Ed McCabe

Ed McCabe is widely regarded as one of the greatest advertising copywriters of the twentieth century. A self-taught prodigy who never attended college, he rose through the ranks of agencies including Carl Ally Inc. before co-founding Scali, McCabe, Sloves in 1967 with Sam Scali and Marvin Sloves. The agency became famous for its bold, intelligent creative work and grew into a major independent force in American advertising. McCabe's copywriting was distinguished by its directness, wit, and respect for the consumer's intelligence. He created landmark campaigns for clients including Volvo, Perdue Farms (the famous Frank Perdue 'It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken' campaign), and Barney's New York, among others. His work helped establish a new standard for creative advertising that balanced persuasion with craft. He was named to the Copywriters Hall of Fame and was one of the youngest people ever inducted into the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. McCabe has been recognized throughout the industry as a defining figure of the creative revolution in American advertising, and his influence on copywriting and agency culture remains significant decades after his peak work.

Last updated Nov 10, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment · Connections updated Nov 10, 2026