It’s B&T’s Celebration Of Adland’s Over 50s! Yes, Peoples, It’s Russel Time!

It’s B&T’s Celebration Of Adland’s Over 50s! Yes, Peoples, It’s Russel Time!

If there’s one person in Australia’s media and advertising landscape that needs no introduction it has to be none other than Russel Howcroft.

Star of Gruen, former agency boss and now CCO at PwC, Howcroft’s career is as long as it is distinguished.

And if you missed B&T’s ’15 Over 50s’ adlanders (well, you wouldn’t if you’d subscribed here) then you’d also have missed our Russel profile.

Well, as luck would have it, we’re re-sharing it here.

Howcroft is an adland veteran who’s been in the industry for more than 30 years. He started his career as an account executive at McCann Erickson before moving to an MD role at Brandhouse. From there, he landed a role as CEO at Young & Rubicam Group, before heading over to Network 10 as the executive general manager. Howcroft is currently a partner and chief creative officer at PwC Australia.

Here’s Howcroft’s experience in his own words:

Interestingly, if I wasn’t working in the advertising industry, I’d be a rockstar. Jokes aside (but not really), I know I would also be very happy in the hospitality business.

What excites me about the advertising industry now is the same thing that excited me when I first met Ted Horton on day one of a work experience week at McCann Erickson in 1987. It’s a combination of the “vibe” of agency life and the excitement one gets when you just know an idea is perfectly placed to solve a client’s problem; whether it be something new, something simple or something mind-blowing. It’s the ideas that have always got me out of bed in the morning.

There are many people I consider industry heroes – the individuals who build businesses off the back of simply being good at idea creation, idea selling, and idea production. There are many of these individuals in our market and I have always enjoyed meeting and creating friendships with them. To a person, they are inspiring.

What job did you want to do when you were a kid?

Wicket keep for Australia, play in a premiership team for the Melbourne Football Club and play drums for The Police.




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15 Over 50 Russel Howcroft

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