Our Friend of the Week - Margaret Johnson
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Your City: San FranciscoMargaret’s What –“Beyoncé’s Lemonade. It’s a visual adventure chock full of amazing music, moxie and heartache. She does country, blues, punk and will have you singing “middle-fingers-up!” by the end. Yes, the hour-long video is a commitment. But the clothes and set design alone are worth it. And there’s just something about watching a woman in a couture gown smashing windshields with a baseball bat that takes me to my happy place."
FRIEND OF THE WEEK: 11 QUESTIONSCOMPANY URL: GOODBY SILVERSTEININSTAGRAM: @MAGGIEJCA
Nickname Mags, Maggie Bones, Magpie, @maggiejca, Margo, Marg, Marge, Margie, Margie Pants, Chuck, Chuckles, Charles, Charlie …
What’s your short story? I’m the Chief Creative Officer and partner at an advertising agency called Goodby Silverstein & Partners. I was in the advertising sequence of the journalism program at UNC-Chapel Hill and spent a summer at Parsons school of Design in NYC. I didn’t have any connections or even know anyone in advertising so before heading back to college in the fall, I ripped the “Advertising” section out of the Yellow Pages in a phone book. I called dozens of advertising agencies listed in the yellow pages and asked to speak with someone in the creative department. “Anyone?” they would ask. ”Yes, anyone.” They would transfer me to some random extension, and I would ask whomever answered if they were more likely to hire a student from Parsons or The Portfolio Center in Atlanta. My decision was made. I went to the Portfolio Center. And it turned out the people I cold-called were right. I put together a solid portfolio at PC and landed my first job working for David Lubars--now the Chairman and CCO of BBDO New York.
What’s your jam? Old school rap – the old Death Row artists + 2 Pac, Notorious BIG, Jay-Z, Snoop.
What motivates you? Art that comes from the combination of a unique perspective, the talent to make it real, and the drive to make people notice it.
Who do you think you’d have great friend chemistry with? Mae West, Margaret Thatcher, Tina Fey, Katniss Everdeen.
What qualities do your favorite friends have in common? I’m a big fan of strong personalities, free spirits, whip-smart folks with a wicked sense of humor.
What’s the smartest, most inspiring, awesome thing you’ve read, watching or listened to? Just binge-watched The Night Of on HBO. It’s about a NYC Pakistaini-American kid who’s accused of murder and sent to Rikers Island. John Turturro plays his inept but dedicated lawyer. It’s beautifully shot and haunting to watch. You’ll want to keep the lights on and have a buddy close by.
What whets your appetite? Turley wines. Kumamoto oysters. The lamb at Garibaldi’s. The burger at Spruce. Sushi at Sushi Ran in Sausalito. The martini at Harry’s Bar in Venice.
What’s next on your To Do List? We’ve been wanting to take an adventurous vacation with our kids (8 and 10 years old. Over Labor Day weekend we spent some time with a fascinating nomadic couple – an eco-activist lawyer and her surfer/photographer boyfriend – who sold us on the Galapagos Islands. They had us at iguana, not to mention fur seals, tortoises, penguins, and blue-footed boobies… If you’ve been and have any favorite spots/advice there, let me know.
How are you friends with Gina + Amy? Gina and I met at a kindergarten soccer game in 2011. She was yelling from the sidelines, wearing a pair of stiletto heels. I met Amy with Gina over lunchtime cocktails at the Ritz Carlton. I knew immediately I liked these gals.
What's the single best piece of advice you've ever received? I met with a recruiter who worked for WPP named Trish Shortell in 2006. She told me: “You need a brand. There are lots of guys out there who are much less talented but much more famous than you are.”