by Patti Connor
Staff Writer
Jennifer Johnston is tired.
And with good reason.
The vivacious director of creative services for the Jacksonville Jaguars spent last week in a frenzy of activity, preparing for the team’s preseason home opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Johnston’s job, that involves not one specific duty, but a multiplicity of tasks — from changing gate tower banners and replacing stadium graphics, to working out a new guest services program and providing the entirety of the team’s advertising, from placement to execution.
In short, Johnston has a lot of footballs to juggle.
Not that she’s complaining. In fact, she’s quick to say she loves every minute of it, and from the sparkle in her eyes, there’s no doubting her sincerity.
“You never know what the day has in store for you,” she said. “If someone walked into my office and said they wanted to apply for this job, the first thing I’d ask is, ‘Do you have the ability to be a chameleon and wear just about any kind of hat.’ There’s no such thing as a typical day. But that’s what makes it fun.”
For many recent college graduates, no small amount of vacillation and hand-wringing is involved before they finally determine what career path they want to pursue. But for Johnston, a 1993 graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, Va. (“It was an all-girls school so I had no experience whatsoever with football), who grew up in Jacksonville, that was never a issue.
“I always knew that I wanted to be in advertising. I love being able to communicate and incite emotions,” she said. “As I grew up in Jacksonville, I always had just assumed that once I graduated I’d be able to take advantage of my various networks to land a job. But the market was horrible and it wasn’t that easy.”
Making the rounds of the local advertising agencies, she found herself facing a common dilemma: they needed someone with experience.
Finally, in frustration, Johnston accepted a non-paying position as an intern with the now-defunct William Cook Agency. After three months, she was promoted to assistant account executive. In light of the variety of duties involved in her current job, her agency experience, she said, was invaluable.
“We had everything from a retail supermarket [the agency handled advertising for Winn-Dixie], to an NFL franchise,” she said. “You’re talking about two very different approaches.”
Her initial exposure to the Jaguars came five years ago when the agency worked with the team on the development of its Cool Cats Club. (Designed for youngsters ages three to 15, the club, which will be relaunched this year, offers members a variety of benefits, including quarterly newsletters and posters.)
After accepting a job as manager of creative services, which she held for two years, Johnston was promoted to her present position in May. She admits that lately there have been any number of challenges for fans and the team.
“With the salary cap and the fact that we’ve lost so many players, there’s been a lot to deal with. When we were growing up you could sit down in front of the TV to watch a football game on a Sunday afternoon and see the same faces and the same coach year after year. Now, that’s no longer the case,” she said.
Dealing with that lack of continuity, she said, is probably the biggest challenge facing management.
“We have to figure out how to reinvent ourselves, while maintaining tradition. It’s an odd dichotomy. In the past years, I think, it’s been a big adjustment for all of us,” said Johnston
She credits Head Coach Tom Coughlin with helping make that adjustment considerably easier.
“Coach Coughlin has been at the crux of our being a strong team, and I don’t think he always gets credit for that. Granted, we’ve had our share of ups and downs, but people tend to forget how many ups we’ve had. In the past five years, he hasn’t faltered in his approach. And that, I think, is unusual.”
As hard as it is to see long-time players like Keenan McCardell and Tony Boselli leave to play for other teams, “You hear [Jaguars owner] Wayne [Weaver] talk about the new players, and the twinkle in their eye. Even though everyone’s really having to prove themselves, it’s exciting just to think about all the newness out there,” she said.
In Johnston’s job, words are fine, and no doubt, effective. There is, however, no substitute for “the strongest marketing tool available — the Jaguars, themselves.”
“Especially in some of our outer markets,” she said, “we rely heavily on them. We usually take along about four of them for autograph signings. When I can say Fred Taylor will be signing in the main concourse, that, obviously, is going to be a major drawing point.”
Newly single, Johnston recently purchased a loft in San Marco.
“Before that, I was beach bumming it at my parents’ home in Sawgrass. I absolutely love San Marco. It’s so eclectic, and all the improvements they’re making are so exciting,” she said.
She’ll be sharing her new digs with her four-and-a half-year-old Rottweiler, Lilly.
“She proves all those stereotypes about Rottweilers to be totally incorrect,” she said. “She sleeps in my bed with me — with her head on a pillow — and goes to my mom and dad’s every day for doggie day care. I admit it, she’s totally spoiled. I get more upset about her birthdays than I do my own.”