Ad man David Mattingly among Australia Day honours with Lisa Wilkinson and Mel Doyle
David Mattingly, the man credited with bringing the modern vision of retail advertising to Australia, has been awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the Australia Day Honours list.
He joins several figures from the world of TV and media on the list including Today show host Lisa Wilkinson, Melissa Doyle, former kids TV performer Patsy Biscoe, legal publisher and reporter Richard Ackland, IBM lobbyist Kaaren Koomen, TV host Mike Walsh who were all made Members (AM).
A veritable giant of the industry, Mattingly was director of TV advertising and sales at GTV9 in Melbourne where he helped to lure advertisers to Graham Kennedy’s often chaotic ‘In Melbourne Tonight’, knocking about with advertising men John and Peter Clemenger whose clients were often on the show.
Mattingly then joined Monahan Dayman Adams where he launched the retail specialist Mattingly MDA.
OAM: David Mattingly
The agency quickly earned a reputation with retailers, with Mattingly convincing Myer to take its advertising out of house and allow an agency to run it for the first time.
It was followed quickly by Safeway (now Woolworths) and others.
Mattingly grew the business to become the second largest in Melbourne before joining with Japan’s global giant Dentsu, which ultimately linked the business with Dentsu’s Young & Rubicam.
Operating out of the Pelaco building in Melbourne, Mattingly was an original member of Melbourne’s “advertising mafia”, which included the Clemengers.
Young & Rubicam rated Mattingly’s leadership in retail so highly that they used his skills around the world to help build their business, with some equating his retail abilities with the father of direct advertising, Lester Wunderman to become the only Australian to be inducted in to the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame.
While ostensibly retired since 1998, Mattingly continued to work with Dentsu on a consultancy basis until 2015 and was involved in the acquisition of Aegis Mitchell.
Of the AMs Doyle, Wilkinson, Biscoe and Walsh were all awarded for services to TV, whilst Koomen, who has been director of government and regulatory affairs for IBM for the last 11 years, for significant services to the IT and communications industries and Ackland for services to the print and TV industries.
Micheal Ball, founder of The Ball Partnership which ultimately became Euro RSCG, was named an Officer of the Order Of Australia for his (AO) to go with his AM.
Ball began his career in Melbourne and spent his early years at JWT before finding his way to Ogilvy.
It was under the eye of the great David Ogilvy that Ball flourished and at one stage was considered his possible heir apparent, running the global business everywhere but in the US.
However, Ball decided to strike out on his own, founding The Ball Partnership which became a creative force in Australia and Southeast Asia.
After retiring from his role at Euro RSCG in the mid 1990s, Ball went on to join the rush to create marketing communications holding company under the banner of Totam.
Totam was formed around the same time as Blue Freeway and Photon (now Enero) but the group ultimately abandoned the decision to list and the broke up in 2002.
Simon Canning
Well deserved.
A moment with Mattingly was worth more than an hour with an ordinary Mad Man.
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Lisa Wilkinsen and Mel Doyle?
I’m sorry but these make the Australia Day Awards a joke.
They are both fine presenters – but to have a voice that powerful and loud in our community – and use it to present endless drivel does not warrant a medal.
Perhaps they go to endless society charity lunches?
It shits me they have wonderful jobs, and get paid well, plus they are adored by the community. They then squander the opportunity to do anything really meaningful with their position of power (for fear of loosing it).
At the same time 1000’s of social workers, ambos, volunteers and foster parents are doing everything they can to help – just because they want to.
It’s time to flip the funnel and recognize the base – not the society lunch attenders.
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The man who founded Ogilvy in Australia, Michael Ball was in there too.
He been awarded an AC to add his AM.
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Not before time, the retail king has been crowned
Richly deserved Big Dave, enjoy the day and the honour
Not simply a the great innovator, but a very funny man
“Well done son.”
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I totally agree with Adam.
Awards should only go to volunteers.
Not sports stars, media stars or business stars, who have normally been highly paid along the way. And if they had any class, they would respectfully decline to accept the award? How many CFA or SES or volunteer lifesavers won awards???
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Congratulations David on receiving an OAM.
Happy memories of the Myer Bargain Basement days.
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Totally agree with Adam…..fair dinkum, TV breakfast presenters receiving Oz day honours???
Just a couple of people doing their jobs and being paid outrageous money.
Almost as ridiculous as Prince Philip’s knighthood.
What about all the volunteers and people who
save or enhance lives.
It’s a joke.
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Congratulations to David Mattingly.
Great memories of MDA Mattingly @ Tooronga Road
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It must be enormously frustrating to worthy recipients like Mattingly when autocue readers get awards at the same time. It diminishes the value.
Lisa Wilkinson? Seriously?
It’s like seeing someone get a Victoria Cross for killing a fly.
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