About | THE AD MAN BOOK

ABOUT THE AD MAN

With a foreword by legendary CEO Alan Mulally—and insights drawn from an exclusive interview with him—The Ad Man 2.0 opens with one of the most respected leadership voices in modern business.

This powerful business fable explores what happens when success meets succession… and when a founder must decide how to pass on more than a company.

Jim Mudd built something from nothing—a basement startup that grew into one of America’s most respected automotive advertising agencies. For forty years, his instincts guided every decision. His values shaped every hire. His vision carried the company forward.

Now, standing at the edge of transition, Jim faces his greatest challenge:

How do you pass on not just a business… but a way of thinking?

As Jim reflects on the people and lessons that shaped his journey—from automotive dealers to elite athletes and world-class leaders—he begins to uncover the principles that truly drive lasting success. Not tactics. Not trends. Principles. Through an engaging narrative, The Ad Man 2.0 reveals the frameworks that separate good leaders from great ones.

This is not another business theory book. It is a story about responsibility—to customers, to employees, and to the next generation of leaders. If you are a business owner preparing for succession, a leader navigating rapid change, a manager trying to build systems that outlast you, or an entrepreneur searching for principles instead of tactics, this book was written for you.

“I don’t know two leaders who model what I have taught about more than Jim Mudd and Clifton Lambreth.” — Ken Blanchard

If you’ve ever wondered what really lasts when markets change and technology moves faster than people, this book will give you the answer.

Start reading today and discover why principles come first, technology second—and results follow.

PRINCIPLES FIRST, TECHNOLOGY SECOND.

ChatGPT Image Dec 31, 2025, 01_09_26 PM.png

RESULTS NOW!

Featuring Contributions from:

Alan Mulally – Former CEO of Ford and Boeing
Darryl Strawberry – Eight-time MLB All-Star with a powerful redemption story
Ken Blanchard – Coauthor of The One Minute Manager

MEET THE AUTHORS

Jim Mudd Sr.

Jim Mudd Sr. was the founder and chief spiritual officer of Mudd Advertising, headquartered in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and became a trusted ally and innovator for thousands of automotive dealers nationwide. As chairman of the board, he helped shape the company’s vision and strategy, guiding it from a basement startup into one of the nation’s largest privately held agencies focused exclusively on retail automotive advertising. From the beginning, Jim pushed dealers toward data-driven, results-based campaigns—using a “scientific approach” to media and messaging long before analytics became standard in the industry. Jim launched Mudd Advertising in 1981 with a single local auto dealer and a simple goal: build campaigns that measurably move metal. Under his leadership, Mudd became an early adopter of integrated traditional and digital strategies—combining direct mail, TV and radio, targeted video, email, and emerging digital channels into coordinated campaigns that helped dealers reach in market buyers more efficiently. He also invested heavily in in house capabilities, adding a state-of-the-art production studio in 2007 and a creative loft in 2010 so dealers could access broadcast-quality video and creative work under one roof—unusual for a regional automotive agency at the time.

Across four decades, Jim helped shape best practices for automotive marketing by insisting on clear offers, consistent branding, and measurable ROI in every campaign. He shared these principles with more than 250 dealer and industry audiences and codified them in The Ad Man, a book he intended as a roadmap and tribute to the auto dealer that outlines a repeatable blueprint for retail success.

Jim graduated from Brescia University in Owensboro, Kentucky, and studied radio and television broadcasting at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, bringing a broadcaster’s sense of storytelling and timing into dealership advertising. After a respected career in broadcasting and radio station ownership in the Midwest, he followed the encouragement of dealer partners to create an automotive advertising agency in July 1981—a move that helped modernize how many dealers approached media, messaging, and customer follow up.

He served on the national board of the Lead Like Jesus ministry, on the University of Northern Iowa Foundation board, and supported numerous charitable organizations as a generous philanthropist. Jim and his wife and business partner, Cecelia, have both passed away and are remembered as pioneers whose family and team continue their mission of serving the automotive industry with data driven creativity, servant leadership, and unwavering commitment to dealer success.

Clifton Lambreth

Clifton Peter Lambreth is a highly sought-after business, marketing and automotive industry specialist, published author and television personality. Speaking to numerous organizations, he frequently tours the nation to present on success and business principles and has authored numerous articles on diversity, leadership, compensation and other business topics.

For over 26 years, Clifton proudly served the Ford Motor Company in a variety of positions. He was consistently a top performer throughout his career at Ford and received many prestigious awards and distinctions including five Ford Inuksuk Drive for Leaders Award, three Diversity Leadership awards and the 2008 Ford Leadership Award. Clifton has been a Ford college recruiter for over ten years at Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, Johnson Business School and Wharton Business School. He graduated from Thomasville Senior High School in North Carolina having been a proud alumnus of the North Carolina Baptist Children’s Mills Home. He went on to receive his BSBA in Marketing and Management and his MBA from Western Carolina University. Further, he is the founder and CEO of Daniel Bradley Matthews, Inc., a firm that provides strategic automotive, business and marketing consulting.

Due to his expertise and experience, Clifton has been quoted in over 400 media sources. He has done over 150 live radio show interviews and has appeared on NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox TV discussing a multitude of business topics. His first book, Ford and the American Dream: Founded on Right Decisions, has been translated into Russian.

Clifton has served on the Board of Directors of the Family Foundation Fun; on the Executive Advisory Board of Lead like Jesus Foundation; Western Carolina's Alumni Board; and on the Advisory Board for Western Carolina University’s School of Business; and he is serving on the board of Directors and Good Seeds Board of Directors and on the University of Tennessee Advisory Board for the Customer Experience Program. Clifton resides in Brentwood, Tennessee.

PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW

• Chief Futurist at Mudd Advertising, where he leads the vision for next-generation automotive marketing technology, platforms, and strategies focused on outcomes rather than impressions.

• Recognized expert in automotive retail, digital strategy, and integrated media, helping thousands of dealers improve profitability through scalable, ROI-driven campaigns and advanced measurement.

• Proven track record of building high-performing teams and driving digital transformation across the automotive advertising industry.

INNOVATION AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

• Architect and early champion of proprietary

approaches such as Hypercasting® and Brandcasting, integrating data, creative, and media to reach the right customer with the right message at the right time.

• Key driver behind platforms like Mi4 and MuddVision, which leverage real-time data, predictive modeling, and VIN- level attribution to optimize media performance and eliminate waste.

• Frequent voice on the evolution of automotive marketing, emphasizing outcomes, accountability, and people-first targeting in partnerships and public commentary.

INTERNATIONAL SPEAKING AND INDUSTRY PRESENCE

Robert Mudd is a sought-after international keynote speaker whose presentations decode complex trends into actionable insights for dealers, motivating teams across continents to rethink traditional marketing and embrace advanced data and technology.

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS

• Keynote Speaker at the inaugural Russia Auto Dealers Association (ROAD) conference in Moscow, Russia (2010), and invited as Workshop Speaker for the

ROAD Delegation at NADA San Francisco (2009)

• Selected Presenter at the inaugural China Automotive Dealers Association (CADA) ATD conference in Chengdu, China (2013)

• Presenter/Participant in the US-China IT Services Exchange Program in Shanghai, China (2013)

• Presenter at European Auto Dealer Day in Verona, Italy (2013)

• Presenter at International Republicans Institute seminars in Bangkok, Thailand (2012) on digital media and web content strategy

North American keynotes and presentations:

• Selected presenter at NADA conventions (2007 Las Vegas, 2014 New Orleans)

• Featured speaker at Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition (Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago — multiple years)

• Keynote at CPO Vehicles and Balloon Lending, Auto Finance Group, Detroit, MI

• Presenter at Auto Remarketing & CPO Conference (Scottsdale, Phoenix)

• Featured presenter at Pre-Owned Vehicle Department Conferences (Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix)

• Speaker at Used Car Week (San Diego, 2014)

• Keynote speaker at CEC Business Technology

Conferences (Green Bay, Iowa City)

• Presenter at Family Business Network International Next Generation Conference (New York, NY)

• Speaker at Wards Dealer Business Auto Spring Training Conference (Tampa)

• Speaker at Credit Crisis on Main Street (Washington, D.C.)

ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTIONS

• Automotive advertising educator on digital media integration at national conferences

• Featured in podcasts and industry content as "Chief Futurist," sharing perspectives on where automotive media, measurement, and customer engagement are headed next

• Presenter for Comcast Media National Sales Meeting (Salt Lake City)

CAREER TRAJECTORY

• Longstanding leader at Mudd Advertising, progressing from account executive to president roles in digital media and research & development before assuming the Chief Futurist position.

• Built and led high-performing teams in Chicago and Cedar Falls, driving digital innovation, integrated media strategies, and new business growth for dealership groups nationwide and internationally.

• Early career in B2B sales honed a results-oriented mindset and a focus on building territories and relationships that deliver measurable business impact.

EDUCATION AND PROFILE

• Holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Iowa, grounding his analytical and strategic thinking in strong communication and narrative skills.

• Based in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and connected to a broad network of 2,200+ automotive, marketing, and technology professionals across the U.S. and abroad.

Rob Mudd

Robert Mudd is a Chief Futurist and global automotive marketing pioneer and innovator, recognized internationally for pioneering data-driven, outcome-focused advertising solutions that help dealers win in the "new now" of automotive retail. With more than three decades of experience spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Russia, he blends deep industry expertise, digital innovation, and compelling storytelling to drive measurable growth for clients worldwide.