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Bright Ideas
Drive Future Of Longtime Michigan Ad Agency, SMZ
Jim Michelson, Debbie Fuger,
Pam Renusch and Jamie
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I
n 1929, flush with talent and upstart
advertising notions, young entre-
preneurs Leonard Simons and
Lawrence Michelson “struck it rich”
with jewelry store advertising — recruit-
ing jewelers from across the country
with clever newspaper ads. In their first
six months in business, the two partners
earned $25,000 each, which they prompt-
ly invested in the stock market and just
as promptly lost two months later.
But these were no ordinary gentlemen.
The founders of Simons-Michelson
Co. not only survived the Great
Depression, they thrived with the tumul-
tuous changes that radio and television
brought to the advertising business.
The original partners continued to
successfully operate the business for
the better part of 50 years, overlapping
with the next generation, consisting of
Michelson’s son, Jim, and Simons’ son-
in-law, Mort Zieve, both of whom took
over management in 1977. And today,
the third generation of Michelsons run
the company out of a daringly modern
office in Troy with nary a square desk
or wall.
“We’ve survived and prospered
because we are a strong service com-
pany with an outstanding creative prod-
uct,” says Jim Michelson, chairman of
SMZ. “We have an amazing longevity of
relationships with our clients. We really
service them well.”
Hard work, caffeine and adrenaline
have helped the team, now 50 employ-
ees, to remain innovative and relevant.
In a competitive business often known
for revolving-door hiring, the average
staffer at SMZ has 20 years’ seniority.
The firm regularly earns high grades for
its reputation and was recently named
one of Crain’s Detroit Business “cool
places to work.”
Every Friday, staff comes together
along the large granite bar and share
M & Ms and other treats with soda pop
and coffee. The family of owners appre-
ciate the hard work and innovation put
into digital technology, social media and
data collection, not to mention ads for
point-of-sale, billboards, broadcast and
print.
For a company older than the Jewish
News, much credit goes to the found-
ers who met when they were teens and
remained friends and business partners
for 80-plus years. When the pair ran the
company, Michelson serviced the cli-
ents and Simons managed the finances
and gave the speeches. According to a
Jewish News story by Kimberly Lifton,
“Michelson stepped out of the limelight,
devoting his leisure time to his family,
friends and a few civic causes.”
According to a story heralding a pro-
fessorship at Wayne State University in
both Michelsons’ and Simons’ names,
“Simons took the spotlight, rising as
a Detroit Jewish communal leader
within the Jewish Welfare Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit and Temple Beth
El, where he was president.”
Among Simons many other accom-
plishments was raising money to
build the Jewish Home for Aged, Sinai
Hospital, the Detroit Historical Museum
and the Hillel building at University of
Michigan. He also did fundraising for
Hebrew University, Bar-Ilan University,
Brandeis University, the Technion and
Wayne State University Press, whose
building is named in his honor.
Meanwhile, Michelson and Zieve
helped mind the store. Old timers may
remember slapstick Soupy Sales TV
commercials for Wrigley Supermarkets,
Cunningham’s News Ace “zooming
into your homes,” drivers being told
“When you can hear your muffler,
see your Midas man!” and the mouth-
watering strawberry festival ads for Big
Boy restaurants. Over the years, the
agency recruited Charlton Heston, Bill
Cosby, Rob Reiner and Chad Everett
for Lauders Scotch advertising. In fact,
the only flop the agency can recall was
“cocktails in a box” for the liquor com-
pany. Seemed the concept hit too close
a resemblance to kids’ juice boxes.
“Advertising is a relationship business.
You earn your clients’ respect and trust
every day. Creativity is our product.
Unless we contribute to the success of
our clients, we can’t ensure the future of
our business,” Michelson says.
The firm invented the three mischie-
vous boys, Fresh/Pure/Delicious, that
heralded Velvet Peanut Butter promo-
tions and painted advertising on the
sides of buildings all over town.
Today the advertising portfolio
includes the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red
Wings, the Michigan Lottery, Grand
Hotel, the Fisher Theater, DMCVB,
Taubman Malls and more. Today’s out-
standing work is managed by the third
generation of Michelsons. This includes
Jamie Michelson, Pam Michelson
Renusch and Debbie Michelson Fuger.
It all comes down to collaboration,
according to Jamie Michelson in a com-
pany blog: “Our heritage, mission and cli-
ents inspire us to keep it cool. Every day
we research, conceptualize and imple-
ment fresh ideas. No matter what we are
working on we integrate our method of
‘listen, think, do …’ To come up with like-
able ideas, we have to foster a cool work
environment.”
Pam Renusch adds, “We’re proud of
our heritage and longevity, but also
proud to be 88 years young and still
going strong.”
In a circle of inspiration and creativ-
ity, the work gets done. As Debbie Fuger
notes fondly, “We treat people like fam-
ily because we are family.” Y
Simons Michelson Zieve
Advertising
1200 Kirts Blvd #100, Troy, MI 48084
(248) 362-4242
www.smz.com
jn
July 18 • 2017
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