Mike Hughes, The Martin Agency’s longest-serving creative director and its president since 1995, passed away today in his Richmond home after a long and valiant fight against lung cancer.
“Mike was my friend and business partner for 35 years,” said John Adams, chairman of The Martin Agency. “He was sent home in January with two weeks to live but rejected that prognosis in favor of his own timetable. Mike helped build the creative reputation of The Martin Agency and we will miss him terribly. And while Mike would understand our grieving, he would be impatient with it, preferring that we celebrate life instead rather than mourn death.”
A graduate of Washington and Lee University, Hughes landed his first job, which was as reporter for the Richmond News Leader. Hughes joined The Martin Agency in 1978 as a writer and went on to serve as creative director for three decades and president for 18 years.
Hughes was one of The Wall Street Journal’s recognized creative leaders and a member of the One Club’s Creative Hall of Fame and the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. He will also be inducted to the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Fame on April 7, 2014. In 2000, the Virginia General Assembly named him an Outstanding Industrialist alongside his long-time business partner Adams. Hughes was the founding board chairman of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Brandcenter, which honored him by naming the Brandcenter building “Mike Hughes Hall” and awarding him a Doctor of Humane Letters, the university’s highest honor.
A lifelong non-smoker, Hughes documented his thoughts about living and dying on his blog, unfinishedthinking.com, which is followed by hundreds around the globe.
Hughes and his wife of 38 years, Ginny, had two sons, Preston (deceased) and Jason.
Comedic Director Roderick Fenske Joins Yard Dog TV For U.S. Spot Work
Roderick Fenske, the award-winning agency copywriter/creative director turned comedic director of commercials and films, has joined Yard Dog TV for U.S. representation.
Fenske--known for his idiosyncratic casting, stylish art direction, and blend of practical and digital effects--saw his newest commercial work, for Drink Weird Ice Tea, break earlier this month. His most recent short film, I’m Dead, You’re Welcome, starring JR Russell, Taissa Zveiter, Sandy Eels, and Julia Lorpriore, is making the rounds of film festivals now, having won Best Comedy Short at the Flagstaff International Film Festival last month.
Fenske, who started out in the business as a copywriter, is one of a select group of agency creatives to have found success in both New York and London, where his last post was as a creative director at TBWA there. “I owe so much of my career to Trevor Beattie [TBWA London chairman/creative director at the time], because he believed in me and started my career directing commercials,” said Fenske, citing work for Sony PlayStation, French Connection UK, and Channel 5.
Those spots led to an invitation to become a member of the visionary Swedish film collective known as ACNE. “I learned so much there working in a directing collective. With everybody talking about how to make stuff look stylish and cinematic it was like a film school for me,” Fenske explained. “Production design is so important because humor can be much more unexpected when you have an elevated look.”
Over the course of his career, Fenske’s work has received many international awards from shows including the Cannes Lions, British D&AD, and AICP. He moved from London to Los Angeles, and during this time he met Yard Dog... Read More