‘Remember how seriously we all took it?
Not that we took ourselves seriously or that we didn’t have fun, but we just tried so, so hard to make great work.
It may be chip paper to most people, but we’d really sweated every last detail.
Even on the bad ads, we’d stay lat trying desperately to improve them.
Like we were on a mission.
It seemed so important.’
I enjoyed chatting to Mary.
Although afterwards, I must confess, I was a little irritated; why on earth had she never set up her own agency?
Or run her own Creative Department for that matter?
(And why wasn’t that one of my questions?)
She was born to do it.
She’s such a clear thinker, funny, ballsy and confident, as you’ll hear.
Also, and this is often gets overlooked – in 1987 Mary picked up the coveted Whitbread Most Promising Beginner Award at The Creative Circle.
Hope you enjoy it.
HOUNSLOW COLLEGE.
FOOTE CONE BELDING.
London Underground.
Rimmel.
Kahlua.
GOLD GREENLEES TROTT.
Zamoyski.
Post Office.
Mazda.
Holsten Pils.
The Daily Mirror.
ITV.
Cancel The Third Word Debt.
Cadbury’s Wispa.
Toshiba.
LEAGAS SHAFRON DAVIS.
The Sunday Express.
SAATCHI & SAATCHI.
Royal Borough of Kensington.
British Airways.
Visa.
ABBOTT MEAD VICKERS.
Famous Grouse.
Tampax.
Reed Employment.
Anti-Smoking.
British Telecom.
The Economist.
Yellow Pages.
Ikea.
RSPCA.
Make Poverty History.
Department of Transport.
Maltesers.
Mary’s 5 copywriting tips:
Stunning work, I remember so many.
What’s rather sad or should I sat very sad, it reminds me I have seen a decent ad for years (not months). So refreshing seeing an idea.
It’s a shame these wont be put in front of clients and project managers to see an alternative approach to selling products.
Weren’t the British once good at advertising…
Yes, ‘when the ads were better than the programmes’
I wonder if there’s a correlation between the obsessive and unreasonable creative directors of the time and the quality of the work?
I have to say, I wondered why nobody had yet done a round-up of Mary’s work to date. So much great, memorable stuff to enjoy. Such quality writing. I had the pleasure of working a few offices (remember them?) away from Mary for a couple of years at AMV- when she was paired with the equally lovely and equally talented Andy McKay. I have just spat my tea out while watching the Delta work: Four eggs, sample; what a nutter, waist of time…. hilarious. Thanks for that Dave.
Loved that, right down to the radio commercials.
Thanks Mary, thanks Dave. x
You’re missing Mary’s press BA ad where the flight costs lots of money even though there’s a discount because the traveller goes to Paris and buys lots of nice stuff. It got a nomination for copy in maybe ’94 or ’92 or something. I think it’s worth adding to the digital pile…
Can’t think of it Ben? I’ll have a look. Dx
https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/1994/copy/20167/paris-from-287237-return/
Thank you Dave, I’ve just realised that Mary did half of my favourite top 10 ads.
Very enjoyable, thanks dave!