Phyllis Robinson was one of the founding employees of Doyle Dane Bernbach back in 1949, the agency’s first copy chief and the first female copy chief in the United States.
Robinson was a pioneer, not just for women but for the creative advertising revolution that she helped ignite, changing the face of the industry forever.
On October 22nd, she would have celebrated her 100th birthday. While Robinson passed in 2010, her legacy remains within the DDB Network and her trailblazing spirit lives through employees everywhere.
DDB chairman Emeritus Keith Reinhard reflected on his friendship with her: “As I got to know Phyllis, I realized that as Bill Bernbach’s first copy chief, Phyllis set the tone for the creative culture we so cherish at DDB.”
“She promoted an atmosphere of creative freedom, where people had the opportunity to take chances with the shackles off. That’s something that has remained true to DDB through all these years.”
DDB global chief people officer Roisin Rooney said: “Phyllis broke every rule and opened doors for many women who followed. She was known to be respectful of her audience, her clients and perhaps most importantly, her peers. She is still an important part of our network and continues to inspire a new generation of leaders.”
DDB Global CEO Marty O’Halloran said: “Phyllis has been dubbed the first lady of Madison Avenue’s creative revolution, the mother of modern advertising and the original Mad Woman. Her influence is as evident today as it was 72 years ago when she first walked through the doors of DDB. We celebrate and honor Phyllis’ centennial today in recognition of the incredible impact she’s had on DDB.”
