John Marcus is a writer/ producer for McCarthy Marcus Hennings. He has won numerous awards for writing and producing broadcast advertising, political advertising and broadcast programming.
Marcus recently helped produce a winning bipartisan statewide campaign for all five of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Let’s Rebuild California” propositions. Marcus also produced TV and radio ads supporting the confirmations of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito.
Marcus helped produce “Ashley’s Story” for Progress for America Voter Fund in 2004. Advertising Age named “Ashley’s Story” one of the top ten ads of the year, the only political ad so honored. He also wrote and produced a national TV, radio and print ad campaign for the U.S. Departments of Labor and Educations Skills to Build America’s Future campaign.
Since 2000, Marcus has worked with the National Republican Congressional Committee producing independent expenditure ads to promote a conservative agenda. And he produced ads for the Republican Governors Association in California and Kentucky in 2003.
Marcus also produced national advocacy campaigns for the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care, the Coalition to Protect Americans Now and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In consumer advertising, Marcus helped lead the launch of Pennsylvania’s TAP 529 college savings program; helped produce a national print/radio/TV campaign encouraging deployment of Verizon’s FiOS high-speed Internet and TV service; and led the successful national launch for ValueAmerica, where his national television and radio campaign brought a 600% increase in sales and won an Addy Award for excellence in the highly competitive national retail category for the e-commerce retailer.
Marcus began his career as a producer for Abramson/Himelfarb Advertising, and as a writer/producer for the Jayen Group Advertising, after a two-year graduate film program in Los Angeles.
Before joining forces, McCarthy once described Marcus as the “secret weapon” of political media consultants. Besides working with McCarthy, Marcus produced ads for Stuart Stevens, Alex Castellanos, Tony Marsh and Greg Stevens. And as a freelance writer/producer he helped win Pollie Awards in two different presidential campaigns.
National Journal's Charlie Cook wrote in 2004 that the craft of storytelling is missing from political ads because “… few current media consultants have any training in filmmaking.” Marcus’ film school training and advertising agency experience has added another dimension to MMH.
Marcus won two Public Relations Society of America Thoth Awards for work done for Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide - for projects for NASA and for a series of FEMA TV PSAs.
Marcus wrote and produced award winning work for the then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich; three films presented at the Senate Majority Dinner; a campaign bio film for then-Ohio Governor George Voinovich; a film for then-Governor George Allen; a spot for General Colin Powell for AmeriCorps; and work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Marcus produced and directed “The Quiet Champion,” a one-hour special for PBS; produced "Real Estate Today," a nationally-syndicated television show; was senior producer for "Small Business Focus," a nationally syndicated television show; and was a segment writer/producer for Fox Television’s "America’s Most Wanted."
Marcus has written articles that have appeared in the Washington Post, Potomac Life Magazine and the American School Board Journal and has been a guest lecturer at Georgetown University.
Marcus earned his B.A. at John Carroll University and his M.A. at Loyola University of Los Angeles.
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