[1][2] In 2012, Advertising Age called Virginia is for Lovers, which was first unveiled in 1969, "one of the most iconic ad campaigns in the past 50 years.
[1] His father, Hawley Phillips Martin, worked as the director of advertising and communications for the Southern States Cooperative and later became the Richmond branch of a Washington D.C. ad agency.
Martin obtained his bachelor's degree in social science in 1952 from Hampden–Sydney College in Hampden Sydney, Virginia.
[1] He then joined the staff of VanSant Dugdale, an ad agency based in Baltimore, where he drew storyboards and wrote scripts for television commercials.
Martin publicly credited Robin McLaughlin, an advertising copyeditor, with writing the original tagline, "Virginia is for history lovers.
[1] The rest of the advertising team agreed with Martin's suggestion, leading to the iconic Virginia is for Lovers campaign.
[1] While Martin largely retired from advertising in 1995 to pursue writing and painting, he continued to partner with his sons for other ventures.
[2] He also served as a regional head for Associated Actors and Artistes of America (4As), a performing arts trade union federation.
"[1] He also began painting after working with painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell on an ad campaign for Colonial Williamsburg.