Linda Kaplan Thaler Inducted into Advertising Hall of Fame

Publicis New York chairman Linda Kaplan Thaler was recently inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Fame, an immense honor recognizing her lifetime of award-winning work in the industry.

As a Hall of Fame member, Linda joins the ranks of advertising legends like Raymond Rubicam, Leo Burnett and Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, founder of Publicis. Linda was overwhelmed by the honor and the moving tribute created by her friends, family and colleagues.

“I’m so glad I splurged for the waterproof mascara at Duane Reade,” she said.

Prior to merging with Publicis New York in 2012, Linda was CEO and Chief Creative Officer of the Kaplan Thaler Group, which she founded in 1997 and grew from a fledgling start-up to a company with over a billion dollars in billings. She is responsible for some of the most famous campaigns in the advertising industry, like the daring “Yes, Yes, Yes” spot for Clairol Herbal Essences, which revived a struggling brand and put the Kaplan Thaler Group on the map.

Linda developed the memorable “Kodak Moment” campaign and composed the famous Toys “R” Us “I Don’t Want to Grow Up” song, one of advertising’s most iconic jingles. She also created the Aflac duck and many other campaigns that have become part of the American pop-culture landscape. She has won every major award show in the advertising industry, including 13 Clio Awards, and has been recognized by leading women’s organizations. She even lent her talents to the presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton in 1992, and Hillary Clinton in 2008.