For a lot of the younger people in Aussie adland Ted Horton
is seen as “the old bloke who makes those appalling supermarkets ads.”
Which goes to show that we are obviously not educating our
aspiring creatives very well in the history of our industry.
When I was a youngster hawking around my homemade folio
everyone I showed it to spoke with great reverence about Ted.
This was mostly because like me he had come late to his highly awarded adland career.
So as you can imagine I listened with great intent when he took
our class at the now sadly defunct Copyschool.
That was 20 years ago. Doesn’t seem like it but it was.
And to this day I still quote on a regular basis the very
first thing that Ted said to our class;
“This business is easy. You simply take the proposition and
find a more interesting way of saying it.”
Of course it’s generally a damn sight harder than Ted made
it sound. But it is true.
And if you don’t agree then you’re obviously over thinking
it. A lot!