During my decade-plus years in advertising, marketing, and public relations in Southern California, I knocked on the doors of mega advertising agencies and got a lucky break to be hired as a freelance copywriter right out of college. Several months later, I was hired full time as the Senior Copywriter at a design and advertising agency in Santa Monica. Next, I decided to open an ad agency at the age of twenty-four. Murphy & Watt Advertising was located in Orange County where I could bike to work. Five years later, I was the sole owner of The Ad Group.
Below details my responsibilities and experience in various industries and countries:
Partner: Creative Director & Senior Copywriter 1988–1993
Murphy & Watt Advertising / Irvine, California
• Supervised creative staff plus hired freelance copywriters, designers, and illustrators.
• Brainstormed, wrote, designed, and created marketing and advertising campaigns.
• Created budgets and negotiated media purchases.
• Coordinated photography shoots and print and video production.
Clientele: Carl’s Jr. restaurants, John Wayne/Orange County Airport, City of Huntington Beach, KKTours International Travel Agency (Japan), DiMare Fresh Produce, Sizzler Restaurants, The Ritz, Toshiba, Microtek Scanners, SC Funding (DiTech Funding), Ernest Brown & Company, etc.
Owner: Creative Director & Senior Copywriter 1993–1997
The Ad Group / Newport Beach, California
• Pitched new business and managed existing clientele.
• Supervised in-house creative team and hired freelance copywriters, designers and illustrators.
• Designed brand name identities.
• Created advertising and public relation campaigns including: collateral, outdoor, and POP.
• Wrote copy to word counts and achieved daily deadlines.
• Sourced and provided translation services for international accounts.
• Hired photographers and cinematographers and art directed photography and video shoots.
• Screened and hired talent including: models and actors, hair/makeup and food stylists.
• Scouted and secured props, music, and set locations.
• Managed production for video, radio, collateral, and outdoor media.
• Created, wrote, and developed PR campaigns and materials.
• Researched, presented, and negotiated media buys and placement.
Clientele: Embassy Suites, Sutton Place Hotels (Canada), Newport Beach Conference & Visitor’s Center, Kirkwood Ski Resort, GranitiFiandre (Italy), Chapman Medical Center, Brotman Medical Center, Knobbe Marten Olsen, & Bear, WhiteOak Financial, Chelsea International Properties, Chelsea Mortgage, etc.
Jill Murphy Long 