Alan Waldie - a celebration of his career

The other day I was privileged to experience something that one person who was present described as ‘magical’. It was a specially-convened event to celebrate the remarkable career of Alan Waldie. Alan is noted for many great pieces of work but most famously for the Benson & Hedges ‘Swimming Pool’ commercial which won a coveted D&AD Black Pencil in the late seventies. Last Tuesday, Alan was presented with another Black Pencil, to mark his extraordinary career. But rather than describing the event in detail, I can do no better than to publish below a press release prepared by Tim Lindsay, CEO of D&AD. Here it is.

A great English copywriter wrote this ad when he worked at Doyle Dane Bernbach in New York in the sixties.

If only Volkswagen had clung to the ethos that it embodies.

Why couldn’t it have been somebody like George Clooney? Or Cary Grant? Or Martin Shaw, even? No such luck. It turns out that my near-doppelganger is not so much a Clooney as a loony. I wouldn’t mind, but people keep pointing out the resemblance, even complete strangers. Of course, none of this is helped by the fact that, like Jeremy, I live in Islington.

Most great ads have an interesting story behind them: how the writers and art directors dreamed up the ideas, and what inspired them. I thought it would be an interesting idea to research some of these stories and describe the process behind their creation. I pitched this idea to Stephen Foster at the advertising website ‘More About Advertising’.

Rob and Jim, the Asterley Brothers, have created Dispense. ‘A modern British amaro’ is how they describe it. However, its roots are firmly Sicilian.

Having been invited to take part in the beta testing, Mark Andrews and I took two sample bottles down to Nate Brown, head mixologist, at Merchant House, a bar in the City near St Paul’s.

We spent two days visiting the London Wine Fair. And before you snigger – ‘bet there was plenty of free wine to sample’ – our purpose was deadly serious.

I was thrilled when Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond chose as best car demonstration commercial one of the many films I produced during my days as Head of Television at Collett, Dickenson and Pearce (CDP). I knew they were planning something of the kind because the BBC had phoned me last year to […]

Are you a business owner who often has to write your own publicity material?

Are you somebody who works in a marketing department, who is called upon to judge copy?

Are you somebody who works in a marketing agency who hasn’t been taught how to write persuasive copy?

Then read on.

Now it would appear that Prince Charles isn’t the only member of the establishment to make use of an advertising line. David Cameron, no less has got in on the act. The other day, in what’s been generally described as ‘an unguarded moment’, David Cameron likened being prime minister to eating Shredded Wheat.

Sir Alan Parker, former advertising copywriter, cartoonist, distinguished director of feature films, and now fine artist, proves to be an entertaining lunch companion.

I had spent much of my youth eagerly watching the adventures of the Starship Enterprise. But, being an advertising man, Nimoy’s death brought to mind something else: a poster that I consider to be the greatest-ever created for the famous ‘Heineken refreshes the parts campaign’: Mr. Spock’s pointy ears in need of refreshment.

Nick Asbury, a fellow writer, has produced a masterpiece of negative thinking. It’s called the Perpetual Disappointments Diary.