One of the unique pleasures of witnessing the transition of one century into the next is looking back at those individuals who made a lasting impact in their fields. It is as if our nation is taking a deep breath and reflecting upon the past before stepping forward into the next century, the next millennium. The advertising industry is no exception. Industry journals Advertising Age and Adweek have both published retrospecives naming those individuals who contributed most to the business of advertising. The names included in these retrospectives included many of the industry's legends: Bill Bernbach, Leo Burnett, George Gallup, David Ogilvy. All were men and women who profoundly impacted the way that the business world communicated to and with a mass audience. (Rothenburg, 1999, pg C9.)

One name that has been included in such lists is Jay Chiat. As one of the founders of the influential California advertising agency Chiat/Day, Chiat is perhaps best known for leveling the playing field for advertising agencies not located on Madison Avenue. Thanks in part to his influence, agencies outside of New York City were able to experience newfound credibility and respect in the final decades of the twentieth century. It can be argued that smaller, creatively focused agencies such as Weiden & Kennedy in Portland, Oregon, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, California, and Fallon McElligot in Minneapolis, Minnesota could not have risen to prominence without the contributions of Jay Chiat and Chiat/Day. As longtime friend and coworker Lee Clow explained, "What Jay combined was the aggressiveness of a New Yorker with the freedom of California. There was a less restrictive advertising establishment out here, and the work reflected that." (Mitchell, 1988, p. 10.)

However, unlike the aforementioned names, Chiat’s famously eclectic personality has resulted in a legacy that has yet to be determined. Those who have worked with Chiat remember him as a charismatic motivator, a man who possessed the unique idea that constant change and chaos bred success and innovation. (p. 10) However, Chiat pursued his vision so vigorously that it sometimes strained his interpersonal relationships with coworkers. As Chiat’s former partner Guy Day commented in 1988, "I find Jay fascinating, alarming, highly driven, and I admire him greatly. And it’s easy to do as long as I can do it from afar." (p. 10)

By studying the advertising career of Jay Chiat, it is possible to gain a snapshot of an industry that underwent great change in the last part of the twentieth century. When Jay Chiat entered the advertising industry, Bill Bernbach was leading a creative revolution that would greatly impact the future work of Chiat/Day. This work includes what is largely regarded as the best television commercial ever created: the controversial "1984" Super Bowl ad for Apple Computers. By the time Chiat sold his agency to the industry giant Omnicom in 1995, Chiat/Day had become the penultimate symbol of the sometimes brilliant and sometimes arrogant advertising agency. (Li, 1999, pg. 7.) It is for these reasons that while Chiat’s final legacy may be debatable, his importance will never be disputed.