Ad Executive Jack Ehrig; Man Behind `Moo-Stache'

From the milk "moo-stache" ads to the state tourism slogan "The Other Washington," Jack Ehrig left his mark on advertising.

He and his agency teams dubbed a Washington bank "Bigfoot's Bank" and helped Seattle consumers accept Japanese-import cars such as Mazda in the late 1960s.

It's no wonder that in addition to being past president of the Seattle Advertising Club, in 1995 he earned the Seattle Advertising Federation's only lifetime achievement award.

"He also wrote all the slogans on the Gai's Bakery trucks: `Drive safely. The loaf you save may be your own,' " said his son, Dick Ehrig of Lake Oswego, Ore.

Mr. Ehrig, of Medina, died of a heart attack Monday (March 23) at a hotel in Phoenix, where he had gone to watch Mariner spring training. He was 68.

"He was a very creative guy and had a quick wit," said fellow advertising executive Don Kraft. "He had a huge heart. You could count on him."

Born in Billings, Mont., Mr. Ehrig moved to Seattle when he was young and graduated from Lincoln High School. At the University of Washington, he pledged Alpha Tau Omega, served as UW homecoming chairman and earned a journalism degree.

"He was a good drawer and was an avid reader, but kind of a wallflower in high school," said his son. "In college he really bloomed."

Mr. Ehrig began his award-winning advertising career with Honig-Cooper. When it was bought by Kraft-Smith, he was retained and by age 29, he was executive vice president of Kraft-Smith & Ehrig.

He later co-founded Ricks-Ehrig, then Ehrig & Associates and wrapped up his career as vice chairman of EvansGroup. He retired in 1994.

He helped invent the milk "moo-stache" when he had Washington State Dairy Commission as a client, his son said. The ads have since gone national with celebrities sporting white upper lips from drinking milk. The ad campaign is now run by the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board.

Mr. Ehrig also served as president of the University of Washington Alumni Association, the Washington Athletic Club and the 101 Club. He was a founding co-chairman of the Puget Sound Business Hall of Fame.

"In his spare time he liked to golf," his son said. "But he was just an avid reader. He also enjoyed spending time at a family beach cabin on the Tulalip Indian Reservation."

He did a lot of advertising work for homebuilders when Bellevue developments such as Lake Hills were getting under way in the 1950s.

"I'll tell you one thing about Jack," said Kraft. "He was a super-avid Husky fan from the day he walked in there to the day he died. He had purple in his veins."

Mr. Ehrig's other survivors include his wife of 47 years, Gloria Ehrig of Medina; children Debbie Ehrig Seidl, Bainbridge Island, and Nancy Ehrig Kevorkian, Darien, Conn.; sister, Cleo Woodward, Arlington; and six grandchildren.

Services are at 4 p.m. tomorrow at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8300 N.E. 12th St., Medina.

Remembrances may go to the 101 Club Foundation (for amateur athletes), c/o Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101; or to the Campaign for the Student Athlete, c/o the University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195.