Get to know us better...
We are the complete solution for all of your advertising and marketing needs.
BIG AGENCY POWER. PERSONALIZED SERVICE.
National media buying experience, over 30 years of creative excellence and dynamic in-house production…
our clients enjoy all of this with up-close communication and unparalleled one-on-one service and attention to detail.
From concept through creation to completion, we do it all. Although we’ve been automotive advertising experts for decades, we’ve expanded into many other verticals. Because of our experience with one of the most challenging breeds of marketing, we’re able provide service, speed and expertise unmatched at other ad agencies. Whether you’re looking to make an impact in broadcast television, radio, digital advertising, email, paid search or with video – we can help!
The Origin Story...
MJS Advertising was born in January of 2000, the first child of Matthew J. Sakolove. (He now has two daughters and a boisterous Boston Terrier.)
Matt grew up in St. Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands. It’s an island known for its cultural diversity, fascinating history and delicious Caribbean seafood. And while Matt undoubtedly acquired his love of the beach, windsurfing and boating from his formative years there, his culinary tastes seem to have been derived from Omaha. Steak, steak and more steak! As he’s been known to say, “If it comes from the ocean, I’m not eating it.”
Matt and his family moved to Florida in 1981 and, though he inherited his football fanaticism from his Boston-born father, he eventually grew to think of himself as a South Floridian, cheering for both the Dolphins and the Heat – no matter how they fared!
“Dad, now that we live near Miami we can give up on those crappy New England Patriots and we can become Miami Dolphins fans!”
It was in college that Matt decided he wanted to work in advertising. Like many ad execs’ origin stories, he was inspired by an ad campaign. In this case, it was Nike’s campaign for their new cross-trainer shoes starring the great two-sport athlete Bo Jackson. “Bo Knows Baseball” ignited a fire in Matt and he decided to contact the agency that created it. He wrote them. He called them. He sent them his resume. He was invited to visit them. And he spent an entire day, in Portland, Oregon, interviewing with them.
But he was also in talks with an agency in his hometown and when the offer from that local agency came in first, he jumped at the chance to start working immediately. That was back in 1989, when a gallon of gas cost 97¢.
His first job in advertising was in automotive advertising and was just as he expected: long hours, hard work and low pay. Very long hours, very hard work and very low pay. He spent nearly 9 years there, gaining valuable experience, developing leadership skills and learning from some of the best in the business. He was entrenched in the day-to-day operations, servicing accounts, traveling to meet with clients and working with every department.
His second employer offered a him a top-level executive job and, in just over a year there, he learned much more about the business and financial sides of advertising. Armed with this knowledge and wild ambition – he knew that someday soon he would open his own business – just like his father and grandfathers.
In the fall of 1999, with 10 years of automotive advertising experience and a healthy Delta Airlines Sky Miles account, he set out to create his own advertising agency with the goals of doing it better, smarter, faster and with an unmatched passion for client success and employee fulfillment.
But first, he needed clients. And employees.
The Timeline...
MJS Advertising, automotive advertising agency is born;
Y2K crisis averted.
SteelHorse Productions, our in-house studio, launches;
walls lined with diamond plate.
Hurricane Wilma kills power across South Florida. MJS finds generators in Ohio & with about 2 miles of extension cords, we get it done!
First MJS baby is born; Alexa was the first of seven
to start her life in advertising so far (who’s next?).
California office “MJS West” opened;
Hi Tina! How’s the weather out there?
Upgraded our digs;
Panoramic views and a beautiful atrium.
Studio expansion begins; more space, more editors
and our own green screen cyclorama.
Digital Department expands; they even get their own wing!
Office expansion makes a visit to the media department an official trek.
Hurricane Matthew gave us a scare,
but we didn’t miss any deadlines!
Participated in our first national brand running footage shoot.
Have you ever seen a Russian Arm? We have.
COVID ’19 taught us all how we can still work together…
even working from home.
What’s next? The sky’s the limit!
fun fact.
our building hosts proms, weddings and dance classes for local seniors