JOE ANSON

1945-2021

Today, at the company Joe Anson co-founded nearly 40 years ago, we celebrate his life and memory with eternal fondness and gratitude.

Like the impactful campaigns he so consistently created, Joe was never destined for obscurity. He was as unique as the slice-of-pie-shaped offices bearing his name at Fairbanks and Park Avenue. He was larger than life even to people who knew him best, and the tales only grew taller among those who never had the pleasure.

Joe Anson was a real character who possessed real character.

From a personal or professional standpoint, he was impossible to pigeonhole. A diehard Yankees fan, Joe eventually cheered for their bitter rivals. An accomplished account executive, he became an exceptional creative director. He was a man who could be serious, funny, or seriously funny.

Exuding the vitality and quiet strength of a former Marine, Joe was a competitor who enjoyed bringing home new hardware from ad shows and new accounts from business pitches. He valued winning but not boastfulness. He insisted on doing great work because his clients deserved it and because that’s just how it ought to be done. He believed building a quality portfolio and reputation should speak for itself, and his formula for success certainly did so.

Name a coveted advertising award and Joe won it. Hundreds, in fact. He and his team filled agency shelves with trophies and plaques from all levels of industry competition. Rightfully listed among Who’s Who in Advertising, Joe also received the Silver Medal Award from the American Advertising Federation-Orlando, the highest honor that organization can bestow.

Over the course of a 35-year career, his talent and straightforward integrity left an indelible impression on friends, colleagues, clients and competitors alike. At the same time, by always doing it right and doing it well, Joe forever transformed the advertising/branding industry in Central Florida.

Father, founder, mentor, icon, friend. Joe Anson was all that. Each of us at Anson-Stoner will sorely miss his wit and wisdom, but we take comfort in knowing that his memory, his legacy, his company and his vision will certainly live on.