A short life of the author
Tom McElligott is an American advertising executive and creative director who co-founded Fallon McElligott Rice in Minneapolis in 1981. The agency quickly became one of the most acclaimed in the United States, producing print advertisements characterised by their striking visual simplicity — black-and-white photography, bold headlines, and sharp, witty copy that respected the reader’s intelligence.
McElligott’s work for clients like The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and the Episcopal Church redefined what print advertising could achieve. The agency’s campaigns in the 1980s are considered a high-water mark of American print advertising, and McElligott’s influence on art direction and copywriting remains substantial.
Collecting McElligott
Books about advertising history — particularly those covering the creative revolution of the 1980s — feature McElligott’s work prominently. Collections of great American print advertisements and annuals from The One Show and Communication Arts that feature Fallon McElligott campaigns are collected by enthusiasts of advertising design and graphic art.
The Minneapolis creative scene that McElligott helped build produced a generation of copywriters and art directors who went on to lead agencies across the country.