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And the winner is Sydney – no, not the Olympics but the International Ad Agency of the Year. It was 1988 and Advertising Age newspaper in America, the agency bible at the time, proclaimed Mojo the holder of this auspicious title - an Australian first.
PADDO HONOURS ITS MOJO
Paddington local Alan 'Mo' Morris co-founded the iconic Mojo advertising agency with his brother Don and Allan 'Jo' Johnston. Apparently such was the agency's renown in the late '70s and '80s, that when clients flew in from across the world and asked any Sydney Airport taxi to 'take me to Mojo', they'd be driven straight there. And where this renowned agency once stood, in Underwood Street, Paddington - now the site of charming café The Bonython - a plaque was recently unveiled by Woollahra Council to honour Alan Morris. The Mojo team sought creative freedom and became Australia's greatest admen. Their credo was based on the ordinary bloke, mateship and unpretentiousness and they became the creatives behind some of the nation’s most memorable campaigns that helped define our nation. Famous Mojo slogans included: “You oughta be congratulated” (for margarine Meadowlea), “I feel like a Tooheys” (Tooheys draft beer),“C’mon, Aussie, C’mon” (Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket) and “Come and Say G'Day” for Tourism Australia. And local audiences responded overwhelmingly to these catchy jingles sung in Jo’s distinctively Aussie voice - resulting in smash hits on the music charts and what came to be known as 'public anthems'. From nothing, these modern day balladeers grew to an agency of 65 people and over $65m in billings, then merged and opened offices in London, Singapore, New York, San
Plaque unveiling for Alan Morris, co-founder of Mojo - (L-R) Councillor Harriet Price, Councillor Anthony Marano, Allan Johnston, Councillor Susan Wynne, Mayor of Woollahra, Asher Morris, Don Morris, Erin Free (plaque nominator) and Councillor Peter Cavanagh with the unveiled plaque. Photo courtesy of Woollahra Municipal Council
Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore and affiliates throughout Asia. No other Australian agency has succeeded in doing that - before or since. It's estimated that billings of around $500m ended up
being brought in for the merged, expanded agency. And no other agency has succeeded in composing a significant part of the soundtrack of Australian life. Paula Towers
