1975-1976: Executive Producer, Ports of Call

A television series featuring 26 one hour shows syndicated through Advo Embassy Pictures. The series played in a number of markets across the country.

1976-1978: President, Hefalump Pictures

Left Ports of Call to set up a film production company based in Miami for the purpose of producing films of interest.

1977-1978: Producer/Director, The Cayman Triangle

A full-length feature film (PG) premiered in October of 1977. The movie received favorable reviews from both Variety and Playboy Magazine. Named "Best New Director" at the Virgin Islands International Film Festival. European Premier at Cannes International Film Festival. Also premiered in Memphis and The Cayman Islands.

1978-1997: Co-Founder/Executive Vice President, Phonies

A company which produces and markets telephone answering messages of well-known celebrity voices, featuring the voices of Rich Little. Phonies were sold in every Walmart and Radio Shack in every English-speaking country in the world. More than 300 voices were available.

1980-1983: Vice President/Creative Director, Malone & Hyde

Ran the in house agency of this large, Memphis based retail company with sales in excess of 3 billion dollars. Some of the in-house accounts/divisions were Piggly Wiggly, Giant, Pic-Pac, Big Star, Mega-Market, Seessel's, Super D, Pettys, Pay Less, Ikes, Wolf's Sporting Goods, Sunset Sporting Goods, Hyde Insurance Agency, Quality Travel, Quality Stamps and Auto Shack (later AutoZone).

1983-1987: President, Malone & Hyde Advertising

After taking over as president the company went through a leveraged buyout and immediately spun off Auto Shack (later AutoZone), into a separate company.

1987-1988: Vice President/Advertising Director, Auto Shack/AutoZone

Responsible for its introduction through the opening of the first 500 stores in 26 markets. Renamed the company from Auto Shack to AutoZone. AutoZone today is one of the most successful retail chains in the US.

1988-Present: President/Creative Director, Humphreys Ink. Advertising

Left AutoZone to form Humphreys Ink Advertising. In just three years, the agency was recognized regionally and nationally for its work. Today, Humphreys Ink Advertising enjoys a solid reputation in every aspect in the field of advertising.

1989-1990: Author/Publisher, Semmes America

A 736-page book on the Semmes family's American saga. This genealogical historic perspective of one American family has been called one of the best works of its kind ever published. “With the development of the genealogical charts, Semmes America may be the most valuable contribution to the field of genealogy in a hundred years.”

1992-Present: Freelance Writer

Have written numerous articles on various subjects which were featured in several national publications. Click here for a sample.

1993-2001: Teacher, Memphis College of Art

Taught a conceptual advertising course to students from the Memphis College of Art and the University of Memphis.

1994-1997: Executive Vice President/Co-Founder,
ACC Publishing

The company was set up to publish The BOOK, the Regional and National ADDY Annual. Credited as creator, designer and editor. Volume I was released world-wide in March 1995 and is sold in 53 countries. Volume II was released in June 1996.

1995-1999: President, Agincourt Paintball

Developer, owner and operator of Challenge Park and the Paintball Store, engaged in the promotion and selling of the sport of paintball. Sold the company in order to work on Challenge Park Xtreme, Chicago.

1996-Present: President, Humphreys Ink. Advertising

Downsized Humphreys Ink working as a marketing consultant while maintaining several "special" accounts using a small in-house staff and out-sourcing only the best freelance talent, linked electronically through the Internet.

2000-2004: President/Co-Developer, Challenge Park Xtreme, Chicago

Created, designed and developed the largest extreme sports park on the planet. The $7.7 million dollar, 150 acre park features paintball, BMX, skateboarding, in-line, freestyle biking and mountain biking. Challenge Park Xtreme is a prototype for future expansion.

Ignore the message, and advertising is indeed a big fat waste of money. Here is where many advertisers make the classic mistake of thinking about the delivery and ignoring the message.

From the advertiser's perspective, our competition is not only direct competitors; it is every other ad appearing in that publication, in that time slot. After all, we're competing for eye/ear share.

It is the first function of advertising to stop the reader, the viewer or listener. Make them look at you. The essence of advertising is "look at me, look at me, look at me."

We would do well to remember the original meaning of the word advertising. It is from the Latin adverto meaning to turn towards. That's what creative ads should do—turn our prospects towards us. The ads have to be clever, inviting, compelling and challenging enough for you to want to know more, without telling you too much.

What we try to create is breakthrough advertising. "Breakthrough" happens not when the advertiser breaks out of the multitude of advertising messages, but when the consumer breaks into the message because he or she sees something meaningful or relevant.

Another principle we adhere to is "one point retention." Talk about one thing at a time. Often advertisers make the mistake of trying to tell too much—we are this, we are also that and this too, and so on and so on. Taken in the context of the ad that appears before yours and the one after yours, there is little chance the reader/viewer will retain all of those secondary points anyway. So find what is relevant and make it unique, compelling and memorable. Then and only then does you ad become truly effective.

Furthermore, we need to take perceived negatives and turn them into positives or make them non-issues. We also need to address any misperceptions about the company, and indeed in the industry, which are barriers that must be overcome.

Lastly, quality is perceived. Stating it no longer is believable. It must show in the presentation. Therefore it's important that we execute everything professionally to maintain this subliminal quality perception.

I have been a follower of talent for many years. Invariably the best talent always leaves the agency and strikes off on their own. The way we work is we put together this talent, matched to the job at hand. That way clients don't have the overhead and they get what they want—but not what they expect—at a cost much less than conventional agencies.

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Scope of Work

Hospitality

Holiday Inn — Unique Meetings, Events & Tours — Little Hotel in the Airport

Health Care

Americare (Corporate, Assisted Living Division, Skilled Nursing Division, Alzheimer's Assisted Living, TigerPlace)

Educational

Lausanne School — Hutchison — Rhodes College — Semmes America (book) — The LaGrange School

Manufacturing

Farrell Calhoun — PMI Chicago — LMI — 3Re.com — Phonies

Destination

Memphis Zoo — Rendezvous at the Zoo — Dinosaurs Live — Cat Country — Winter Lights — Challenge Park — Challenge Park Xtreme — The Treasure Museum — Children's Museum — Opera Memphis — Hardeman County Chamber — Hardeman Count Music Festival — Shelby Farms Park — Holiday Inn (Cayman Islands)

Retail

AutoZone — A Little English — From Here to Eternity — European Antiques — Perel Jewelers — Stuff — Super D Drug Stores — Sunset Sporting Goods — Wolf Sporting Goods — Ikes — Kiser Floor Fashion

Food Industry

Gridleys Barbeque — Foxtail Foods — Perkins Restaurants — MegaMarket — Seessel's Supermarkets — Piggly Wiggly — Super Low Foods — Owen Brennan's — Summit Club — Cotton Boll Catering — Dinstuhl's

Real Estate

Boyle — Hobson Realtors — Marx & Bensdorf — Weston — Gill Properties — LEDIC — Reid Homes — Doyle Ricks — Lila Saunders — Four M Ranches — Richard Montgomery Properties — RiverTower — The Lexington Condos — Regalia — Saddle Creek — Stage Centre — Kirby Gate — Walter Wills — Meredith McCullar

Industrial

Varco-Pruden — Buckman International — Arcadian — American Lift — Herbi-Systems

Distribution

Malone & Hyde — Quality Stamps — Q-Card — Federal Express — Acorn International — Stratton & Company — NCC Atlanta — Chemicar

Financial

Covenant Bank — First South Bank — Montgomery Bank — SunTrust Bank — Renasant Bank — Financial Federal — First National Bank of Sikeston — First National Bank of Alabama — Enterprise National Bank — Southeastern Asset Management — Long Leaf Partners Fund — McVean Securities — Rino Fund — Green Square Capital — Bank of Houston

Sports

NFL Franchise Development

Advertising Industry

Memphis Advertising Federation — 7th District Advertising — Saxon & Saxon Advertising — American Advertising Federation — Vine Advertising — The BOOK (AFF Addy Book)

Professional

Fred Acuff, Attorney — Minor Johnston Douglas — Hyde Insurance Agency — Boyle Insurance Agency — CanonIvy — Q&A — PC-Help — ProMatura — Easterling Pest Control — Harwood Checkoff — McDonnell Insurance — Collier Insurance — 3Re.com — Smith Imports — Lone Oaks Farm — Doyle Ricks Construction — Thompson Construction — Deep South USA — Secure-Me — The Belet Group — Bolivar Downtown Development — Hardeman Music Commission

Medical

Lifesigns — Thrasher Clinic — The Pain Center — BioD — BioD Recovery — BioD Vastac — Americare

Exploration

MAREX Oceanographic Services

Transportation/Travel

Federal Express — George Garner Travel

Charity

Diabetes Foundation — Memphis Zoological Society — The LaGrange School — LaGrange Historical Society — St. James Church — Hatchie Hollow Hog Fest

Political

Merrill, Memphis City Council — Calvin Howell, County Mayor — Barrett Stevenson, Mayor — various city council positions