Joe Sedelmaier

Advertising Executive


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Joe Sedelmaier discusses his early years working as an art director at several advertising agencies including Young & Rubicam and J. Walter Thompson. He talks about his difficulties in breaking the mold in television commercials, from the content, to the camerawork, to the insistence he felt agencies had on sticking to the storyboard and not discovering things on set. He recalls creating his own company to produce commercials and his interest in working with the smaller agencies who were less rigid in their thinking. Sedelmaier addresses the animosity that existed toward using humor in television advertising and how he embraced it as his sole "genre" in creating commercials. He describes his approach to humor, casting his commercials with "real" people, and the importance he felt in having control over every aspect of production. He outlines how his insistence on complete creative control wasn't tolerated in Hollywood when he was hired to direct the feature film Easy Money. He recalls his most well-known advertising campaign, the "Where's the Beef?" spots for Wendy's, which made a star out of octogenarian Clara Peller. He talks about some of his other commercials for Wendy's including the celebrated "Russian Fashion Show" commercial which featured a portly runway model sporting the same gray frock to illustrate daywear, eveningwear, and swimwear attire, and the "Parts is Parts" commercial featuring a Southern-accented fast food counter employee explaining processed chicken to a customer. Sedelmaier speaks of other well-known ads he created, including his 1974 Southern Airways ad (which "put him on the map") that showed a passenger discovering a frighteningly somber coach section, as well as ads for Federal Express (featuring fast-talking man John Moschitta) and Valvoline ("Motor Oil is Motor Oil"). Karen Herman conducted the interview on April 7, 2006 in Chicago, IL.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"A sweet little lady asking 'Where's the beef?', fighting for the rights of elderly people. It was amazing! People would say "Are you looking for your next Clara Peller?" I never looked for the first Clara Peller. She was just there!"

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign with Clara Peller
07:30
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercials 
05:34
Joe Sedelmaier on his famous, fast-talking Federal Express series of commercials 
09:57
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Mr. Coffee commercials 
01:19
Joe Sedelmaier on his style
01:37
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on wanting to be a cartoonist; on being interested in film and getting into advertising
On his early memories of television; on working for Young & Rubicam, Clinton Frank, and Leo Burnett

Chapter 2

On the state of television advertising in the '60s; on incorporating more subtlety into television advertisements; on starting his own advertising agency
On the early days of his advertising agency; on his early clients

Chapter 3

On Southern Airways putting his agency on the map; on gaining creative control over his advertisements
On his preference to use film in his advertisements; on his Alaska Airlines commercials; on his Federal Express commercials 

Chapter 4

On his famous, fast-talking Federal Express series of commercials 
On discovering Clara Peller, Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" lady; on Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign with Clara Peller
On Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercials 

Chapter 5

On various Wendy's commercials; on structuring his commercial rates and dealing with the heads of companies; on various Federal Express commercials
On foreign commercials he created; on creating commercials for Mr. Coffee and Jartran; on creating commercials for Eyewitness News and Valvoline

Chapter 6

On creating commercials for Texaco Super Unleaded and the process of casting commercials; on then-current projects
On considering directing feature films; on the then-current state of advertising; on his style
On market research; on gauging the success of an ad; on his son; on advice to aspiring advertising professionals, his greatest career achievements, and how he'd like to be remembered
Topics

Advertising and Sponsorship

View Topic
Joe Sedelmaier on becoming interested in film and getting into advertising
05:29
Joe Sedelmaier on working for Young & Rubicam, Clinton Frank, and Leo Burnett
13:01
Joe Sedelmaier on the state of television advertising in the '60s
03:55
Joe Sedelmaier on incorporating more subtlety into television advertisements 
06:14
Joe Sedelmaier on starting his own advertising agency
05:27
Joe Sedelmaier on the early days of his advertising agency
06:19
Joe Sedelmaier on his early clients
06:49
Joe Sedelmaier on Southern Airways putting his agency on the map
04:36
Joe Sedelmaier on gaining creative control over his advertisements 
03:53
Joe Sedelmaier on buying out his partner and taking control
04:20
Joe Sedelmaier on turning down clients and his affinity for comedic commercials
05:39
Joe Sedelmaier on his preference to use film in his advertisements 
02:31
Joe Sedelmaier on his Alaska Airlines commercials
03:31
Joe Sedelmaier on his Federal Express commercials 
03:41
Joe Sedelmaier on his famous, fast-talking Federal Express series of commercials 
09:57
Joe Sedelmaier on discovering Clara Peller, Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" lady
05:12
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign with Clara Peller
07:30
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercials 
05:34
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercial 
04:26
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Parts is Parts" commercial
02:07
Joe Sedelmaier on the effect his ads had on Wendy's
02:01
Joe Sedelmaier on structuring his commercial rates and dealing with the heads of the companies
02:25
Joe Sedelmaier on Federal Express commercials he created
01:54
Joe Sedelmaier on foreign commercials he created
06:07
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Mr. Coffee commercials 
01:19
Joe Sedelmaier on his Jartran commercials 
03:06
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Eyewitness News commercials
01:57
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Valvoline 
03:15
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Texaco Super Unleaded and the process of casting commercials 
05:04
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for AAMCO and HP
01:35
Joe Sedelmaier on the then-current state of advertising 
01:32
Joe Sedelmaier on his style
01:37
Joe Sedelmaier on market research 
01:04
Joe Sedelmaier on gauging the success of an ad
02:24
Joe Sedelmaier on advice to aspiring advertising professionals 
04:05
Joe Sedelmaier on his greatest career achievement and how he'd like to be remembered
01:05

Advice

View Topic
Joe Sedelmaier on advice to aspiring advertising professionals 
04:05

Television Industry

View Topic
Joe Sedelmaier on becoming interested in film and getting into advertising
05:29
Joe Sedelmaier on working for Young & Rubicam, Clinton Frank, and Leo Burnett
13:01
Joe Sedelmaier on the state of television advertising in the '60s
03:55
Joe Sedelmaier on incorporating more subtlety into television advertisements 
06:14
Joe Sedelmaier on starting his own advertising agency
05:27
Joe Sedelmaier on the early days of his advertising agency
06:19
Joe Sedelmaier on his early clients
06:49
Joe Sedelmaier on Southern Airways putting his agency on the map
04:36
Joe Sedelmaier on gaining creative control over his advertisements 
03:53
Joe Sedelmaier on buying out his partner and taking control
04:20
Joe Sedelmaier on turning down clients and his affinity for comedic commercials
05:39
Joe Sedelmaier on his preference to use film in his advertisements 
02:31
Joe Sedelmaier on his Alaska Airlines commercials
03:31
Joe Sedelmaier on his Federal Express commercials 
03:41
Joe Sedelmaier on his famous, fast-talking Federal Express series of commercials 
09:57
Joe Sedelmaier on discovering Clara Peller, Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" lady
05:12
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign with Clara Peller
07:30
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercials 
05:34
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercial 
04:26
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Parts is Parts" commercial
02:07
Joe Sedelmaier on the effect his ads had on Wendy's
02:01
Joe Sedelmaier on structuring his commercial rates and dealing with the heads of the companies
02:25
Joe Sedelmaier on Federal Express commercials he created
01:54
Joe Sedelmaier on foreign commercials he created
06:07
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Mr. Coffee commercials 
01:23
Joe Sedelmaier on his Jartran commercials 
03:06
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Eyewitness News commercials
01:57
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Valvoline 
03:15
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Texaco Super Unleaded and the process of casting commercials 
05:04
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for AAMCO and HP
01:35
Joe Sedelmaier on the then-current state of advertising 
01:32
Joe Sedelmaier on his style
01:37
Joe Sedelmaier on market research 
01:04
Joe Sedelmaier on gauging the success of an ad
02:24
Joe Sedelmaier on advice to aspiring advertising professionals 
04:05
Joe Sedelmaier on his greatest career achievement and how he'd like to be remembered
01:05
Professions

Advertising Executive

View Profession
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Texaco Super Unleaded and the process of casting commercials 
05:04
Joe Sedelmaier on his style
01:37
Joe Sedelmaier on advice to aspiring advertising professionals 
04:05

Executives

View Profession
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Texaco Super Unleaded and the process of casting commercials 
05:04
Joe Sedelmaier on his style
01:37
Joe Sedelmaier on advice to aspiring advertising professionals 
04:05
Genres

Commercials

View Genre
Joe Sedelmaier on the state of television advertising in the '60s
03:55
Joe Sedelmaier on incorporating more subtlety into television advertisements
06:14
Joe Sedelmaier on his Federal Express commercials
03:41
Joe Sedelmaier on his Alaska Airlines commercials
03:31
Joe Sedelmaier on his preference to use film in his advertisements
02:31
Joe Sedelmaier on turning down clients and his affinity for comedic commercials
05:39
Joe Sedelmaier on gaining creative control over his advertisements
03:53
Joe Sedelmaier on Southern Airways putting his TV commercial agency on the map
04:36
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercials
05:34
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign with Clara Peller
13:04
Joe Sedelmaier on discovering Clara Peller, Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" lady
05:12
Joe Sedelmaier on his famous, fast-talking Federal Express series of commercials
09:57
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Valvoline
03:15
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Eyewitness News commercials
01:57
Joe Sedelmaier on his Jartran commercials
03:06
Joe Sedelmaier on creating Mr. Coffee commercials
01:19
Joe Sedelmaier on foreign commercials he created
06:07
Joe Sedelmaier on Federal Express commercials he created
01:54
Joe Sedelmaier on structuring his commercial rates and dealing with the heads of the companies
02:25
Joe Sedelmaier on the effect his ads had on Wendy's
02:01
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Parts is Parts" commercial
02:07
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Russian Fashion Show" commercial
04:26
Joe Sedelmaier on the then-current state of advertising
01:32
Joe Sedelmaier on advice to aspiring advertising professionals
04:05
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for AAMCO and HP
01:35
Joe Sedelmaier on creating commercials for Texaco Super Unleaded and the process of casting commercials
05:04
People

Clara Peller

View Person Page
Joe Sedelmaier on discovering Clara Peller, Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" lady
05:12
Joe Sedelmaier on Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign with Clara Peller
07:30

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