'Thanks advertising it's been a wild ride': M&C Saatchi’s Tom McFarlane joins AWARD Hall of Fame

Rosie Baker
By Rosie Baker | 26 May 2017
 

If you find a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life,” said M&C regional chief creative officer Tom McFarlane quoting Chinese philosopher Confucius while accepting his nomination into the AWARD Hall of Fame.

McFarlane was presented the accolade by his daughter Miette, currently a copywriter at Droga5 New York, in what was an emotional surprise for Tom at the awards ceremony on Friday (26 May)

A visibly emotional and teary McFarlane described his 48 years in advertising as a “wild ride”.

It's a long time, but the years have flown by,” he said “This is an ideas business, and it always will be.”

McFarlane later told AdNews that growing up Miette expressed her desire to go into the advertising business not because she was specifically encouraged to do so by her father but because among all her friends growing up, he was the only dad who seemed to love his job.

He paid tribute to his partner Tom Dery, who set up M&C Saatchi Australia saying he was “proud to be one half of 'The Toms'.”

M&C Saatchi founder Maurice Saatchi welcomed McFarlane to the Hall of Fame in a video montage. Watch it below.

The Hall of Fame recognises “pioneers who have defined a generation and shaped creativity”. Recipients are nominated by AWARD members and decided by the committee. The decision on McFarlane was unanimous.

McFarlane was the original founding creative of M&C Saatchi Australia 22 years ago, starting the agency alongside Tom Dery.

He now leads its Woolworths bespoke agency The Greenhouse, based in Surry Hills, and was a big part of the reason Woolworths moved its account back to M&C from Leo Burnett without a pitch 18 months ago.

His portfolio contains some of Australia's most iconic ads and he is also recognised for nurturing Australian talent such as Ben Welsh, now at DDB, and Matt Eastwood, now the global CCO of JWT.

“I am immeasurably proud that so many successful people in agencies here and around the world began, or grew their careers at M&C Saatchi Australia. It’s been a hell of a ride, wild at times, but always fun,” he says.

“For me, it is always about finding a big idea that will genuinely help a client’s business grow, nurturing young talent and watching an industry I love continue to flourish. Along the way I have been privileged to work with so many talented people, who are also good people. Not the least Tom Dery who has been my partner and friend for over 27 years.”

McFarlane's story

He got into advertising and started out in Melbourne as a despatch boy, spent four years at RMIT and four different agencies and then headed to London. On his return he was executive creative director at JWT Melbourne, followed by DDB.

In 1996 Dery, who McFarlane had worked with at DDB, invited him to join the then fledgling M&C Saatchi which was a year old and the first international M&C Saatchi in the world.

In his first 12 months the agency won 14 clients grew to 39 people and won Agency of the Year. The agency now has 400 staff in Australia, 14 businesses units, 32 agency of the year titles and has been named agency of the decade.

The M&C Saatchi regional creative director, was honoured at the 2017 AWARD Awards, which has been running since 2009 and has 16 existing members.

AWARD chair Wilf Sweetland says: ‘Letting Tom Mac know that he was to be inducted as this year’s recipient was both an honour and a career highlight for me.”

“Tom has had an impact like no other creative leader over the past three decades. His credentials span a decades long career in agency leadership, his building of M&C Saatchi into a creative powerhouse, his contribution to many of the strongest and longest-running campaigns for so many famous brands, and his legacy in discovering and nurturing the careers of countless industry creatives."

Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop me a line at rosiebaker@yaffa.com.au

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