Jane Trahey

Jane Trahey (November19, 1923 – April 22, 2000) was an American businesswoman and writer. She is best known as one of the pioneers of advertising during the 1960s. Her awards include the Advertising Woman of the Year award in 1969 from the American Advertising Federation. She acted as the chief for advertising campaigns on behalf of Bill Blass, Elizabeth Arden, and Blackglama mink, among others.

Biography

Early life and education Trahey was born in Chicago on November19, 1923 and studied at Catholic schools. After attending Chicago's Mundelein College and graduating in 1943, she continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for two years. Trahey earned the degree of Master of Fine Arts in 1975 from Columbia University in New York.

Career Before working for the Chicago Daily News in the survey research department, Trahey worked in the Chicago Tribune's news morgue. Her first advertising job was for the Chicago department store, Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. as copywriter after a period in the retail shop as receptionist. Her work at the firm caught the attention of retail store Neiman-Marcus where she later worked as copywriter in 1947 in Dallas, Texas.

Trahey worked at Neiman-Marcus in Texas for nine years where she became the director of advertising and sales. Her work at Neiman-Marcus earned Trahey a reputation for her "innovative fashion copywriting". She even tested different colors with scented inks in retail ads. her own agency specializing in cosmetics and fashion advertising. With the addition of partner Franchellie Cadwell in 1962, the agency was renamed Trahey/Cadwell Associates. In June 1964 the partnership ended and the agency worked under the new name "Trahey Associates/Advertising" until 1965 when the name changed again to "Trahey Advertising". Between 1965 and 1966 the agency worked for well known companies including Charles of the Ritz, Rob Roy Shirts for Boys, Pauline Trigere, Elizabeth Arden, and Union Carbide Corporation's textile department.

Rocky Piliero, production manager of Trahey's agency during 1969, said on her death that, "Ms. Trahey didn't like accounts. She liked projects. She liked to do something new. She'd be gung-ho for six months, then get bored."