Richmond, VA—After
a battle with cancer, the founder of the Martin
Agency, David N. Martin, died Tuesday
at his home in Richmond.
Martin founded Martin & Woltz in July 1965 with his
partner, George Woltz. The company name was changed to The Martin Agency in
1975. Arguably one of the agency's biggest successes came in 1969, when it
coined the famous phrase "Virginia Is For Lovers." The slogan became one of the
nation's longest-running and best-known tourism campaigns.
Woltz says of Martin: "Dave was the living embodiment of the
classic, American entrepreneurial spirit," said Chairman and CEO of The Martin
Agency, John B. Adams Jr. "I had the great gift of seeing Dave and filming an
interview with him recently for the agency archives. I asked him what wish he
had for our employees today and for the people who will join our company in the
years ahead. He said, ‘Be true to yourself. If you're not true to yourself you
have nothing.' He urged Martin employees to continue to produce advertising, in
all its forms, that is different, vibrant and better."
Martin was highly active in the Richmond advertising community for years.
Martin was named Advertising Person of the Year by the Richmond Ad Club in 1969
and was inducted into Virginia
Commonwealth University's
Mass Communications Hall of Fame in 1987.
Martin served as an Eastern region governor and a board
member for the American Association of Advertising Agencies and Affiliated
Advertising Agencies International. He was also a member of the World Business
Council.
He retired from The Martin Agency in 1989, after which he
founded two other advertising agencies in Richmond.
David Martin was 82.
Copyright 2012 by
Young Broadcasting of Richmond
