Interview with Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy UK

Having children.

 

And the worst?

 

Having children. And buying a yoghurt-maker.

 

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt in your career?

 

Be very afraid of the obvious. Sometimes.

 

What do you wish you’d known when you joined OgilvyOne as a graduate trainee?

 

I wish I had read James Webb Young earlier. And Gossage.

 

How will communications change over the next 50 years?

 

Perhaps less than they over the last 20. Fundamentally there are no new forms of communications left to be invented - except for a few curiosities. However, while future communication technologies may not change by much, I do fervently hope that the way we use them will. It is a constant source of upset to me that technology has by and large failed in its promise to improve our quality of life. We should be working a four-day week by now.

 

What is your favourite brand and why?

 

I find Amazon a fascinating business and a fascinating brand - perhaps the kind of direct business we could only dream of 15 years ago. Have just bought a Kindle this week: can't recommend it too highly.

 

What’s your proudest achievement?

 

Yet to come, I hope. But if I can kindle some interest in behavioural economics and a few other areas of study into the UK agency business, I'll be happy. My recent TED talk was a high, too, as was the subsequent name-check in Nature. 

 

Who is your marketing hero and why?

 

Everyone else would say Barack Obama. Actually Karl Rove's engineering of the re-election of GWB, whatever you think of the outcome, was a far greater accomplishment. Also the mystery person who added ice to cider - at a stroke answering the brief to "reposition cider "which had been bouncing around ad agencies fruitlessly for perhaps thirty years.

 

If you could edit your past, what would you change?

 

Too risky. Haven't you seen the Terminator movies? Also see http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/science/space/13lhc.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

 

What’s your worst habit?

 

Internet addiction.

 

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

 

Samuel Johnson, Shakespeare, Bach, Ronald Reagan, Paul Feldwick, Elizabeth I, my mother.

 

What keeps you awake at night?

 

Nespresso addiction.

 

Tell us a secret.

 

I am kompounophobic.

 

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