Deutsch LA history

He took his first job in advertising at Ogilvy & Mather in 1979, but was quickly bored with his role as an assistant account executive on the Maxwell House Coffee account.

He went to work at J. Walter Thompson in 1980 and by the age of 31 was responsible for a major share of the agency's business.

1986: Donny Deutsch is named creative director.

1991: Steve Dworin, a senior vice-president at J. Walter Thompson, joins company.

In 1992 Donny Deutsch gained even more attention when Bill Clinton's presidential campaign selected him as one of a handful of advertising executives to help guide its advertising strategy.

Nevertheless, the association with a winner was good for the agency, which continued to gain momentum in 1993.

Deutsch spent considerable time and money, some $400,000, trying to land the Volkswagen $110 million North American account in 1994.

Deutsch even created a direct marketing unit in order to bolster its chances. Its billings increased in 1997 by 32 percent over the previous year, reaching $500 million.

In 1998 the agency opened a Chicago office to service area clients.

In 1999 Deutsch reached $1 billion in clients' billables, while income topped $133 million.