Remembering Mike Yuhas, Adweek's copy chief
A man who hated ampersands and struck fear into every journalist. He will be missed.
No takes today; just a few thoughts on the guy who made my (and countless reporters’) words ... work.
I learned yesterday, via a flurry of texts from my former colleagues, that Adweek’s long-time copy chief, Mike Yuhas died. He was the definition of gruff-but-friendly; he’d bark at ya, but then swing by, slowly and with his cane in his later years, to offer a word or two of support.
Like the time he told me:
He’d regale me with stories of serving in Vietnam, or going to Yankee Stadium (the old one, the one that Ruth built), or perhaps more pointedly, about the go-go days of trade media when the outlet was making money hand over fist.
On dark weeks, when we didn’t have a print issue, or when you gave your notice, he’d type up a Top 10 list. The last two years, he made a lot of Top 10 lists. (I hope my former colleagues have their lists.)
Mike was a no bullshit guy, which always made for great conversations during some pretty bullshit times. Each morning, we’d have a perfunctory stand up meeting where reporters rattled off the stories they were working on that day. Mike usually just doodled.
There are few people we meet in life that have a profound impact on how we view things. Mike, for many at Adweek, was that guy. It helped that he was at the company for more than three decades, witnessing the changing nature of media and advertising, but also internally, the change from private equity owner to private equity owner.
He gave us a perspective, reminding us that no matter the stupidity that swirls around us on a daily basis, there are bigger fish to fry. Like ampersands. God he hated ampersands.
One day, Kacy (below) told me she was afraid to talk to Mike. Found him a tough nut to crack. So I grabbed her, marched up to Yuhas and said, “Mike, this is Kacy. She’s a good egg.” He smirked and then showed us his special manilla folder that he kept on the side of his desk, that included his life; pictures from Vietnam, drawings, tidbits.
Brian puts it perfectly.
Mike’s desk. I’d always enjoy strolling by it and catch him watching marching band videos on YouTube.
When I got laid off in April, Yuhas sent me a note, which I look at to remind me of the power of good people in our lives.
“Your Michael Kay ‘see ya’ homerun call caught me short. Say it ain’t so Joe Josh… Will need some time to process this sudden revelation, especially since we’re all reliving high school permanently grounded and in detention. Your quick wit and insights in our journalistic asides will be sorely missed.”
Anyway. We all need more Yuhases in our lives to keep us honest.
OK Go, “This Too Shall Pass”
Thanks for allowing me in your inbox, today and every day. If you have tips or thoughts on the newsletter, drop me a line. Or you can follow me on Twitter. Thanks for reading!
Some interesting links:
For publisher pivots to sex toys:
BuzzFeed wants to become an authority of sexual wellness for millennials with a new branded sex toy (Digiday)
For marketing big ticket items during a pandemic:
Lexus Inspired By Pandemic For Holiday Campaign (MediaPost)
For platforms:
TikTok says the Trump administration has forgotten about trying to ban it, would like to know what’s up (The Verge)
Facebook extends political ad ban as Georgia Senate runoffs heat up (Politico)
Retailers are pushing their employees to become TikTok influencers (Modern Retail)
Remember What Mark Zuckerberg Said About Private Messaging in 2019 (OneZero)
For publishers:
ESPN Confirms Future Shut Down of Esports Division (The ESports Observer)
WarnerMedia lays of 1200 as pandemic woes persist (Ad Age)
For workplaces navigating the pandemic:
Companies Offer Creative Solutions to Worker Burnout During the Pandemic (WSJ)