Bruce Silverman’s career has spawned such memorable slogans as American Express’ “Don’t leave home without it,” and Pace Picante’s “This stuff’s made in New York City!” (which has cowboys ranting about the origin of salsas).

But after 29 years of dreaming up ads for everything from cars to all-you-can-eat shrimp, Silverman is now pursuing what he considers a higher road “social marketing.”

Silverman has been hired as president of Western International Advocacy Group, a newly created division of the $4 billion media management company Western International Media.

Silverman’s division will focus on public service advertising, political campaigns and other ads that advocate a particular position.

“Unlike most marketing projects, you’re not pushing a thing, you’re trying to influence public opinion, social morals,” he said.

After long stints at Ogilvy & Mather, Bozell & Jacobs and BBDO, he wanted a change.

Silverman first developed a taste for “social marketing” while working as president of the Los Angeles agency Asher/Gould. While there, he headed up efforts for the California Department of Health Care to develop campaigns on tobacco education and HIV prevention.

“I became very interested in social marketing because I saw it do tremendous good. In California, for example, the anti-smoking campaign has cut the prevalence of smoking in half in this state.”

He’s won many industry awards, including the advertising industry’s most-prestigious national honor, the Clio award, “too many times to remember,” he says.

“It got to the point where I used them as doorstops, really. My kids played with them when they were little and broke them.”

Chris Denina