Presently you’ll find me in a huge neon petri dish in the desert. Las Vegas.

A laboratory for studying consumer behavior hell bent on excess.

Lucky me in the lucky town. I advance brands like MGM Grand, Caesars Entertainment,

Planet Hollywood Worldwide Resorts, Four Seasons, Trump International and St. Regis.

On balance, people all over this shrinking planet like to escape.

Be entertained. Play poker. Eat excessively. Do nothing.

Try doing an ad about doing nothing.

I’ve also done ads for women’s intimates.

And a day later, ads for steel-toed work boots and back to school jeans.

Because there was Chicago and DDB and the retail giant JC Penney.

Why do we shop? We figured that out, and watched JCP go from the verge of bankruptcy

to one of Wall Streets retail darlings.

A couple things about Chicago. I love the architecture, I prefer thin crust to

deep-dish pizza, and no one suffers like a Cubs fan.

Before Chicago there was Germany. I was recruited to work for McCann Erickson

on General Motors Europe. Our group, located in Frankfurt, headed the GM advertising

efforts for 15 countries and some of Africa. I learned to speak languages

(that I have since forgotten).

I saw how Europeans viewed each other. I was an American trying to sell an ad that

the German, French and an Italian could all agree on. I discovered that the best advertising

comes from a human truth that doesn’t need translating.

I also saw how Europeans viewed Americans. For better and worse.

I never much cared for German cuisine, but their trains were always on schedule.

I got to the Paris flea markets every time I could.

So how come I got to go to Europe? I guess because someone liked the work I was doing

for Toyota (Saatchi and Saatchi) here at home. My group at Saatchi was tasked with

launching Tundra, the first Toyota full size truck. It was a full size task. Detroit said

the Japanese could never compete with Chevy, Ford, and Dodge in this category. We know

how this story played out. I’d like to think in a small way, some of that thinking for Toyota,

helped pave the way for where that brand sits today, at the top of virtually every

automotive category.

These are the highlight stops on the road trip thus far. And any reflection on my career to

date could not overlook the incredibly diligent, gifted and often-bizarre individuals I have

had the good fortune to work with. The workplace is always more interesting than the work.

I have learned valuable lessons from them all; even from the worst our breed has to offer.

I am sure they tried, but they never made me cry.