Steve Hayden, the visionary promoting government behind among the most influential campaigns of the fashionable period, died on Aug. 27 on the age of 78.
Hayden started his profession as a copywriter at Common Motors in Detroit. His profession took off at Chiat/Day within the Nineteen Eighties, the place he partnered with Lee Clow and Brent Thomas to create Apple’s now-iconic “1984” Tremendous Bowl advert. The cinematic spot, which launched the Macintosh pc, redefined how promoting and know-how may faucet into tradition.
He later served as chairman and CEO of BBDO West, the place he introduced over and helped retain the Apple account for greater than a decade, additional solidifying his fame as a inventive drive who may marry model storytelling with enterprise influence.
In 1994, Hayden grew to become vice chairman and chief inventive officer at Ogilvy, the place he oversaw the consolidation of IBM’s international enterprise, which on the time was the most important account shift in promoting historical past. Below his management, the company launched IBM’s “e-business” marketing campaign, a defining effort that helped reshape the model and the class. He additionally guided award-winning work for American Specific, Kodak, Motorola, and Dove, together with the continued “Actual Magnificence” marketing campaign.
At Ogilvy, Hayden is remembered not solely as a strategist and artistic visionary, but additionally as a mentor and collaborator. “Steve Hayden was my companion,” mentioned Shelly Lazarus, chairman emeritus of Ogilvy. “With out him I’d by no means have been in a position to do what I used to be in a position to do. With out him, Ogilvy would by no means have had the success that it had over so a few years. Steve made it look straightforward. However there was brilliance behind each seemingly easy thought. And the way a lot enjoyable all of us had collectively. I can’t fairly imagine that he’s gone. The world is a much less good place. My gratitude for all that I obtained to share with Steve Hayden is countless. My love for him is ceaselessly.”
Colleagues throughout the business echoed that sentiment. “The those that I look as much as all appeared as much as Steve. That’s how massive he was,” mentioned Chris Beresford-Hill, international chief inventive officer of BBDO. “Your entire BBDO neighborhood sends condolences and like to his household.”
Invoice Davaris, now co-CEO of MALKA, informed ADWEEK that he spent 18 years at Ogilvy as an government inventive director beneath Hayden.
“Yesterday, we misplaced an business large, our dearest mentor, our greatest position mannequin, the funniest boss, and the kindest chief,” he shared on LinkedIn. “Steve Hayden was a real legend in our work lives—somebody who all the time made time to encourage, advocate and encourage. His contributions to the promoting world are immeasurable, some might say by no means repeatable. However what we’ll keep in mind most is his generosity. Could his reminiscence be everlasting—the mild genius whose best love was to make us all higher!”
Hayden’s affect stretched throughout generations of creatives. Past the campaigns that outlined his profession, his legacy endures within the individuals he mentored and impressed.
Born Stephen Edward Hayden on Could 21, 1947, in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the son of an internist and an opera singer. He’s survived by his longtime companion Kristy Allen, his household, and family members.
