Director Joe Sedelmaier reigned supreme as an advertising game changer, innovator, provocateur, giving America such ground-breaking commercials as Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef” and Federal Express’ “Fast Talking Man” among his incredible output of more than 30 years.
Sedelmaier’s multitudinous contributions will be recognized when he receives the ultimate honor of induction into the AAF 67th Advertising Hall of Fame, April 11, at a gala ceremony at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel.
A former Y&R and JWT art director-producer, Sedelmeier opened his film company in 1967 at 610 N. Fairbanks. He ignited advertising’s Golden Age with his unorthodox approach to a product and by using quirky, real life characters whom he often cast off the street.
Sedelmaier discovered Clara Peller, who shouts “Where’s the Beef” in the Wendy’s commercial, when he was shooting a barber shop scene and needed a manicurist at the last minute. Peller worked at the salon across the street and was enlisted for the spot.
In her 2009 documentary, “Point of View,” covering 30 years of Sedelmaier’s work, Marsie Wallach, Sedelmaier’s longtime executive producer revealed that he worked with mainly smaller agencies and clients that had more freedom that would take risks.
“At a meeting, Joe and the creatives would discuss the germ of an idea. Working with Joe meant that everyone had to be in the room to sign off on the idea — agency, clients, everyone,” Wallach recalled.
When a commercial did not result from this process, Sedelmaier charged the agency his day rate. “You weren’t allowed to a shoot a Joe commercial with a Joe imitator.”
See the trailer of Wallach’s “Point of View” here.
Another Chicagoan among the 2016 “magnificent seven” Hall of Fame inductees is Carla R. Michelotti, Leo Burnett Worldwide’s EVP/Chief Legal, Government, Corporate Affairs Officer, who retired last year after 38 years with the agency. She now serves as president of Carla Michelotti LLC, a consultancy firm.
The other honorees are Peggy Condon, former president/CEO of the Ad Council; Jean-Marie Dru, chairman, TBWA Agency Network; Roy Spence, cofound/chairman, GSD&M; Charles H. Townsend, CEO Conde Nast and Dan Wieden, cofounder/chairman, Wieden + Kennedy.
