Scott-McRae Advertising

OUR KEY PEOPLE

Different backgrounds. Different experiences. Different passions. Different styles. One goal. Everyone here is in constant motion always striving to stay ahead of the curve. Scott-McRae Advertising believes that in a dynamic world you must continually evolve. And evolve we did, from a small in-house agency that served one client to a larger shop that works with local, regional and national clients.

How did we do that? By assembling a dynamic assortment of industry experts who are always applying the kind of effort that delivers solutions beyond what was expected. By doing more, we have become more. More informed, more focused, and more dedicated than ever. Meet the people who help make Scott-McRae Advertising more than you think.

Amy Rankin

Thirty years of experience in brand development, strategic planning, media relations, ad conceptualization, interactive and research. Experience with local, regional and national accounts. Memberships in industry groups like the FPRA, PRSA, AFP, and a lifetime membership in the NAAAA, the North American Association of Acronyms and Abbreviations. Okay, we just made up the last one. But the bottom line is, if Amy ever gives you a piece of her mind, be grateful. There’s a lot in that marketing mind of hers you could benefit from.

More vision. More insight. More influence.

Q&A

What is your least favorite sound?
Squeaky chalk on a blackboard.

What was your favorite toy as a child and why?
My favorite toy was actually the public library. I loved going to the library and choosing books to read. My favorite books were always biographies.

If your life was a musical, what would it be called and who would play you?
“Gotta Get It Done!” – the frantic story of a Jersey Girl who wants to have a career, raise two children, survive a major health concern, and travel around the globe with her husband. The part of Jersey Girl will be played by Long Island native and Tony Award winning star of Evita, Patti Lupone. Her understudy will be Lauren Rankin, daughter of Jersey Girl, a graduate of Northwestern’s Musical Theatre program and a diva just like her mom.

Susan Waldeck

Susan’s background spans both sides of the agency/media divide. In fact, the news station is where she started her career and excelled before jumping from the proverbial frying pan into the fire, joining Scott-McRae Advertising over a decade ago.

Not content with just her degree in Telecommunications-Production from the University of Florida, she earned an MBA from Jacksonville University in order to better equip herself to help clients. She’s also a past president of the AAF chapter here in Jacksonville, and currently serves as the Fourth District Secretary and National ADDY Committee member. Small wonder she rose from media assistant to her current title of VP, Account Manager in just a few years.

More perspective. More drive. More curiosity.

Q&A

What is your favorite word and why?
Typewriter, because I think it is really cool that it is the longest word you can type using just the top row of the keyboard.

How is what you do like a sport?
Is juggling a sport? I’m going with yes, which means my job is exactly like a sport! Every day I juggle media numbers and budgets, what the client wants in their ad versus what they need legally and then throw in that third ever so important piece, the creative, and the show really gets going. In this theoretical juggling world, I pride myself on never “dropping the ball,” but in the real world, coordination is NOT my middle name!

Finish this sentence: I can’t believe I get paid to ____________________.

Buy time. If it was that simple, and I could truly buy time, I would be sitting on a beach sipping mai tais, proud creator of the most valuable commodity in the whole wide world.

Janelle Jordan

Janelle is proof that a passion for what you do results in, well, results. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, she approaches design with an organic sensibility and a desire to emotionally connect with the client’s audience. This has led to peer recognition from the ADDYs, American Graphic Design and more. Of course, efficiency and dedication are part of her roots, having started her career at a daily newspaper.

But her drive to make a difference doesn’t end at the office. She’s involved in the community, volunteering through Community Connections Jacksonville to teach children’s yoga classes and through AIGA, not just as a member, but as a volunteer in the AIGA design mentoring program.

More passion. More range. More impact.

Q&A

What is your favorite advertising campaign of all time and why?
I’ve admired the Absolut bottle campaign for a long time now. The creative is so smart, and the fact that it has been running nearly 30 years now testifies to its timelessness and effectiveness. Just a great, iconic campaign.

When you were a child, what toy did you want the most and why?
Despite having had all the requisite dolls and girlie toys at my disposal, I was typically most interested in my brother’s model airplanes & cars. From a young age, I wanted to create things, and always desired the tools to do it. Unfortunately for my Barbies, I did have a pair of scissors, so my creative fire caused me to chop hair and fashions both.

If you could moonlight for one day in any profession, what would you do?
I’d love to create in a flower shop, surrounded by the natural beauty in colors & textures, not to mention the beautiful scents. If only my monitor had a scratch-n-sniff option!

Andy Gosendi

An art director with a clean desk and an organized plan of attack is somewhat alien in the creative world. But that’s only part of what makes Andy so special. It’s the diversity of passions and experience he brings to the job every day.

Moving early in his childhood from Bogota, Colombia to later studying Graphic Design at Miami University (OH), Andy is able to draw from his multicultural background and experiences. His interest and hobbies are as diverse as he is. From tailgating college football games to attending a new gallery opening, hot dogs to Cuban sandwiches. Whatever it is, Andy brings to bear his unique perspective on behalf of our clients, helping to ensure that what needs to be communicated does, in fact, get communicated. And in a way that makes people stop and take notice.

More ideas. More design. More effective.

Q&A

How do you jump start your day?
I usually start by jumping outta my skin at the screeching sound of the alarm clock feature going off on my phone only to try and figure out how to make it shut up as quickly as possible while also trying not to accidentally call anyone inadvertently in the process. That usually gets the blood flowing.

What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt?
Growing up I went through a variety of things I wanted to be... an astronaut/pilot (both coming to an end when I realized I was deathly afraid of heights)... an architect (physics class pretty much nixed that idea). So a designer is what I settled on and to this day, I’m pretty sure I still have to explain what it is that I do to some of my family members (dad), but it’s what I enjoy doing. However, if someone’s hiring a Celebrity Chef/Golfer/Video Gamer... that’s what I would want to be when I grow up.

What about your job really gets you going?
The idea of being able to create something out your imagination and have an audience to view your creations doesn’t get any better.

Heather Smith

If you’ve ever spent much time in your grandma’s kitchen, you might have caught wind of her secret ingredient she put in all her recipes that just made everything better. Well, Heather is our secret ingredient.

Since graduating from Flagler College, we’ve asked her to do so many different and unusual things; she must feel like she’s secretly being taped for a Japanese game show. But Heather applies her tenacity, her familiarity with cultural trends and her ability to herd cats on behalf of our clients to help their businesses succeed.

It’s that same energy she applies to her volunteer work as a yoga instructor for local children, AAF Member and event planner for many worthy causes.

More energy. More details. More versatility.

Q&A

Which character on Mad Men do you like the most or most identify with?
I’m a combo: One part Joan, the fiery red-head and one part Peggy, the tenacious upstart. Joan commands authority through confidence and know-how while Peggy, a newcomer to advertising, makes her mark in her own way. Voilà! Joan plus Peggy with a dash of cute equals: Heather Smith!

What animal would you most compare yourself to and why?
The Siamang Ape, a loud-mouth, territorial, napper. The Siamang is known for their piercing yet melodious whoops and woos. Their songs are intended to ward other Siamangs off their turf. When they aren’t chatting it up, they are napping on their cushy backsides. So if you know me, you'd totally agree with our similarities. I’ve been known to chat about nothing and everything for hours. Everyone knows my family is “as thick as thieves” and I adore a good, long, afternoon nap.

What song most represents your life?
Brick House by The Commodores ; )