“I REMEMBER THIS ONE TIME WITH ANNA MORRIS...”

BY ALIXANDRA RUTNIK ON JUL 22, 2024

Get to know our Creative Hall of Fame laureates with stories from their friends and colleagues

The Creative Hall of Fame has a rich history dating back 60 years that has honored more than 225 men and women in advertising, design, branding, illustration, photography, typography, and education. And this September 5, we will be adding nine more incredible individuals to that list, alongside recognizing the Type Directors Club’s TDC Medalist. You’ll want to grab your tickets and tables today!

In celebrating these nine inductees, we wanted to move away from simply posting their work and many accomplishments, and instead get the inside scoop from their friends and colleagues. We gave them each the prompt “I remember this one time when...” and encouraged them to share stories from the laureates’ pasts. They could be funny, poignant, a little bit embarrassing — or even all three!

Anna Morris is our next soon to be Creative Hall of Famer to be featured this summer, and if you need to catch up on the other articles we’ve done so far you can find all of the inductees featured here. As Executive Vice President and Copywriter at Burrell Communications, Anna championed Black culture in her ads and created excellent and very well-known campaigns for McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. 

The stories Anna’s freinds and colleagues have to share are truly touching and we hope you will love reading them as much as we did!

ALISA STARKS FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT/ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, BURRELL COMMUNICATIONS

I remember meeting Anna Morris 40 years ago at Burrell Communications Group, then Burrell Advertising. She was already a talented and experienced professional in the creative department. I, on the other hand, was fresh out of graduate school and had never worked in the advertising industry or anywhere professionally until joining the agency. My career at Burrell Communications in account management started under the tutelage of an advertising all-star line-up that included Anna Morris, Tom Burrell, Sarah Burroughs, and Eugene Morris. It was my dream job, and Anna helped to make it unforgettable!

Anna made me feel like I was part of a special family of cohorts, one committed to excellence and teamwork. While her tall stature and commanding voice could have been intimidating to me at only 5’1” at best, I only felt the warmth of her wisdom and wit when it came to working together on various agency accounts, like McDonald’s Corporation and The Procter & Gamble Company. She was always approachable, no matter what her title.

A few years later, my wedding invitation was sent to the top executives at Burrell out of overwhelming respect. There was no expectation that they would accept the invitation of a junior Account Executive. So, I was honored that Anna attended my wedding in May 1988. Having senior management from Burrell at the wedding and reception meant more than I could have imagined.

I worked two stints at Burrell. When I left the agency for the first time in 1989, Anna’s creative team designed a special over-sized card for the surprise office party to celebrate my move to Los Angeles. When I left the agency for the second and final time in 1997 to launch an entrepreneurial career in entertainment, Anna supported my aspirations wholeheartedly with a personal investment.

Long after working together at Burrell, I still remember other social gatherings with Anna. She loves to play bid whist. She coaxed me into hosting a ladies’ night for her and other former Burrell comrades. We played cards, listened to R&B classics, and enjoyed food and drinks well past midnight.

Let me end by saying that it takes more than one story to paint a picture of who Anna Morris is and why she is so admired and respected. There are countless stories. Her induction into the 2024 Creative Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor based on her professional creative accomplishments, and she’s special to me because of who she is as a person – genuine, inspirational, and fun-loving.

“Her induction into the 2024 Creative Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor based on her professional creative accomplishments, and she’s special to me because of who she is as a person – genuine, inspirational, and fun-loving.”

FAY FERGUSON FORMER CO-CEO, BURRELL COMMUNICATIONS

I remember this one time when Anna and I were on our way to a very important creative meeting at Procter & Gamble. We arrived at O’Hare early to make sure everything went smoothly. I was a little nervous as this was our first meeting after winning the Crest Toothpaste account. Adding to the pressure was the fact that Burrell was P&G’s first diversity agency! Since we were early, we decided to go to one of the nearby stores to browse. Well, we obviously got distracted looking through magazines or whatever. The next thing I recall was an announcement for Final Boarding! All I can say is you never saw three women run so fast! Our hearts were pounding. We were out of breath. Anna shouted, “Ferguson, you better make sure we get on this flight.”

Well, those of you who know Anna know she has a very commanding voice. I swear that everyone in the terminal heard her, including the attendant at the flight desk. And that was that - the attendant obviously felt sorry for me and held the door for us! She made our day. Anna has always had a beautiful commanding presence that makes people pay attention to what she says. That commanding presence plus her brilliant creativity helped Burrell grow into the storied company it is today.

“Anna has always had a beautiful commanding presence that makes people pay attention to what she says.”

TOM BURRELL FOUNDER, BURRELL COMUNICATIONS CREATIVE HALL OF FAME 2017 INDUCTEE

I remember this one time when Anna led the agency’s creative team out to Burrell’s largest account to present to the client’s head of advertising. The work was heavily criticized and rejected. Anna not only spoke up, but also she “went off” on the client with an impassioned tirade that called into question the client’s judgment. As soon as possible, we packed up our stuff and fled the scene unsure if we had just lost the business, but very sure that Anna’s ties to the account were irreparably severed. When we went back for another round, we prudently decided to leave Anna at the office.

As soon as we entered the presentation room, the first thing to come out of the client’s mouth was, “Where’s Anna?” Once again, Anna’s passion, enthusiasm, and belief in the power of great creativity led the way to some award-winning advertising, powerful results, and long lasting mutually respectful client-agency relationships!

“As soon as we entered the presentation room, the first thing to come out of the client’s mouth was, “Where’s Anna?””

CAROLE SIMPSON JOURNALIST

Heck, I don’t remember one time. I remember hundreds of times, maybe thousands of times with Anna. We have been BFF’s for 77 years. Can you believe that? How many people have been so blessed? We are old ladies in our 80s now, but we met in the First Grade at Sexton Public School on the Southside of Chicago.

When I saw her for the first time I was in awe. We were six years old and it was the first day of school. My mother had made me some pretty nice pigtails with big bow ribbons at the ends. I was so proud, but not after I saw Anna. Running down the length of her back were two big thick and shiny horse tails. Well, that’s what they looked like to me. I had never seen hair so beautiful. So my attraction to her was hair. I don’t know what she saw in me. Maybe my bows.

For whatever reason we became fast friends. We did everything together: Saturday morning cartoon festivals at the movie theater, running from boys who chased us, and dressing up our dolls. As we got older, there were slumber parties, Friday night dances at the Episcopal Church, and YMCA sleep away camp. Although we were the closest friends we were fiercely competitive. We were both smart, but I think her grades were higher than mine. We both loved doing art work, but her drawings looked better than mine. We spent a lot of time playing games, and guess who usually won? Yes, Anna.

After graduation from high school, we got separated for the first time as I went to the University of Michigan and she to Bryn Mawr. After college, we returned to Chicago where Anna made her home but I moved on to Washington, D.C. There were husbands and children and dogged pursuit of what we each wanted, an exciting career. Anna became an advertising executive and I became a network television anchor.

As time marched on, Anna and I would go years without contacting each other. But something would always come up and we would call and talk. After our kids grew up and work was no longer as insistent, we began traveling together all over the world: China, Russia, Kenya, Sweden, Spain, the Canary Islands, Argentina, and South Africa.

“After our kids grew up and work was no longer as insistent, we began traveling together all over the world: China, Russia, Kenya, Sweden, Spain, the Canary Islands, Argentina, and South Africa.”

In the twilight of our lives our youthful worries about clothes, boys, and “who’s the best?” have given way to more serious worries about aches and pains, and canes or walkers? As for the hair that brought us together 77 years ago, it is still an issue. We both have lost most of ours. But never the mind. What we will never lose is our friendship and love for each other. Best friends forever, Anna.