about | mark-abellera

5 things

YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT MARK ABELLERA

ONE OF MARK'S FIRST JOBS IN ADVERTISING WAS TO TAKE MESSAGES FOR GWEN STEFANI'S DAD.

Mark's first gig in advertising was answering phones at Chiat/Day/Mojo back in the day. He would often write down missed phone calls for the former No Doubt lead singer's father. Dennis Stefani, who was Head of Research and Strategy at the time. Years later, Mark would later return to TBWA/Chiat/Day to write award winning campaigns for Nissan, Infiniti and Kinko's...and once in a while, a few messages for his art director.

BOTH OF MARK'S PARENTS IMMIGRATED TO THE STATES FROM THE PHILIPPINES.

His parents came to the states separately in the 50s and met here. His dad was a doctor, his mom an operating room nurse. Unfortunately, he doesn't speak Tagalog but can cook a pretty tasty meal of Pancit, Arrozcaldo and Filipino style BBQ Pork if you ask him nicely - just not in Tagalog.

HE WON 3RD PLACE IN A WRESTLING TOURNAMENT BY LISTENING TO THE OPPONENT'S COACH.

As a 105 pound grappler on his high school team, he was trying to ward off a single leg takedown and kept hearing someone yelling "Half Nelson! Half Nelson!!" so he threw the guy in a Half Nelson and ended up pinning him to win 3rd place in the Conference Tournament. When his teammates asked "What was that?" Mark told them it was the Half Nelson. Turns out, it wasn't his coach but the other team's coach yelling it to his wrestler, not to Mark! But Mark learned a valuable life and career lesson he uses to this day: "You never know where good advice will come from, so take it when you get it." (FYI - Mark still has the bronze medal pinned to his letter jacket at his parent's home)

MARK ISN'T THE ONLY ONE IN HIS FAMILY THAT WORKS IN ADVERTISING.

He has a niece who followed him into the ad game; her name is Becca Abellera. She works at McCann in NYC a senior copywriter. She's on pace to eclipse anything her Uncle Mark has accomplished in this business, and he will probably be working for her someday.

MARK BELIEVES YOUR BEST WORK IS STILL AHEAD OF YOU.

Of all the campaigns, headlines, body copy, spots, platforms, manifestos, taglines, intros and outros he's written, at all the agencies he's worked at, whether freelancing or fulltime, Mark sees each brief he gets as a chance to "beat your best". Now, who wouldn't want someone like that on your team!?

fulltime

EXPERIENCE

executive creative director/founder, GTT, 2014-PRESENT

group creative director, MCGARRYBOWEN, 2010 - 2014

group creative director, BBH, 2005 - 2007

creative director, MCCANN, 2005

associate creative director, MERKLEY NEWMAN & PARTNERS 2002 - 2003

senior writer, GOODBY SILVERSTEIN & PARTNERS, 2000 - 2002

copywriter, TBWA/CHIAT/DAY, 1996 - 2000

freelance

EXPERIENCE

Wieden + Kennedy, YR/Paris, Droga5, Leonardo Johannes, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, TBWA/Chiat/Day, BBDO, McGarryBowen, HAVAS, Anomaly, Schultz&Friends/Hamburg, Deutsch/LA, StawberryFrog (Amsterdam+NYC), Publicis (Seattle+NYC), FCB, The&Partnership, Yard/NYC, Leroy+Clarkson, YR/NYC, BBDO/SF+LA, Siltanen & Partners, Grey/SF, Grey/NYC, Merkley Newman & Partners. Creative Collective/Tokyo

mark ABELLERA

copywriterCREATIVE DIRECTOR

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mark ABELLERA

copywriterCREATIVE DIRECTOR