Monday 2 April 2007

MoJo loses its Mo


A very sad day for Oz advertising today with the passing of Alan Morris, a true original.

The man who put the Mo in MoJo finally lost his year long battle with cancer.

Whilst the agency he founded still bears his name, his lasting legacy is in a string of iconic ads that have become part of our national psyche.

Just look at this list of Oz ad classics:

I can feel a Fourex coming on; Hit ‘em with the old Pea Beau; Throw another shrimp on the barbie; I still call Australia home; You oughta be congratulated.

And, of course, the timeless C’mon Aussie C’mon. A tune that transcended its advertising origins and went on to be sung by all and sundry at the funeral of Kerry Packer.

Ever the creative director, Mo spent the last few weeks organising his own funeral.

A date has not been set as yet, but I imagine the beer and song will flow long into the night when they lay him to rest.