Jay Advertising


Jay Marketing & Communications is a full-service creative and media advertising agency, headquartered in Rochester, New York, with offices in Phoenix and Tampa.

History

In 1973, Jay was founded by brothers Ferdinand Jay Smith III and Gregory W. Smith, both of whom were inducted into the Rochester Business Hall of Fame in 2009. The agency, composed of a tight-knit group of brand storytellers whose passion and purpose are best reflected in the idea of Relentless Respect, is largely noted for its national and regional consumer advertising, sales promotion, events planning and marketing, and broadcast production expertise.
In 1996, Jay was purchased by the Interpublic Group of Companies, a relationship which flourished for nearly two decades with Jay serving as the retail Agency of Record for two General Motors divisions - Buick and GMC, developing, editing, and trafficking 6,500 broadcast commercials in-house each year.
In 2014, Jay bought its independence back from IPG and has operating on its own ever since, serving a roster of well-known regional clients including Wegmans Food Markets, Raymour & Flanigan, Five Star Bank, St. John Fisher College, and various automotive dealership groups around the country. In 2015, Jay expanded its Digital Services department to meet the challenges head-on in the ever-growing and -changing online world.
In 2018, Ferdinand, the company's Chairman/ECD/Band Leader whose musical achievements include the HBO movie theme song and numerous orchestral pieces for Olympiads and major TV networks, was inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame.

Notable clients