccny .
advertising hall of famer linda kaplan thaler is responsible for some of america’ s most famous and award - winning advertising campaigns, including the aflac duck and the hilarious “yes, yes, yes” commercials for clairol herbal essences. she has composed jingles that are among the industry’s gold standard, including “i don’ t wanna grow up, i’m a toys ‘ r’ us kid, ” and “kodak moments. ” she is a renowned motivational speaker and president of kaplan thaler productions .
here' s linda kaplan thaler' s assessment on what it takes to do breakthrough advertising :
if you don' t have great clients who are willing to walk the plank with you, then it' s a tree that falls in the forest and nobody can hear it .
on her first day at her first job, linda kaplan thaler was asked to come up with ideas for a five - second kodak ad. she returned with 25 possibilities, and, after review, her boss rejected every one as awful. “i asked as i was leaving what i could do to make them better, ” thaler said, “and my boss looked at me and said, ‘linda, one day you’ll have your own agency. ’” thaler asked why. “because you didn’t complain, ” her boss said, “but instead asked how you could improve. that’s resilience. ”
creator of the famous jingle “i don’t wanna grow up; i’m a toys ‘r’ us kid” linda kaplan thaler will deliver a talk on wednesday, october 17, at the bill bordy auditorium and theater from 6: 00 to 7: 30 pm. thaler’s talk, “bang! getting your message heard in a noisy world, ” will launch the department of marketing communication’s new series, trending topics .
and likewise, aflac took a chance when linda' s agency came up with a duck to represent the company .
linda is a stellar keynote. what every event needs is inspiration, motivation, and practical advice. she’s been there and knows how to share it. linda’s talk lifted the crowd and gave us an energy boost that made the day .
linda kaplan thaler has moved to the top of the advertising industry by following a simple but powerful philosophy: it pays to be nice. in her the power of nice lectures, through her own experiences and the stories of other people and businesses, she demonstrates why, contrary to conventional wisdom, nice people finish first .
ms. kaplan thaler' s agency is a reflection of herself: an eclectic mix of backgrounds that employs musicians, actors, artists, a stand - up comic, novelists, potters, and painters .
we get the best speakers in the world for our c - suite network conferences. we hold our speakers to the highest bar of excellence. linda kaplan thaler is at the top. she engaged our audience with her wit and insights. her stories of hard work and perseverance not only inspired our audience of top business leaders but gave them tools they could use right away. linda is a pleasure to work with and we highly recommend her as a world class speaker .
thaler, who also worked on the kodak moments and aflac duck campaigns, founded her own advertising agency—the kaplan thaler group—in 1997 (it recently merged with publicis). in 2005, thaler hosted the oxygen tv series, making it big, in which young professionals competed for their dream job. she is also the author of several best - selling books, including the power of small: why little things make all the difference .
this step may be seen as the natural conclusion of a process that began when publicis new york merged with kaplan thaler (which she co - founded in 1997) in 2012 and later reverted to its previous name after parting ways with president and cco rob feakins, who was himself eventually replaced by andy bird of publicis london. kaplan thaler accepted the chairman title when the merger became official and played a gradually smaller role in the agency’s daily operations moving forward .
when linda started her agency in 1997, she
had no intention of us growing any bigger than that one piece of business ,
linda told me .
can you imagine my surprise when at the end of four months we had $ 100 million in billings ?
kaplan thaler is also a nationally acclaimed author. her newest bestseller with robin koval, grit to great, was ranked one of the top business books for 2015. a familiar face in the media, kaplan thaler has appeared on “the apprentice, ” “good morning america, ” “the today show, ” cnn, and as the host of oxygen’s television series “making it big. ” she worked on the presidential runs for clinton / gore in 1992 and hillary clinton in 2008 .
today we recognize and acknowledge linda’s incredible impact on our agency while wishing her every success on the journey ahead. there’s no question, her path forward will be just as bright as the one linda has already blazed. and we will be cheering her on every step of the way .
linda kaplan is a down - to - earth, whip smart, treasure trove of advice and wisdom. she imparts it with humor and humility. she’s a role model and inspiration to every young woman out there who wonders if it’s possible to “make it” out there .
it' s about the e - factor, the entertainment factor ,
ms. kaplan thaler said in a recent interview with the new york sun .
people will follow the funny. we are an... entertainment culture .
“they say you should see the forest, not the trees. but in my experience, it’s not obsessing about details that will derail your enterprise, ” said linda kaplan thaler, co - author of the power of small: why little things make all the difference. “it’s easy to dream. in a dream, everything is perfect. but dreams are realized by obsessing about small things. ”
thaler served as chairman of publicis kaplan thaler, a fully integrated advertising agency that was the u. s. flagship within the publicis worldwide network. its blue - chip client roster included p & g, citi, nestlé, l’oréal, pfizer and wendy’s, to name a few. previously, she was ceo and chief creative officer of the kaplan thaler group, which she founded in 1997 and grew from a fledgling start - up to a company with over a billion dollars in billings. she has also worked on several political campaigns, including the presidential runs for clinton / gore in 1992 and hillary clinton in 2008 .
advertising hall of famer linda kaplan thaler is responsible for some of america’ s most famous and award - winning advertising campaigns, including the aflac duck and the hilarious “yes, yes, yes” commercials for clairol herbal essences. she has composed jingles that are among the industry' s gold standard, including “i don’t wanna grow up, i’m a toys ‘ r’ us kid, ” and “kodak moments .
in today’s challenging times, bigger isn’t always better. in fact, it’s often the baby steps that put us on the path to delivering a true competitive advantage. kaplan thaler shows how to get more of what you want with surprisingly less than you’d imagine .
that company, the kaplan thaler group ltd. , is now the fastest growing agency in america, with $ 1 billion in billings and 175 employees. among her many blue - ribbon clients is clairol, aflac, trojan, us bank, and revlon .
advertisements must be funny to be memorable, ms. kaplan thaler said, and music is also key. that she and her husband are accomplished musicians and composers has helped her create entertaining presentations, known as
pitches ,
to win clients' business .
in her grit to great lectures, linda kaplan thaler tackles a topic that is close to her heart, one she believes is the real secret to her own success and in the careers of so many people she knows and has met. new research proves that the real secret to success isn' t some rarefied “it” factor, it’s the “grit” factor. and each and every one of us can possess it .
kaplan thaler illustrates the surprising power of nice with an array of real - life examples from the business arena, as well as from her personal life, and presents a plan of action covering everything from creating a positive impression to sweetening the deal to turning enemies into allies .
join me in a chorus of thanks and our very best wishes. you can reach out to her at her new email address: linda @ thalerproductions. com .
witty, warm and smart, linda is the real deal. sharing her catalogue of extraordinary life experiences, personal insights and independent research, linda instantly established credibility with our delegates and connected on a personal level drawing a full spectrum of emotion from inspiration to laughter and tears. a truly authentic motivational delivery and a hit with our audience .
linda’s grit to great message set the perfect opening tone for our annual franchise convention. as we celebrated the family culture that makes wendy’s so special, linda paid special homage to our founder, dave thomas, and left us all with a message that lasts – hard work, perseverance and doing what you love are the true keys to success .
moments like this are precisely why kaplan thaler employs a “thread gatherer” at her firm. when her team is brainstorming, some of the best concepts come from random thoughts. the thread gatherer' s job is to listen in on brainstorming sessions and collect good ideas before they disappear into the ether .
the client, linda said ,
thought we were nuts ,
but the ceo of aflac, dan amos, agreed to test the idea ,
and it scored through the roof .
linda added that aflac
very quickly went to 96% awareness, so high that we often say now when ducks see other ducks they immediately think of supplemental insurance .
thaler did go on to found her own agency in 1997, and within two years led the fastest - growing marketing firm in the u. s .
the victories that have come from small acts and ideas like these are proof that grand visions aren' t necessary for success. “my advice to entrepreneurs is simple, ” kaplan thaler said. “don’t try to invent the wheel, it’s already been invented. the next big thing is the little problem in front of you. ”
. the book debunks the idea that you need a genius iq, virtuoso talent, or extraordinary wealth in order to be successful. rather, kaplan thaler and koval contend that the vast majority of successful people don’t possess some “it” factor; rather they display what they call the “grit factor”: guts, resilience, initiative, and tenacity .
the art director - writer team of eric david and tom amico noticed that when aflac was repeated several times quickly it sounded like a duck quacking (especially when tom held linda' s nose) .
various parties have credited kaplan thaler with developing such classic campaigns and mascots as the aflac duck, the “i don’t wanna grow up” toys r us theme, the kodak moments concept and herbal essences totally organic experiences, among others. she has won a slew of awards from every relevant organization and was inducted into the advertising hall of fame last year .
thaler is a noted speaker at businesses and colleges across the country, and is president of kaplan thaler productions. she is also a celebrated author and television personality. her collaborations with co - author robin koval have become national best sellers: bang! getting your message heard in a noisy world, the power of small and the power of nice. their latest best seller, grit to great, has been listed as one of the top business books for 2015. thaler is a familiar face in the media, having appeared on the apprentice, good morning america, today, cnn and fox news. she hosted the oxygen television series making it big and was a judge on the mark burnett reality series jingles .
thaler made clear that honing these traits should not be conflated with developing ruthlessness in business—quite the opposite, in fact. when founding her own agency, thaler and her partner decided to lead with a distinct moral philosophy: “our mission was to do nothing except make sure that those who worked with us knew how much they were valued, ” said thaler. this kindness assured their success; it is the necessary complement to grit. “the best thing is to use grit for good, to help each other, ” she said .
advertising hall of famer linda kaplan thaler is responsible for many of america’s most famous, relevant and touching advertising campaigns in the industry, including the aflac duck quack heard round the world and the daring “yes! yes! yes! ” for clairol herbal essences. much of her work has become part of the american pop - culture landscape. she has authored and composed jingles that are among the industry’s gold standard, including “i don’t wanna grow up, i’m a toys ‘r’ us kid” and “kodak moments. ” she holds numerous clio awards and cannes lions for her groundbreaking advertising campaigns .
as a current member of the colin powell school’s board of visitors (and founding member of the former colin powell center’s advisory council) linda has been a dedicated peer and staunch advocate for the school and its students .
in my video interview with linda on the occasion of her induction into the advertising hall of fame in the spring, the founder of kaplan thaler and current chairman of publicis new york told me you' ve got to be true to your 90 - year - old self .
you know, if you' re afraid to go out and do something, usually your friends and family will want you to play it safe. … but if you talk to yourself as an older person, that older person is probably going to tell you, why didn' t you go for it ?
is behind some of the most iconic modern - day advertising campaigns from the aflac duck to the herbal essences
orgasmic experience .
the ceo of publicis kaplan thaler also counts among her achievements a 2011 new york women in communications matrix award, awny' s working mother of the year trailblazer award and a nomination into the ywca' s academy of women achievers in 2002 .
linda will be leaving us at the close of the week. there, the bandaid has been ripped off and now i can stop writing openings over and over. it’s not easy to announce something like this. linda’s one of a kind and those of us that have worked alongside her will seriously miss the passion, energy and ideas that spring from her. they are overflowing and have served her, and us, very, very well .
in addition to agency executive and creative leader, kaplan thaler has also played the roles of bestselling author and reality tv star–and in the immediate future she will focus on promoting grit to great, the fourth book she has written with truth initiative ceo robin koval, who served as ceo of pkt until 2013. additional plans include the launch of her own, presumably independent production company .
being nice isn' t just a good idea in principle—it can pay off in unexpected ways. the staff at kaplan thaler often buy donuts for frank, their office building' s doorman. they get him coffee when it’s cold out. these small gestures are done out of simple kindness, but when a client from the midwest paid a surprise visit, they suddenly paid off .
the first 20 attendees to arrive at the event will receive a copy of linda’s latest book, co - written with robin koval, grit to great: how perseverance, passion, and pluck take your from ordinary to extraordinary .
a native new yorker, thaler is a phi beta kappa and magna cum laude graduate of ccny, with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in music. she currently sits on the advisory council for the colin powell school at ccny and also served as the 2010 / 2011 president of new york women in communications. she is married to composer fred thaler and has two children .
linda is proudest of
the strength that i' ve been given by something pretty bad that happened .
years ago linda had cancer and both her parents were alive, in their 90s. her mother had also had cancer .
i was very scared, and she said to me,' you' ll see, when you get past this you will become so strong that no matter what else happens in life it will feel like a piece of cake.'
the task at hand was one of the now familiar advertising challenges: creating a video and print promotion for a big - name client. prestige car maker lamborghini played the client this time while new york ad agency kaplan thaler group provided the professional support this time out. (i suppose series mainstay donny deutsch finally got sick of having his agency’s good name besmirched by laughable fascist propaganda and veggie porno. )
“sam walton just wanted to stock his stores with things that people need and never run out of them, ” kaplan thaler said. “j. c. hallmark just wanted to help people write something nice to others. neither of them had a grand vision. my partner and i had the same attitude. forget about the vision, concentrate on the now. and the now is all about the small stuff. ”
“he thought we’d be callous, brash new yorkers, ” kaplan thaler said. “he came to our building and asked frank what floor we’re on and frank, totally not knowing who this person is, started singing our praises. later, the client told us we’d won his business by the time he got to our office. the big stuff takes care of itself. it’s those little brushstrokes that are often the deciding factor. ”
we take for granted that success is rooted in connections, genetics, or some combination of the two, but research shows that we far overvalue talent and intellectual ability in our culture. the fact is, success is determined by grit; the hard work, resourcefulness, and resiliency behind many of our most successful figures. in her talk, linda kaplan thaler will explore the importance of having grit in the business and marketing world. she will talk about how she turned long, grueling hours of work and endless perseverance into some of her most successful campaigns, including the aflac duck, kodak moments, and “i don’t want to grow up, i’m a toys ‘r’ us kid. ”
having grown up in the bronx, with no money or connections, kaplan thaler knows that perseverance and determination are what can make the difference and help people excel beyond their wildest dreams, whether in their career or personal life. she is proof positive of the power of grit. a powerful, entertaining and inspiring speaker, her lectures offer stories from the front lines of business on the impact that determination, hard work, and focused attention have on getting ahead .
for the colin powell school, kaplan thaler has been one of the most important voices on what makes a difference for our students—being part of a school that takes their ideas and potential seriously. she has persistently reminded us that one of the board’s truest missions is to help create an environment in which faculty and staff can prepare each of our students for success—a success measured by the dedication and passion students display in pursuit of a better future for themselves and for others around the globe .
almost every great campaign she’s ever worked on was born out of small talk, kaplan thaler said. when her firm landed the aflac account, the company had very little name recognition. “even we even kept forgetting the name, ” she said. “everyone kept asking me, ‘what’s the name of that company again? ’ and i’d keep repeating, ‘aflac! ’ finally, one guy said, ‘you sound like a duck quacking. ’ immediately i knew that was our campaign. ”
linda has won just about everything there is to win out there. last year her astonishing career was recognized by the advertising hall of fame with her richly deserved induction. her body of work is packed with iconic campaigns and her leadership and energy has shaped talent throughout the years. this is not the closing chapter however. not at all. linda will be pursuing her passions with a litany of speaking engagements for her best–selling book grit to great. and in her spare time a new production company will be launched. a walk in the park for this tireless entrepreneur !
if there' s someone that has been the public face of women in advertising to john q. public, it' s arguably linda kaplan thaler. she has appeared as a judge on
the apprentice
and hosted the oxygen tv series in 2005 ,
making it big .
in addition to her work for toys
r
us (
i don' t want to grow up, i' m a toys' r' us kid ,
) and kodak (kodak moments), she is co - creator of the aflac duck among other iconic ads. she' s also the recipient of a wic matrix and the awny advertising woman of the year award, and the first woman to receive a new york women in film & television muse award .
speaking as part of the yale center for customer insights colloquium on marketing leadership on april 13, thaler described not just the arc of her career, but also what four decades of marketing leadership have taught her about achieving success. the key ingredient, thaler said, is grit, which she has converted into an acronym: guts, resilience, initiative, tenacity. “the thing about grit is that you can develop it when you’re eight, or when you’re 88, ” she said .
she recalled pitching a campaign to a large client. several agencies were also pitching, and her firm was the underdog. “but we did something nobody else did ,
kaplan thaler said .
on friday night, before our final presentation on monday, we asked the client,' what’s one thing we could do differently?' of the four agencies we were competing with, we were the only one who picked up the phone and asked how we could improve. and we got the job. ”
maurice said it best: “linda is a force in this business and one of the best creative people i have had the pleasure of working with. she knows how to create memorable campaigns that shape brands and fuel businesses. i wish her the very best in her new endeavors. she will be missed”
when linda merged with publicis in 2012, people expected her goal was to grow into a huge, global agency. but she said her goal was to make sure
everybody stays employed because you all have mortgages and you have kids to put through school. and that gives me great joy .
she said in the note that she will expand her career as a motivational speaker and open a production company with her
award - winning composer husband, fred thaler .
the production company will focus on musical and theatrical projects, the email stated .
i ventured to say that many men think it' s a weakness to be too nice, but linda said when she and robin wrote the book ,
we were surprised how many men came out of the closet and said, [ whispers ]' you know, i' m really nice.'
linda, you were amazing. what can i say about perfection! ! you were outstanding. you over delivered! and that is a very good thing! you are a wow. grit to great will change lives for generations, and i’m so proud that women’s leadership exchange could be a small part of that process !
throughout her career, ms. kaplan thaler, well - known for her talented jingle - writing, has worked on a slew of creative efforts, such as
pitching in
for aflac ;
dawn saves wildlife
for dawn dish detergent ;
you know when it' s real
for wendy' s; and
toys r' us kid
for toys r' us. she was also key in the creation of aflac' s duck and herbal essence' s
organic experience ,
which made hair - washing seem positively orgasmic .
linda firmly believes acting, comedy and political work have helped her advertising career .
when you work on a political campaign, you get to know how to persuade voters, and when you work in theatre, you get to know the art of how to entertain somebody in a way that they want to buy into your product .
in addition to being funny, ms. kaplan thaler said, ad agencies must do more than ever for the companies that hire them .
we used to do a 30 - second tv spot and a couple of print ads for clients ,
she said .
we still do that, but now we have a second job and a third job and a fourth job. today we will produce a 30 - second and 15 - second television ad; a 60 - second radio and 30 - second radio ad; billboards; print ads; online banners; webisodes; content integration, and brochures .
linda' s first client, procter & gamble' s herbal essence, was willing to walk the plank with her when she came up with an outpouring of orgasmic ecstasy for women users of the shampoo. with a very enthusiastic
yes! yes! yes !
reaction from the user, there wasn' t much chance that the commercial would go unheard .
linda’s passion and message was a hit with our audience of entrepreneurs – it connected at a deep personal level. she inspired and energized our forum kick - off which elevated the energy for the rest of the program. many commented it was one of the best keynotes we’ve had at a virtuoso event, and given our who’s who line - up, that’s saying a lot .
linda' s energy and passion is contagious ,
said publicis north america president - ceo andrew bruce .
it cradles and carries big ideas from their fragile beginnings to impactful communications that just can' t be ignored or overlooked. she' s a magnetic personality with energy to burn and ambition to spare. we' ll miss her. i' ll miss her .
linda said the reason her agency grew so fast was because
we never concentrated one minute on the future. we always focused on what can we do today. i always tell people don' t spend one second thinking about a vision, forget about it. don' t dream your way to success. … we never thought about becoming too big or hugely successful, we just did the best we could every day .
drawing on the latest research in positive psychology and personal success, as well as a cornucopia of stories and practical “how to” tips and exercises, thaler discusses why those who develop and possess the character traits of grit (guts, resilience, initiative and tenacity) outperform individuals with genius iq’s, virtuoso talent, unlimited financial resources or a private school education. individuals with high grit quotient do better in school, work, the playing field, in relationships and life. her message is relevant to a broad range of audiences from entry level employees and budding entrepreneurs to c - suite executives. her inspiring message is that grit is something we all can embrace and develop whether you are nine or ninety .
thaler said there are four components that constitute grit. guts, she said, is the pursuit of the uncomfortable; it is pushing oneself into new arenas. in describing resilience, she mentioned james dyson, creator of the bag - less vacuum cleaner, who persevered through 5, 126 prototypes to find a model that worked. in discussing initiative, she advised avoiding a “my - way - or - the - highway” mentality, suggesting instead that initiative, like bamboo, must be flexible. “don’t fall in love with plan a, ” she said. “plan b is often the best thing that can happen. ” and, finally, tenacity means holding on when most people are falling off .
if you ask her to talk about her success, she’d probably deflect the question, saying that she’s ‘just a girl from the bronx’ who made it to city college and worked hard. those who know and have worked with her would tell you that’s not the half of it. indeed, she did work hard, at ccny and beyond. as a member of ccny’s class of 1972, she graduated with a psychology degree before advancing to earn an ma in music. but she’s also built an astounding professional career through positive messaging in marketing and branding. she’s also easily recognized as one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. in a business that thrives on the next big idea, the old virtue of being nice has been a cornerstone of linda’s approach to her professional life, and is something she brings to every aspect of her work. indeed, her new york times bestselling book, the power of nice, extolls this virtue as a sound business practice .
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this season of “the apprentice” is shaping up, even more than usual, as a case study in how teams work. and the lessons, at least this week, were more subtle .
the all - female capital edge team clashed yet ultimately pulled it together to produce an evocative campaign that, while not exactly polished, sure stirred the emotions. meanwhile, the boys of excel corp. went in all cocky, stuck to the plan and bulldozed ahead to produce ads that were so dull and ineffective that project manager chris actually had to explain the imagery on his posters .
the two teams operated differently, too. capital edge project manager marshawn wisely split up her team and delegated key responsibilities to members who, as it turned out, knew what they were doing. this drew a lot of criticism from kristi, who faulted marshawn for not being more hands - on and making the others do all the work. given that they won, it looks like marshawn made the right decision — especially since all the edgers, save kristi, voted to make her exempt from firing should they lose the next task .
in contrast, excel pm chris tried to run his operation like a football team; not surprisingly, since he played in the nfl. he came up with a game plan and had his men charge into the fray, brooking no dissent — which meant that he marginalized perpetual outside - the - boxer markus early on. problem was, the guys chris trusted with making key decisions — most notably, mark — tended to make really bad ones. only markus questioned their wisdom, and he was shouted down or outright ignored. markus was vindicated, however, when his team lost .
nonetheless, chris blamed markus for excel’s loss, raising the very familiar argument that he had been too distracted trying to rein in the scapegoat. even though mark sheepishly admitted to making bad creative decisions yet chris chose only markus to face firing beside him. “team synergy in any task is 100 percent necessary, ” he proclaimed .
season 3 contestant alex thomason told maureen moriarty, who writes our “apprentice 101” column, that in off - camera reality, trump actually makes it very clear whom he intends to fire after each loss. i think this episode may have been the first time that we actually saw him telegraph it on screen. he more or less told chris not to drag markus back into the boardroom with him at the end, and made it clear that he held mark responsible for the decisions that ultimately doomed excel .
but chris defied trump, proving yet another example of the stick - to - the - script thoughtlessness that landed him in the boardroom to begin with. in the end, chris was fired because he was too stupid to listen when trump told him whom he wanted to fire instead .
he learned the hard way that the rules governing how teams work on the gridiron don’t necessarily apply in business .
browse previous blog posts by month and year of entry. you' ll see all the posts for that time period .
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the muse awards, nywift' s annual gala holiday luncheon, celebrate the vision and achievements of women who work in the entertainment industry. each year, remarkable and accomplished women are honored with this prestigious award. it is nywift' s flagship fundraising event — a highlight of the new york city holiday season in the entertainment industry — and is attended by an enthusiastic audience of 1, 200 leading executives from every major studio, broadcast and cable network, and film production facility .
mariska hargitay, lucy liu, lisa f. jackson, kim martin, debra zimmerman & women make movies (loreen arbus award )
2005: tina fey, debra lee, julianne moore, susan e. morse
nywift programs, screenings and events are supported, in part, by grants from new york city department of cultural affairs in partnership with the city council, and new york state council on the arts with the support of governor andrew cuomo and the new york state legislature .
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her talents have earned her the prestigious matrix award, the advertising woman of the year award, nywift’s muse award, and is one of ad age’ s “most influential women in advertising. ” recently, she won the clio’s lifetime achievement award and was the first woman to ever receive this coveted award .
turning the well - known adage of “nice guys finish last” on its ear, “nice” companies have lower employee turnover, lower recruitment costs, and higher productivity. nice people live longer, are healthier, and make more money. in today’s interconnected world, companies and people with a reputation for cooperation and fair play forge the kind of relationships that lead to bigger and better opportunities, both in business and in life .
our smallest actions and gestures often have outsized impact on our biggest goals: did you double - check that presentation one last time, or hold the elevator for a stranger? going that extra inch—whether with a client, customer, family member, or friend—speaks volumes to others about our talent, personality, and motivations. after all, if we can’t take care of the small details, how can we be counted on to deliver when it really matters ?
the power of nice is a wonder drug! it could literally save your career and your life…. and let me suggest a first act of kindness: buy some extra copies for your enemies. i’ll bet they need the power of nice more than you do .
this little book will show you why women should run most corporations in america, and maybe the entire country. reading nice will improve just about everything in your life, and that’s a promise .
james patterson, bestselling author, former ceo of j. walter thompson north america
for my money, i would always rather make a deal with people i like who treat me well. if you want to discover the surprising power of nice, read this book. memorize it. use it. you’ll be glad you did .
bright, breezy, but deadly serious guide to creating a buzz—and a bang .
this top - notch book… is as much about creating an atmosphere that fosteres creativity as it is about memorable marketing .
once you’ve read the power of small, you will never look at the world the same way again. when you re - orient your perspective to look for the magic in the little things, life’s mountains become manageable molehills .
written in the same short, concise format as the power of nice and leavened with the natural humor that characterizes the authors' lives–and books– grit to great is destined to be the book everyone in business needs .
mckinsey director emeritus, bestselling author of how remarkable women lead and centered leadership and grow wherever you work .
penguin random house speakers bureau represents best - selling authors, literary legends, cutting - edge thinkers, and current tastemakers—the best selection of speakers for your event under one roof .
here’s the internal memo from andrew bruce, president and ceo of publicis north america .
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so nice to hear that my toys r us song still resonates with people, but i hope jingles do make a comeback someday. they are the musical reflections of our cultural history .
please help these immigrant families get the legal support they need. we are a humane and caring nation, and we must protect all children, keeping them safely with their loving parents .
bravo to my dear friend robin koval, ceo of truth initiative, on this brilliant new campaign to create awareness of the dangers of opioid addiction .
“live your life. we’ll just chill. ” thrilled to launch our “eggsy” new campaign for extend fertility, a renown egg freezing service. no more stress about ur biological clocks ladies !
thrilled that our musical improv team, “laugh lines” performed our first show at the pit (the people’s improv theater) last night. hope some of you catch our next show! # laughlines urltoken
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minds of our time. you might not know her name, but you likely know her jingle. here' s her story .
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i love new york, and today i' m announcing my candidacy for governor. join us :
with all the press out about toys ‘r us, i want to give a shout out to deyna vesey for creating the theme line for toys ‘r us - “i don’t wanna grow up. ” deyna was the art director i worked w / on the toys r campaign & is a brilliant talent with an awesome ad agency: # kidvertisers
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if i knew then what i knew now... i' d step up my golf game
for father' s day, we got you these ads. (it beats a necktie )
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lindsay stein is an agency reporter at ad age, mainly covering creative, digital and pr. prior to ad age, she was a senior consumer marketing reporter at prweek. when she’s not writing – or training for obstacle course runs – she’s working on personal projects, including film production.
linda kaplan thaler ( born 1951 ) is an american advertising and non-fiction writer , and chair of the ad agency publicis kaplan thaler . she has written and composed advertising jingles such as : “ i do n’t wan na grow up , i ’m a toys ‘ r ’ us kid ” ( toys " r " us ) ; “ kodak moments ” ( eastman kodak ) and “ the heart of communication ” ( bell atlantic ) . she is responsible for the “ yes , yes , yes ” herbal essences campaign , and her agency created the well known aflac duck advertising . in 1997 , she founded the kaplan thaler group , which merged with publicis new york in july 2012 to form publicis kaplan thaler . 
linda kaplan thaler (born 1951) is an american advertising and non-fiction writer, and chair of the ad agency publicis kaplan thaler. she has written and composed advertising jingles such as: “ i do n’t wan na grow up, i ’m a toys ‘ r ’ us kid ” (toys " r " us); “ kodak moments ” (eastman kodak) and “ the heart of communication ” (bell atlantic). she is responsible for the “ yes, yes, yes ” herbal essences campaign, and her agency created the well known aflac duck advertising. in 1997, she founded the kaplan thaler group, which merged with publicis new york in july 2012 to form publicis kaplan thaler.
linda kaplan thaler (born 1951) is an american advertising and non-fiction writer, and chair of the ad agency publicis kaplan thaler. she has written and composed advertising jingles such as: “ i do n’t wan na grow up, i ’m a toys ‘ r ’ us kid ” (toys " r " us); “ kodak moments ” (eastman kodak) and “ the heart of communication ” (bell atlantic). she is responsible for the “ yes, yes, yes ” herbal essences campaign, and her agency created the well known aflac duck advertising. in 1997, she founded the kaplan thaler group, which merged with publicis new york in july 2012 to form publicis kaplan thaler.