Mullen //

Remembering Paul

Posted by Edward Boches on 08/11/09
tags:

psilverman“He’s a real writer, he just happens to do his writing in the advertising business.”

That quote from one of my old colleagues, Steve Bautista, describes Paul perfectly.  He was a real writer.

I recall fondly my many years working with him.  He was slightly disheveled.  His pant cuffs were often a little too long and tattered from getting stepped on.  But from the pockets of those pants Paul would regularly pluck scraps of paper, all crumpled up, only to reveal a headline, or a paragraph or an idea that was often brilliant and always something you wish you’d thought of yourself.

I can still recall some of his headlines by heart, my favorite being the prose he crafted to introduce Timberland’s new boat shoe.  “A boat shoe should be judged by how it goes with a black sky, not a blue blazer.” Paul could rattle off lines like that the way the rest of us might write a sentence as straight forward as this one.  He would have been a rock star on Twitter.

But despite his tweed jackets and those pants he was constantly pulling up, when Paul stood tall, in front of an audience, his command of a subject, his ability to position a brand, his consistent insights made him the smartest man in the room.  You sometimes wondered if the entire look was manufactured just to get you to lower your guard.

Paul’s sharp mind, his never ending wit (often scatological), and his enviable acrobatic verbal skills made every creative person who ever worked with him better.  If you were a writer, you struggled endlessly to compose copy in hopes it might be as good as Paul’s.  If you were an art director, you strove to develop your skills in hopes that Paul would partner with you.   Who wouldn’t want his headlines atop their layout?  It virtually guaranteed you a piece of hardware at the next year’s award shows.

Like any great creative talent, Paul was opinionated, competitive, over-confident in his ideas. But unlike many, he had the talent that entitled him.

Paul died unexpectedly yesterday.  Those of us who worked with Paul, will miss him.  But we’ll never stop trying to be as good as he was.

Please, if you were a friend, a colleague, even an industry rival,  share your thoughts or memories here.

A small collection of Paul’s old ads can be seen on our Flickr page.

Paul Silverman Obituary

Paul Silverman’s short stories

Note: funeral services for Paul will be held on Friday, August 14 at 11:00 A.M. at Puritan Lawn in Peabody, MA. All are welcome.

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  • jimmullen
    Over my thirty wretchedly long years in advertising, Paul Silverman was the best I ever met. Ever.
  • Andrea Hayes
    It was as a Mullen traffic manager, and during a yearly review with Paul, that I was given the best direction ever. He told me not to allow myself to be consumed with keeping schedules updated and spreadsheets populated but to allow more time to personally interact with the creative teams, assisting and supporting them where I could in order to make the best product possible. Incorporating Paul's suggestion, throughout my 24 years with the agency, made all the difference in the personal gratification I experienced.

    I am left to wonder if Paul ever began a draft of "The Simple Fart of Greatness", his idea for a sequel to Jim's book...
  • Tara McKenzie Gilvar
    My favorite Paul story has nothing to do with his writing ability - although it was legendary at Mullen. My story is about soup. I had once asked Liz (the extraordinary Mullen chef) if she could make me a gallon of one her delicious soups for a special event I was hosting. I received a note from her that the soup was left in the Mullen refrigerator, along with a sticky note with my name on it. Hours later, I went to retrieve it, but to my dismay-- no soup. I must have checked the shelves five times before giving up and beginning my exit from the kitchen. In bombs Paul, very apologetic, out of breathe and carrying a gallon of soup. Apparently, he saw the name on the sticky note that began with the letter "T" and thought Liz had made the soup for his wife Theresa. By the time he realized his mistake, he was already in his driveway in Manchester and quickly hustled back in his car to bring it back to me. I was new in the PR department at the time, so my mouth was probably hanging open -- to see THE Paul Silverman standing in front of me holding my gallon of soup. For me, it was like an encounter with a rock star. And it is a moment I will now always treasure!
  • Steve Haesche
    I was certainly not the best AD Paul ever worked with (far from it), but it's safe to say that I was the first.
    It was 1975 and Mullen (then Superfine Productions in a small apartment in Marblehead) was a very different place from the Mullen we see today. But Paul was exactly the same as we all remember him.
    Funny, quirky, insightful and (although he didn't fully realize it yet) enormously talented. I treasure all of the over 29 years that I worked with Paul, but those first years were very, very special.
  • Peter Pappas
    I was on a plane once with Paul and he was sitting directly in front of me. Just before take-off he turned and mumbled, "Hope you don't catch my tail wind." Classic Paul. Then there was the time his expensive watch slipped off his wrist and into the airplane toilet. After landing, they fished it out and handed it back to Paul, who was grateful yet horrified at the same time. He kept the watch in the trunk of his car, sealed in a plastic bag. I bet it's still there.
  • Cheryl Laundry
    Paul was a true gentleman, an inspiration and an amazing father. I cherish the conversations we had. I will miss him dearly.
  • Having just landed in a fancy new job at Mullen, I was sent out with Paul Silverman to win the account of some medical software company. (It was 1999, and startups were throwing $ at Mullen faster than we could catch it.)

    Paul and I listened to 3 hours of prattle about back office apps for hospitals and med practices, and then the room fell silent. I looked at Paul, of course. Paul, of course, summarized the brand with this one elegant sentence:
    "So, that means a doctor gets to spend 5 more minutes with a patient?"

    "Yes, Paul," said the client, "that's exactly what it means."
  • dave swartz
    Micah, after 20 years in the business, I pretty much lost my fascination and love for what we do. In this world of massive social connection I decided good products sell themselves better than advertising and for the most part, we are talking to ourselves.

    Your recollection of Paul brought me right back to the spark I had at 15 when I found out you could get paid for coming up with stories about how to sell products. And like Paul himself, it inspired me to strive to be better at what I do.

    Thank you.
  • Name
    Paul was a good friend, mentor, a great inspiration to many, he was wonderful fun to have dinner with, I'll never forget the jokes - "Dd you hear the one about the the two peanuts that walked into the woods? One was a salted.
    I will miss him. Amy Watt
  • jimmullen
    Amy,

    It was Paul's father's favorite joke, and the quote is "One was salted". Get it?

    Jim
  • mancevic
    Paul has been a true creative mentor to me over the different phases of my career. I was fortunate enough to have worked very closely with Paul and he really taught me so much. One of the major things was that you could actually say a lot without actually saying a lot. He deeply understood the weight of words and the art of minimalism. He had a unique view of the world and could boil it down and articulate it. I remember last year, we were on the way to a meeting in Toronto and we were stuck in the airport for 9 hours—we had a conversation the entire time about life and creativity. I always enjoyed our discussions because he understood what it was like to live an entire life as a creative person.
  • jimgaraventi
    Wish he were here - he'd know just what to write.

    Paul, you will be enduringly missed and admired.
  • LibbyDelana
    It actually isn't the words I will remember from Paul, it was the assurance of his confidence in you to do great work // You are right Edward we will never stop trying to be as good as he was.
  • Eric Freedman
    he will be missed. i feel blessed to have known him and worked with him. fondest memory is getting to enjoy two special birthday breakfasts with him (mine) at Four Seasons Chicago two years in a row. my heart goes out his to family.
  • I saw Paul a couple months ago. Thought about calling him recently, wish I had. Paul was a very inspiring person to many of us and we will all miss him greatly. His name will come up in many a "remember the way it was" conversations.
  • campfiresteve
    Besides his extraordinary writing skills, Paul was wonderfully genuine and a truly generous and humane man. I'm on vacation on a house boat in Sausalito with my kids, thoroughly stunned by his passing.
  • jenbuatti
    I loved listening to him tell stories....sometimes he would start laughing in the middle and struggle to recover. He was mischievous, sweet and real. And an amazing father.
  • sheilaleyne
    I will always remember Paul's unassuming, gentle approach and love for simple, elegant language. My heart goes out to his family.
  • dswaebe
    I remember Paul in a meeting with Dexter Shoe. His charm was infectious. Clients adored him.
  • sueryan
    Dear Paul, you left us too soon. We lost a star yesterday. Thank you for the wonderful memories you've given us.
  • rogerbaldacci
    I worked under Paul (and Edward) for many years at Mullen. Paul's gifts with words both intimidated me and inspired me. Before I even got hired at Mullen, Paul pushed me. He said the work in my portfolio was too easy--I had ads for Brew Pubs and Canobie Lake Park. So I went back and did a campaign for industrial insurance. Together, Paul and Edward, pushed me to be a better writer, a better creative and I would not be where I am without their efforts. Paul led with a quiet confidence and a gentle, humble manner. He will be missed, but not forgotten.
  • lizdoten
    I remember Paul as a genuinely likable guy. So friendly and warm. When he retired from Mullen he came to my office and asked if I ever still did freelance and if I did, would I be interested on working on some projects together. What an honor. I was so humbled. We never did get to do any freelance work together, but boy it would have been fun. I will miss him.
  • terriburke
    I worked with Paul and he was my next door neighbor in Manchester-by-the-Sea. I loved sitting in his office and loved even more traveling with him and avoiding germs! He was a good friend and a great writer. I am sorry that he is gone, but his work and our memories live on.
    Terri Burke
  • Peter Pappas
    I was lucky enough to work with Paul through my first nine years in advertising. He always challenged me and I did indeed spend many a stressful hour struggling to write copy as good as his. I never succeeded. I consider myself fortunate to have known Paul Silverman. He was a mentor, a teacher and a friend. I will never forget him.
  • bob_shiffrar
    What a shame. I hardly knew the man, but always admired his work.

    As Mark Twain said, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

    Paul's work was certainly not that of a bug.
  • dorothyurlich
    Paul loved to work and loved to write. He told me recently, "if I were a little younger, I'd start my own agency". Even though he had such a successful career at Mullen, I know he meant this. My thoughts are with Paul and his family.
  • Woody Kay
    Paul was proof that you could be a great talent and a great guy, too. He was the heart of Mullen.
  • kala1300
    Paul was so kind and smart and funny and inspiring. He is a legend in this business and I will always remember him fondly.

    We helped him to create the paulsilverman.com web site and I encourage everyone to spend some time with his writing b/c there is so much of his character and love in those stories.

    I will miss you Paul.
  • I feel lucky to have crossed paths with Paul at the beginning of my career at Mullen. Although we never worked closely together, I remember being impressed that he somehow always remembered my name. I always enjoyed seeing his smiling face.
  • Besides being an incredibly gifted Writer, Paul was a truly wonderful human being. Just a good person with a good heart, and a great father and family man. I feel lucky to have known him, and enjoyed spending some time over the years listening to his stories. This was very sad day.
  • jodideros
    This is the saddest news. I've held a special place in my heart for Paul all these years, as he taught me so much about the advertising world. Mostly not to take ourselves so seriously. The funniest thing I remember about him was his scatological humor! He was a gem and will go down in my history book as a great talent and a great man. He will be missed.
  • lizwalkowicz
    Paul was a gift to all whom met him. He used to come into the kitchen at Mullen and say to me..."Liz this it where I got my start in my Father's Deli"!! Life always seemed good with Paul. My heart goes out to his wife and Daughter.
    He will be truly missed.
  • dave swartz
    I can still hear the way Paul would say, "Ooooh" when he heard an idea that captured his imagination. Like he was rolling it around on his tongue, tasting it. The sparkle in his eyes. His signature smile. He was a giant at the end of the hall and it was an honor to have worked for him.
  • I didn't know Paul. But I worked alongside so many people who did. Paul's ads put Boston on the road to ad greatness, and put me on the road to Boston - to see if I could absorb just a little bit of that DNA. I ended up across town instead at HHCC, but I do remember interviewing at that house - that magnificent house, all dipped in legend and lore - and wanting to do the "Boston thing." The funny thing was, if he had been around that particular day, I suspect Paul might have sent me packing on the road back South, with the admonishment, There Is No Boston Thing. To quote his WSJ profile, "The new positioning is on the basis of what you can do, not where you are." Maybe that's why Paul's journey, what he did, and what Edward and the rest of you continue to do, have a special relevance and inspiration for those of us in cities like mine.
  • Unbeknownst to him, Paul offered me my copywriting job at Mullen on my 27th birthday. I'll never forget the door that he -- with the recommendation of studio wildman, Marc Ruggiero -- helped open. At times I swear I can still feel the wind at my back. Thanks, Paul.
  • keithulrich
    I never met Paul...wish I had.

    He wrote the original CUV manifesto...timeless; true to this day:

    All over America, there are countless people who make significant commitments with their lives
    Commitments involving their children, their jobs, their community activities
    Commitments that take many hours of hard work and many hours on the road
    For them, compromise is not an option. And even though they drive used cars, their transportation must be as reliable as they are
    To date, no brand in the automotive industry has built its identity around this vast human need
    Finally, there is a brand that does. A GM brand. A brand that gives America a new class of vehicle. Used cars and trucks hand-picked and backed to meet the most demanding needs of real life
    No-compromise used cars and trucks for no-compromise people.

    GM Certified Used Vehicles. The best miles are ahead of you.

    Thanks Paul. We'll do our best to carry on the passion and standards you set.
  • kevinkearns
    Paul was a good friend and a good teacher. I feel privileged to have worked with him. I'm saddened with the news of his passing and would like to offer my condolences to Teresa and Miranda.
  • Jonathan Anastas
    It was an amazing experience - as a junior in my first job - to work with Paul for four years, especially as I had the opportunity to work on the Timberland account, the agency's creative flagship. I learned so much about advertising, quality of product, passion and culture. The level of burnish on the work, in concert with the speed of ideation was like nothing else I've seen since. Paul was inclusive, took the time to teach/guide and never appeared frustrated with my questions or opinions. A special man, a special agency, a special time. The bar was set high and early. I am thankful for Paul's part in my development.
  • Marcia Hermann
    My favorite memory of Paul is my first one - my job interview with him. He offered me a beer - Steve Bautista wandered in and sat down. The only question Paul asked me was to take a look at a mock billboard for Venus crackers and tell him what I thought was on the cracker. It was supposed to be caviar but it looked like poop. We laughed and laughed. I got the job - don't really know why. He was certainly one of a kind and will be sorely missed.
  • Just a week ago, I was talking with another former Mullenite and Paul's name came up. I can't believe he's gone. I didn't have the opportunity to run much by Paul, but when I did, he always challenged and made it better. What I remember most -- besides his genius -- was what a class act he was. Real. Sincere. Kind. Down to earth. And a true gentle man. It says a lot about a man when you can barely know him and still feel deeply saddened by his passing. God Bless, Paul. Prayers go out for his family. -- Kat Jaibur
  • guysimshauser
    I truly wish I had the honor and good fortune to have worked with Mr. Silverman at one point in my 27 year career in Boston. It is my hope, the next time I’m struggling for the career-defining idea as he accomplished so, so many times, he will be standing behind me, looking over my shoulder and guiding me toward that end.
  • I was fortunate to work closely with Paul for a few years and I too wanted his brilliance to rub off on me, it didn’t. But I did learn that humility, kindness, and that working with good people make our lives better. Paul touched my life and my heart is with his family now where we all know his is too.
  • Eric Haggman
    Dear Edward,
    What a fine piece you did on Paul. You totally captured his greatness and beauty. As you know he was not wild about me. Which turned out to be one of the major blessings of my life, as it got me so pissed off,I went out and started my own agency. Which has turned out to be more fun than I ever imagined.
    I also will never stop trying to be as good a writer as Paul, and you.
    All the best,
    Eric Haggman
  • Eric:
    Glad you stopped by. Yes, Paul was complex and sometimes hard to figure out. But by the looks of these comments, he inspired a lot of us. Plus he made us laugh.
  • I was fortunate to work closely with Paul for a few years and I too wanted his brilliance to rub off on me, it didn’t. But I did learn that humility, kindness, and that working with good people make our lives better. Paul touched my life and my heart is with his family now where we all know his is too.
  • ricktaggart
    i had the wonderful opportuntiy to work with Paul for two periods of time. The first opportunity was with the Timberland Company. Timberland was in a critical time of growth and development, evolving from a footwear brand to an overall lifestyle brand. Paul's insight and creative input was vital to this development. The marketing communications that Paul developed were magnificent. More importantly I will never forget the spirited debates among many strong willed people where Paul kept us all in line.

    When my career moved from Timberland to Victorinox Swiss Army I was very pleased to again engage with Mullen and work with Paul. While our products are very different from Timberland's we were also in critical time evolving from the Swiss Army Knife to an overall brand. Paul's guidance during this crucial stage of development was vital to us and I will never forget his input and direction.

    I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing. While I have never had the opportunity to meet Teresa and Miranda my thoughts and prayers will be with them. Paul will be missed,

    Sincerely, Rick Taggart President Victorinox Swiss Army
  • Chris Wooster
    Early in my Mullen career, bumping along in the mid-level copy ranks (of digital, even worse!) I had the good fortune to spend some time working on Four Seasons emails and got some coaching from Paul. By far some of the most illustrative time I've ever had learning craft from a good man who made time for an unknown copywriter. Thanks, Paul.
  • Joyce Hurd
    I remember several things about Paul - he was funny, he was a decent bowler (on the Mullen bowling team), he was incredibly talented but what I remember most was his kindness to me when I was at Mullen.

    Years after I left, I saw Paul on a flight from Boston. I recognized him instantly but figured he'd never remember me. When I got off the plane I realized that not only did he remember me - he was waiting on the ramp for me to get off the plane - but I got a big hug and a good bit of reminiscing about the old days at Mullen. A gentleman in the finest sense of the word. My sympathy to his family.
  • Tom Monahan
    Paul was one of the most thoughtful ad people I knew. And the type of professional and person who made you proud to be in the advertising business.
  • Ed Parks
    I appreciate the time Paul had invested in me and will always be grateful for how he sharpened me.

    My prayers go out to the family.
  • jerrygibbons
    Over the years I have admired, even envied, the work Mullen has done for its clients. It has always been strategic strong, creatively relevant to its target and brilliantly written. It is most often in the copy of an ad that the selling takes place. And that is what advertising is all about – selling a product or a service or an idea. Obviously Paul Silverman set the bar for that kind of writing at Mullen. Our industry would be better served if all writers of advertising copy would strive to reach that bar.

    - Jerry Gibbons
    A-Team Advisors, San Francisco
  • lindyaldrich
    I can remember the first time I ever stepped foot into Paul's office at Mullen. What an amazing place that was. I can remember thinking as a very junior account exec that someone very, very important could have an office that was at once so intimidating (almost like a cathedral) and so welcoming. And I was right - he was both things. I came to know him only briefly, and mostly through getting to know his daughter. She's amazing and such a testament to Paul -- open, unique, funny and utterly charming. I saw him about a year ago on the street in Boston and I stopped him -- I'm so happy that I told him that day that I thought him such a gentleman in a wild, wild business. He smiled and thanked me graciously. He'll be so missed.
  • tmaidment
    How ironic…there are not enough words to express just how wonderful was the man whose life was all about words. The world is a better place, and we are better people, because of him. Many of us, myself included, owe where we are today to Paul. Thank you Paul, for being you.
  • I adored this man. His talent. His sense of humor. Most of all his ability to get to the root of an issue, then transform it into something everyone could relate to.
    My favorite Paul story: Crossing the street with Paul in New York, from the Plaza toward the Pierre, en route to a gala celebration for Kay Koplovitz. I look down and behold, there's a large rat, walking along beside us. Paul never says a word until we near the curb and the rat disappears into a storm drain. With little emotion, Paul says something like 'that's quite a smart rat, he's going to the gala too, but he using the storm drain and we're going in the front door. He gets in for free and we're paying full price.'
    I will miss Paul as I know many others will, especially those who worked with him at Mullen for so many years. I especially want to extend my sympathies to his family and to Jim, Joe and Edward.
  • tomsimons
    A wonderful talent and delightful spirit. Always.
  • suedooley
    Paul was the "man" when I was at Mullen. I never worked with him in Wenham but he somehow knew my name and always gave me a warm welcome. Almost twenty years later, he was the CD on the Sperry Top-Sider business and I was the client. Our biggest challenge was our CEO, a demanding fellow who fancied himself a bit of advertising guru. Paul, Joey Curtis and I probably did 3 or 4 pitches together over a few years. Actually, I did nothing but sit back and watch Paul do his magic. And everytime he had our CEO mesmerized. Thanks for everything Paul, especially for being such a wonderful role model to the many wonderful people who have posted here.
  • christineleonard
    Paul was the finest example I've ever known of that potent combination of self-actualized talent and self-deprecating charm... He will be missed terribly. My heart goes out to his beloved family and friends.
  • Lori Willliams
    I was fortunate to have worked alongside Paul twice – frist at Mullen and then later after we’d both moved on to new ventures. He was an inspiration and forever shaped this media person’s view of what great advertising could and should be. It was both a privilege and a pleasure to share his work with the world. My heartfelt condolences to his family.
  • jonathanfield
    Love that photo of Paul. The eyes and posture captures his easy elegance, his panache, that sense of delight that radiated around Paul, simultaneously calm and abandoned. The man was cool. A dancer that tapped, waltzed, and swing through ways of looking at the world. His dancing was infectious. Loving. Think Dave Swartz mentioned that when he laughed, his eyes would sparkle. And it was as if you too sparkled in their light. During client meetings when new-to-advertising folks like me looked around the room and saw nothing but solemnity or at least dead seriousness among the senior staff, Paul was this presence that allowed us (certainly me) to relax. Brought you back to spontaneity. Reminded you that ultimately we were not at war. That our value was just being who we were, the whole messy lot of us. Last night I called Jane Strong, a planner with whom I worked on a project that Paul as creative director led. Jane took the news and there was a long silence. "That dear beautiful man," she finally said. "So much there. So much there." I think she captured the complexity in what she said and how she said it. In his ease, there was a richness, an abundance. He shared it gorgeously. I guess he also ventured through some awful pain. I am sorry for the pain he leaves all the gorgeousness he created. But I also know that the more tangible beauty he created (specifically, his family) as well as the inspiration and support he provided so many of us, continues to live. Sharing his sense of life, his abundance, he brought and left the world with genuinely enduring gifts.
  • Paul hired me at Mullen during a much simpler time. For starters, the offer letter was directly from him and contained very little detail except start date, salary, and the following promises: "The troubles are endless. The joy sublime. You even get a vacation. Not to mention discounts on Timberland shoes and Rolls-Royce motor cars." When my first son was born, Paul helped me to establish a then-unheard of flex work schedule, without which my career may have ended then and there. As so many have said, I owe so much to Paul. And on a lighter note, he always referred to me and my colleagues as "The Broads of Cast" with that signature smile and twinkle in his eyes.
  • mitchblum
    Even for those of us who only knew Paul a little bit he was a tremendous role model and a hell of a lot of fun to spend time with.
  • debbiebowie
    I will remember the office when Paul was there as the "Taj MaPaul" as Jim Mullen always called it. I will also remember Paul as a brilliant writer and a warm human being. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. I was lucky to see him often these past several years when he came in for Four Seasons meetings, always taking the time to stop and chat. He was also very funny and I'll always remember him telling me that someone should build a school across the road from Governor Dummer and call it Governor Dumb.
    He will be truly missed. My heart goes out to his family.
  • janiac
    Paul and team pitched us when I was on the client side many years ago in Boston. His passion and enthusiasm for the craft is what inspired me to work on the agency side and head to NYC.
  • jsways
    A measure of a man is the nature of the moment when people first hear he is gone. I was at a meeting in San Francisco, coincidentally (or not) with two other ex Mullenites, when one of us shared the news. The meeting stopped while we spoke -- with reverence and teary eyes -- of our experiences with Paul. I was in the PR group in the 90s, working on the Timberland business, and as a lover of words and ideas I cared about whatever business Paul was involved in. Much later, I discovered Paul's stories, which you can find here http://paulsilverman.com/ and I hope you do, because he love/d/s these stories.
  • Deb Eiler
    I am so sorry...I don't have words to express the grief that I feel at the moment...Deb
  • Deb Eiler
    This is brand new news to me...I am just so sorry and can't find the words at the moment other than I count myself among the lucky ones to have had Paul in my life.

    Deb
  • Eric Aronin
    I dreamed of working at Mullen because of ads written by Paul and Edward which I'd committed to memory from the awards books. When I got the job, the dream became all too real but I pulled myself together and made it from New York to Wenham. It was an ad writer's Mecca. Mythical yet hardcore. The Mansion rounded out the aura. But Paul, while partly responsible for it, brought it down to earth. (Poop jokes on the way to the client will do that.) There are so many brilliant and hilarious people who have passed through that agency because of a standard for writing and working that he set. It made me a better writer. It also put me in the path of my wife, who is from Boston. It's been many years since I worked there, but since then so much good has happened that I can trace back to what brought me there in the first place. I hope Paul's family knows how true that is for a lot of people.
  • stucooperrrider
    Years ago when I was just starting, he offered me a job and I turned it down. Over the ensuing years he'd bust me about it whenever our paths crossed. Never told him it was because I was so intimidated by his talent. Amazing writer. A huge loss.
  • mattlaurence
    Amazing... looking over the list of commenters here I see a Who's Who of the people who accompanied me and guided me in my first tentative steps into the world of advertising. Big thanks to all of you (especially Amy, Ed and Jim)... and particularly to Paul, whose graceful, calm and entertaining presence was a sort of psychic center at Mullen around which so much of the creative energy organized itself. I still remember him well as one of the most important figures in my time at Mullen, acting almost as af bridge between that "Mad Men" recollection of the hey-days and the creative advertising challenges of the modern world. Thank you, Paul.
  • There has been a request by the family for donations to a local food pantry. This is one we have been suggesting.

    Beverly Bootstraps Food Pantry
    www.beverlybootstraps.org

    371 Cabot St
    Beverly, MA 01915-3357
    (978) 927-1561
  • Mike Hughes
    I could be wrong about this, but I don't think I ever met Paul in person. But I certainly knew him.

    I knew him because I studied his ads--especially his print ads--until the pages in the awards books were worn out. (They tell young writers today to take their noses out of the awards books. Just think what they're missing.)

    I learned so much from studying his work. I learned how to be elegant and clever without being showy. I learned not to be afraid to use words when they were called for. (The goal wasn't to keep the copy short, it was to make the copy good.) I learned that advertising writing didn't have to sound like advertising writing.

    I never came close to being as good at these things as he was. But I learned a hell of a lot from reading Paul Silverman

    I can't believe I never thanked him for the lessons.
  • Steve Bautista
    No one taught me more about writing than Paul Silverman. While most of us would toil endlessly in search of the perfect headline, Paul would extend a perfectionist's attention to every letter of body copy; punctuation included. In meetings filled with loud people, Paul was probably the most quiet. But when he spoke, his words were the ones you wanted to hear. The fact that he was a gentleman just made him all the more endearing. Today it's cool, and gray, and wet, and drab outside my window. Paul would have written something nice about those conditions.
  • Bob Payne
    I was at Mullen so long ago that the agency would still hire writers like me. And the Paul you describe is exactly the one I remember.
  • margaret mcgovern
    Paul would come into the office humming a show tune and with a pocketful of headlines all on various small scraps of paper. His passion was infectious. His writing brilliant. Paul hired me one week out of art school. I knew nothing about making ads. He was a great mentor.. among all his teachings one stands out so clearly. We sat across from each other in his office. Holding up his arm and flexing his bicep, he said “your design muscle is huge, I want your idea muscle to be just as big.” Words that still echo in my head today. He made us all better.
  • craynes
    Such a shock to hear of Paul's passing. He was a legend. Someone who I just kind of assumed would always be around. The advertising world has lost a great spirit.
  • Paul Silverman was my first husband. Theresa is so kind that she called me and told me the terrible news. I met him when I was fifteen when he came to my home town of Ipswich, Ma. to write for the Beverly Times. I married him when I was nineteen and we were married until I was thirty. Those years with Paul were of the utmost importance to me. The shock I am feeling now is astounding. I am very happily married and have been for some time but Paul and my love for him is a part of me forever and ever.

    This is very hard to bear but I want to thank Jim for everything he is doing and I want to thank Theresa again.
  • Sally Seamans
    Lucky for me, the early years at Mullen were in very close quarters. As I cut and pasted mechanicals (remember those days?), I listened to the team of Paul Silverman and Steve Haesche banter back and forth a non-stop stream of brilliant, humorous, how-did-you-think-of-that ideas, hour after hour, day after day. Paul was one of the most creative writer/thinkers I have ever known. Some of my favorite memories of Paul - he hated the Beatles and mentioned it every time a song came on, he loved chicken's feet and he swooned over my matzo ball soup. But mostly, and always, I will remember how much fun we had.
  • Stacey Resnikoff
    An iconic man with an amused glint in his eye. That’s how I think of Paul. I remember once I showed him a TV script for a pitch. He read it. Held the paper. Paused a few beats. Then looked at me and said: “You could do that in Europe, not here. It’s too….edgy.” A let down couched in a compliment. Idea surely stank. But Paul always had a way with words.

    I feel lucky to have learned from Paul – experienced his approach to craft firsthand. It’s made all the difference.
  • Mark W.
    I met Paul only once.

    It was shortly after I started.
    He was coming in to write headlines for Four Seasons with Michael A.
    It was incredibly humbling to meet the guy that I had heard so much about.
    The word smith, the kind leader, the legend. The heart and soul.

    I shook his hand hoping some of that would rub off.
    He gave me a smile and simply wished me good luck.

    Paul, Thanks.
    In your honor we will do our best to be both brilliant and kind.
    And to the family I am so sorry for your loss.
  • jimgaraventi
    Been thinking a lot about Paul and what he meant to many of us. To me, Paul didn't write ads. Paul read people. He took time with them. Got to know them. And because of that, he said something to them that mattered. Sometimes he said it to many through an ad. Sometimes he said it to a friend walking down a hallway. But whatever he said, however he said it, it mattered. And we remembered it. His words, his observations, his thoughts were and are special.
  • janetmansfield
    The attendance at Paul's service today is a testament to the kind of person that he was. Family, old friends, new friends, and so many colleagues from years and years ago. Everyone was important to Paul...and Paul was important to everyone. And even amid the tears, there were some smiles and laughter. He would have liked that.
  • Kathy Moore
    Like so many others, I was shocked to hear of Paul's passing. His wry take on life seemed gently tempered by his innate courtesy so that all found themselves feeling included in the hard work of thinking as well as the fun of advertising. So many familiar names here who worked more closely with him but saying the same thing. What a tribute.
  • Julie Murphy
    Such a kind gentleman. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
  • francesrobertshill
    I was lucky enough to work with Paul (as a lowly traffic manager)
    when the agency consisted of 12 people. Jim introduced me to Paul
    by telling me - this man is brilliant - and that he was. Paul's wit will forever impact me.
  • baysiewightman
    Paul was graceful and aristocratic and I never could believe his humble roots. He was also kind and real mensch to those of us in the office that didn't really get the confrontational ad biz style. I remember he and I went down to New York to present to Calvin Klein himself. Paul was just unflappable, calmly savoring his breakfast at the Four Seasons while I was a total wreck. He helped me to see what a game this whole thing is. I will miss him.
  • MarcAnthonySignorino
    Paul Silverman was the finest, most gentle, and most wickedly funny souls I have ever had the honor of knowing. I remember working with Paul on the Timberland account, and how one day in the beginning he brought me a copy of Robert Service's poetry and a J. Peterman catalog, telling me: "Make Robert proud and Peterman jealous." He was truly a creative director who could creatively direct, and at the same time, positively inspire. I'm going to read his short stories now and try to sense his spark again. He would often threaten to write a novel, the opening line of which was to be, "Bob could often be found at cocktail parties farting quietly into corners." To this very day, with every reception I go to, I look to the corners and think of Paul.
  • Dana Kennedy
    I was Paul's sister-in-law when I was kid and he was like a big brother for a time. I always think of him when I hear the Creedence Clearwater Revival song "Sweet Hitchhiker." It was blaring on the radio as he drove down Route 128 with me in my mother's red VW Squareback. Paul was heading to Zayre in Beverly to do an interview for Discount Store News. I almost always had fun with him and felt more free with him than with my mother and sister. I remember once walking around the Star of the Sea Church in Marblehead with him. We saw a nun in the distance. Paul wished the nun would ask us the question, "What reason do you have for being here?" so he could respond, "None." In 1971 he told me he would never forgive me and I didn't see him much after that. But I forgive him.
  • darciatrem
    In my 10 years at Mullen, I was never fortunate enough to work directly with Paul, but when I saw him in the hallways, he always knew my name, he always said hello and he always had a smile. He was a legend in this business and will always be fondly remembered!
  • Peter Minasian
    Thank you Ed for your remembrances ...as a former PR guy at Mullen, relished those times when an assignment connected with creative and the occasion to have Paul in the mix. His insights, easy smile and engaging nature elevated my thinking and made me feel welcomed and valued ... for me those confidence building experiences define his natural generosity toward colleagues. Always grateful Paul.
    Peter Minasian
    peter@minasiancommunications.com
  • michelle dilisio
    It is with such great sadness that I have received this new today. (9/12/09)
    Pauls talent did not outshine his warm smile, kind words, and humor,
    shared in many a late night presentations and gruleing 90 hour weeks.
    He was one of few men in this industry I was honored to have worked for.
    I thank him for valuing all of us who worked in the studio, as people and
    employee's. He was truly a man of distinction, and in my experience with him,
    he knew how to pull the best out of people, even if we were at our worst.

    To his family, he was a really neat guy who I always thought of as
    the calm and never the storm. I hope that those who have written and
    have remembered him, have shared their memory with you. As I have found
    there are many sides of our spirits that not all know about, and mine is how
    I remember him and am grateful for that memory. I hope these memories
    will bring you some comfort at this time. You are in my prayers.

    Sincerely, michelle dilisio (aka mike)

    ps I wish this had spell check cause I stink at spelling and I know paul would
    be correcting it!
  • I learned of Paul's death only today from Alimentum publisher Paulette Licitra, who forwarded a notice from Paul's white, Teresa.

    Paul was indeed a real writer. I speak as one who had the privilege to publish his stories in Alimentum, the literary journal that I edit. I'm a writer myself who has won and judged awards for fiction, and who has taught creative writing now for over twelve years. And I will tell you, as a editor, as a teacher, as a writer, as a reader, I've seldom come across work as consistently good. Paul's style was all his own; he wrote to his own heartbeat. From the first line of his that I read I knew I was in very good hands.

    I never met Paul but even I miss him and am deeply saddened to learn of his death. I know that the literary world has lost a superior writer, and I'm pretty sure the world has lost a superior man.
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