Hal Riney
Encyclopedia
Hal Patrick Riney was an American
advertising
executive.
Founder of Publicis & Hal Riney
, Riney was named #30 on the Advertising Age
100 people of the 20th century. He was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2001.
Riney grew up in Longview, Washington
. He graduated from the University of Washington
in 1954. After serving two years in the United States Army
doing public relations
in Italy, he joined BBDO
San Francisco, moving from the mail room to head art director
and finally creative director in 1968.
In 1970, he hired Paul Williams
to write a song for a Crocker Bank commercial, which was later recorded by The Carpenters
and become the hit "We've Only Just Begun
". In 1976 he joined Ogilvy & Mather
, building their West Coast office from scratch. In 1984, Riney created and did voiceover
for the noted "Morning in America
" and "Bear in the Woods
" television commercials for the successful Ronald Reagan
1984 Presidential re-election
campaign. After creating the Bartles & Jaymes
campaign for E & J Gallo Winery
, Riney resigned, but soon won the launch for Saturn Corporation. The agency was sold to Publicis
in 1998.
Riney died at age 75 in 2008, from cancer, at his home in San Francisco.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
executive.
Founder of Publicis & Hal Riney
Publicis & Hal Riney
Publicis & Hal Riney is an American advertising agency, founded in San Francisco in 1977 by Hal Riney as Hal Riney & Partners. He had previously led the west coast office of Ogilvy & Mather since 1976....
, Riney was named #30 on the Advertising Age
Advertising Age
Advertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
100 people of the 20th century. He was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2001.
Riney grew up in Longview, Washington
Longview, Washington
Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is the principal city of the "Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area", which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. Longview's population was 36,648 at the time of the 2010 census and is the largest city in Cowlitz County...
. He graduated from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1954. After serving two years in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
doing public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
in Italy, he joined BBDO
BBDO
BBDO is a worldwide advertising agency network, with its headquarters in New York City. The agency began in 1891 with George Batten's Batten Company, and later in 1928, through a merger of BDO and Batten Co. the agency became BBDO...
San Francisco, moving from the mail room to head art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
and finally creative director in 1968.
In 1970, he hired Paul Williams
Paul Williams (songwriter)
Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
to write a song for a Crocker Bank commercial, which was later recorded by The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
and become the hit "We've Only Just Begun
We've Only Just Begun
"We've Only Just Begun" is the signature song of The Carpenters, written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams , and is often used as a wedding song. The song was ranked at #405 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".The song was recorded by Smokey Roberds, a friend...
". In 1976 he joined Ogilvy & Mather
Ogilvy & Mather
Ogilvy & Mather is an international advertising, marketing and public relations agency based in Manhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries with approximately 16,000 employees.-History:...
, building their West Coast office from scratch. In 1984, Riney created and did voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
for the noted "Morning in America
Morning in America
"Morning in America" is the common name of an effective political campaign television commercial formally titled "Prouder, Stronger, Better" and featuring the opening line "It's morning again in America." The ad was part of the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign of Republican Party candidate Ronald...
" and "Bear in the Woods
Bear in the woods
"There is a bear in the woods" was the opening line of a television commercial for the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign of Republican Party candidate Ronald Reagan. Before the ad was created, the public seemed more comfortable with the way Walter Mondale described how he would negotiate than they...
" television commercials for the successful Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
1984 Presidential re-election
United States presidential election, 1984
The United States presidential election of 1984 was a contest between the incumbent President Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate, and former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Democratic candidate. Reagan was helped by a strong economic recovery from the deep recession of 1981–1982...
campaign. After creating the Bartles & Jaymes
Bartles & Jaymes
Bartles & Jaymes is a flavored wine cooler and malt beverage line produced by the E & J Gallo Winery in the United States, and introduced in 1981. Flavors include Strawberry Daiquiri, Fuzzy Navel, Exotic Berry, Margarita, Piña Colada, Classic Original, Tropical Mango, Blue Hawaiian, Strawberry...
campaign for E & J Gallo Winery
E & J Gallo Winery
E & J Gallo Winery was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo in Modesto, California. E & J Gallo Winery is the largest exporter of California wines and is a large promoter of wines from Sonoma County.-History:...
, Riney resigned, but soon won the launch for Saturn Corporation. The agency was sold to Publicis
Publicis
Publicis Groupe is a French multinational advertising and communications company, headquartered in Paris, France. It is one of the world's three largest advertising holding companies . Its current president is Maurice Lévy. Publicis Groupe S.A...
in 1998.
Riney died at age 75 in 2008, from cancer, at his home in San Francisco.
External links
- Hal Riney profile via Advertising Hall of Fame
- International Herald Tribune Obituary