Advertising has lost one of its heroes. David Abbott, lifelong copywriter and former chairman and creative director of celebrated London agency Abbott Mead Vickers, passed away on Saturday at the age of 75. Mr. Abbott co-founded Abbott Mead Vickers, which later became AMV BBDO, in 1977. He was one of the most celebrated figures in the London advertising scene and created iconic campaigns for The Economist, Sainsbury's, Volvo, Yellow Pages, RSPCA and more.
Born in 1938, Mr. Abbott trained as a copywriter and began his career at London's Mather & Crowther. He then went on to join DDB and worked in both its London and New York offices. He teamed with Peter Mead and Adrian Vickers in 1977 to launch Abbott Mead Vickers, which eventually went public and became part of the BBDO network in 1991.
Always gentlemanly and soft-spoken, Mr. Abbott retired as chairman in 1998 after almost 40 years in Advertising. He was inducted into the One Club's Hall of Fame in 2001, and into the American Advertising Federation's Advertising Hall of Fame in 2011, becoming the first inductee from Britain since Dvaid Ogilvy in 1965. He published his first novel, The Upright Piano Player, in 2010.