Happy birthday to a legend

John Farquhar at the 2006 Loeries in Margate (pic taken by Louise Marsland)

So why isn't he taking a rare day off from the daily grind as editor of one of the most influential business-to-business magazines of all times, ADvantage? Too much work, he says, deadlines approaching...

That just about sums up the work ethic and consistent commitment of ‘Farks,' as he is affectionately known to this industry he chose to spend the last 60 years working in: media, marketing and advertising. He's at his desk almost every morning at the crack of sparrows, early for meetings and events and turns up at more industry events than the rest of us half his age operating in this industry manage.

And... he has no plans for early retirement! He says he'd go mad if he had nothing to occupy his mind.

“You have to be passionate to be in this industry. This is my hobby, not my job,” he emphasises... and then he's off again on a tangent about his favourite subject for the next 10 minutes while I feel guilty about taking up so much of his time when I'm sure there are dozens waiting to chat to him today (I can hear his cell ringing), and of course there is his heavy workload and my morning deadline on Biz!

There's no business like... advertising

“I've very firm views on advertising. It is not an art gallery. It is a business expense and it needs to prove its value.”

So what has he learnt in his 80 years, 60 of them spent in the advertising industry?

“The thing I've learnt over the years is that there is nothing new... old ideas with a new dress. The basics have not changed. If you are going to work in this industry, you must have some passion. It stimulates you to learn more. There's an old saying, ‘you don't know what you don't know' – the problem with this industry is that there are too many people who don't know what they don't know. They go down the wrong road.

“You have to have curiosity in this business. Observe behaviour... I've always been a great observer of other people.

“That ‘one size fits all' model does not work in marketing. You have to speak the language of the consumer – know the demographics etc, but also understand the culture and beliefs of that consumer.”

The idea and the relevancy of the advertising message are still his big platforms, the theme running through his writing and his ‘soliloquies' in any given company. Farks has often been ‘the man the industry loves to hate'. He's been on the receiving end of legal briefs and industry hate mail often. But isn't that the hallmark of any great leader? To inspire such strong invective and opinion?

It is however, a trite dismissal of the incredible body of work Farquhar has produced in his lifetime – as an adman, owning his own ad agency at one point with major brands; as a marketing man directing major brands, media maverick and principled industry commentator. It is also not fair or descriptive of the kindness and humility of the man, displayed to those of us who had the privilege of working with him over the years.

The stuff of legends

Apart from the fact that he is probably the oldest editor and ad man still at his post at this age, John Farquhar has actually had many firsts in his career, which started in 1946 when he was just 18 years old.

His first job was as a checking clerk at PN Barrett, the second biggest agency in South Africa at the time (according to the ADvantage tribute edition published for his 75th birthday celebration). He got his theoretical grounding in advertising during the UK Institute of Practitioners in Advertising industry course, learning production, copywriting, psychology, layout, media and strategy. He moved up and on within the agency and onto media manager at then Lindsay Smithers (now FCB).

From there he joined the first Afrikaans ad agency, Van Zijl & Van Zijl, heading up the eventual Cape Town outfit of VZ & Robinson, launching, amongst others, the brand Peter Stuyvesant. From there it was to Afmal as media director and strategic planner, the first dedicated strategy position in South Africa. He handled the Gilbeys account, moving to the brand as marketing manager. He returned to the agency to work on the Stellenbosch Farmer's Winery account. From there it was a small jump to starting his own agency with Peter Amis (Farquhar & Amis), where they built a reputation for turning around struggling brands.

They eventually sold to BBDO and Farks moved onto the media environment, first working for Nasionale and then Republican Press. He edited Marketplace for many years, before a now-notorious wrangle with advertising behemoth Hunt Lascaris ended that and the idea for ADvantage was born in Sandra Gordon's publishing stable Platinum Publications, which was acquired by Primedia, becoming Primedia Publishing. The rest is history.

He also insisted that I thank all our readers for the tributes on the Bizcommunity.com tribute page set up earlier this month to enable the community to wish him a happy birthday. “I am overwhelmed,” he said.

One thing is for sure, the industry would be a lot poorer without him and his trademark ‘shoot from the hip style'.

Here's raising a cheer to you, John, may your good health and sharp mind be a feature in our industry for a long time still to come...

• Primedia are throwing a birthday bash tonight, Thursday 10 April 2008, and have dedicated the April issue of ADvantage to the man himself. Bizcommunity.com launched a tribute page this month for the industry to wish Farks a happy birthday. Today, industry guru and long-time colleague Chris Moerdyk also pays tribute to the living legend.