John Salmon

HAT was sad to learn of the death of John Salmon, the former Collett Dickenson Pearce chairman and creative chief, at the age of 85.

Regarded as one of the finest copywriters of his generation, John will be remembered here as a long-time champion of HAT as well as being a generous donor.

John was described by Lord Puttnam as “the heart and soul” of CDP who not only enhanced the agency’s creative reputation during its golden era of the Sixties and Seventies but helped keep it alive when a Sir Frank Lowe-inspired breakaway threatened it with extinction in 1981.

The Times dubbed John “a gentleman among mad men” who always favoured tailored suits and was a perpetual voice of sanity in an agency where decadent behaviour was not just tolerated but encouraged.

He was no creative martinet, always treating his staff with a respect and consideration that made them want to do their best work. He insisted that creative output had to be effective. As he told his teams: “If it doesn’t sell, we’re out of business.

John’s advertising career began in the Fifties, working in London, Toronto and New York. He was hired by Doyle Dane Bernbach after his work caught Bill Bernbach’s eye and joined CDP in 1967.

One of his most significant hirings there was Alan Waldie, creator of the multi award-winning and iconic Benson & Hedges Gold campaign and he was a mentor to Sir Alan Parker, whose directing career was launched at CDP.

John was equally renowned for his calming demeanour and famously coaxing a sceptical Alan Whicker into fronting the famous TV commercials for Barclaycard.

He himself helped create some of CDP’s most famous campaigns for the Metropolitan Police and the Army before his retirement in 1994.

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