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
category
EXPERIENCE
Automotive, airlines, mobile technology, consumer electronics, personal computing, gaming, biotech, consumer and b2b pharmaceuticals, financial/fintech, alcoholic beverages, fast food, education, consumer retail, b2b information systems, network entertainment, sports/sports marketing, retail foods, consumer health products, retail clothes, fashion, wellness
awards
AND RECOGNITION
Cannes Bronze Lion
Emmy/Academy of Arts and Television Sciences
Communication Arts x10
One Show Finalist x8
The Show (Minneapolis) Gold
The Show (Minneapolis) Silver x3
Clio Gold
Advertising Club of New York (ANDY)
International ADDY
International Automotive Advertising Awards x11
Grand Effie
Gold Effie x3
Silver Effie x2
3rd Place Medal Coulee Conference Wrestling Tournament