Vale the legendary Jack Vaughan: “In my opinion, the best copywriter in Australian advertising history” ~ Lionel Hunt
The Australian advertising industry has lost one of its greatest admen, with the passing of Jack Vaughan in Sydney on the weekend, aged 79. Vaughan was the first to be elected to the AWARD Hall of Fame and the ATV Hall of Fame in the late 80s and The Campaign Brief Hall of Fame in 2002.
Jack Vaughan has been declared Australia’s best advertising writer as well as top creative director with his work awarded at Cannes, Clio, The One Show, AWARD and Caxton.
He served as national creative director and executive creative director of agencies including The Campaign Palace, both Sydney and Melbourne, Young & Rubicam in Adelaide, Sydney and London and George Patterson Bates in Sydney. He then co-founded Principals Independent Brand Counsel, offering strategic and creative services, before becoming a creative outsource, Jack Vaughan Creative Services.
“Jack Vaughan is, in my opinion, the best copywriter in Australian advertising history,” wrote Lionel Hunt when Vaughan was inducted into Campaign Brief’s 2002 Hall of Fame.
Vaughan first came to prominence in Australia in the 70s at Y&R Adelaide when he penned ‘Hey Charger’ for Chrysler and ‘Where do you hide your Coolabah’ for wine casks. Both of these expressions entered the vernacular. In the 80s, while at The Palace in Melbourne Vaughan wrote the ‘Isaac Newton’ spot for Holeproof Computer Socks (“They fall up, not down”), one of the agency’s best ever. Plus Apple ‘Alligators’ and AMLC ‘Liferaft’.
“Like all Palace trainees he was not averse to a glass of chardonnay. He loved a good time and he loved a good laugh, in fact he had one of the most infectious lunchtime laughs in the business,” said Hunt.
Vaughan leaves behind his beloved wife Marilyn and son Tyson.
In Campaign Brief’s Millennium Book, published in 2000, Vaughan was naturally included in our All-Time Dream Team.
In 2002 Vaughan was inducted into the Campaign Brief Hall of Fame, with a tribute penned by the great Lionel Hunt.
Vaughan with fellow AWARD Hall of Famers David Denneen, Allan (Jo) Johnston, Lionel Hunt, John Bevins, Kim Thorp and Ron Mather at the AWARD Hall of Fame in 2009
Lionel Hunt’s tribute to Jack Vaughan
~ Campaign Brief Hall of Fame 2002
Jack Vaughan is, in my opinion, the best copywriter in Australian advertising history.
No taking anything away from that, in fact probably accentuating it, it’s not as though a great many other contenders spring to mind.
John Bevins perhaps? Or Peter Carey? Derek Hansen? Bryce Courtenay? Maybe. If they’d stuck to proper writing.
There must be some younger ones, but I’m buggered if I know where they are or what they’re doing.
Some people have even been kind enough to mention me in this regard but I’m usually too lazy or too bored to go much beyond the headline and the first couple of lines of body copy. Mind you, most readers feel the same, unless it’s been written with real talent and passion.
Put me down for posters every time.
No, I think it’s Jack.
There are, first and foremost the print ads.
For Thredbo: “After one lesson at Thredbo you’ll be skiing like Jean Claude Killy. After his first lesson”.
For lamb for pregnant mothers: “Mary had a little lamb. And felt a lot better for it”.
I remember once he went on holidays from The Palace in Melbourne and we found this ad on the wall for Rio underpants: “Ronald Biggs seen in Rio”. He’d put it on his wall as a joke but while he was away we sold it and it ran. I think he was pleased…
Another time he was staying with us for the weekend and he had this difficult ad to write for some water authority. He had to put a balanced case for the damming of a river for flood control versus the environmental impact a huge dam would have. His headline: “Dammed if we do. Dammed if we don’t”. I can’t see how any copywriter in the world could have said it better. And that was only last year.
Like the really great writers Jack made the transition to television easily. I fact, he first came to prominence in Australia in the 70’s when, at Y&R Adelaide he penned ‘Hey, Charger’ for Chrysler and ‘Where do you hide your Coolabah?’ for wine casks. Both of which expressions entered the vernacular.
In the 80’s at The Palace in Melbourne he wrote the ‘Isaac Newton’ spot for Holeproof Computer Socks (They fall up, not down.) which was one of The Palace’s best ever and could just as easily run today. And does.
Later at the Sydney Palace he got Gold at Clio and AWARD with Bob Isherwood for the Harper’s Bazaar ‘Erte’ spot and Gold at Cannes with Rob Tomnay for Today’s Steak ‘Liferaft’.
There are literally scores, perhaps hundreds of others in print, TV and radio. I’ve never seen all his work together but it must be absolutely mind blowing.
He’s also a great bloke. Like all Y&R trainees he started on Camels and still smokes to this day. And like all Palace trainees he’s not averse to a glass of chardonnay either. He loves a good time and he loves a good laugh, in fact he’s got one of the most infectious lunchtime laughs in the business. About time we did one again, Jack.
Lest I sound too gushing, he can be a bit serious and intense when he’s working but that’s because he is so passionate and serious about his craft. I remember distinctly Ron Mather and I literally kidnapping Jack after lunch one day and forcing him to miss a meeting so as he could learn to be a little irresponsible. He couldn’t have had better teachers.
He called us ‘The skimmers’ and we called his team ‘The wristslashers.’ But they were both terms of endearment.
Another time, again when he was returning from holidays, we wrote a list of ‘allegedly’ overdue jobs on a page, photocopied them two hundred times, stuck them together in a hundred metre long line that snaked out of The Palace door and down the street to greet him as he arrived for work. I think he thought it was funny.
Jack’s been inducted into the AWARD, Caxton and ATV Halls of Fame and won countless other awards and accolades, all of them well deserved. And now he’s being recognised again.
What’s also remarkable is that unusually for a great writer, except perhaps Winston Churchill, he’s also a very fine oil and water colour painter, many of which feature one of his other passions, classic wooden powerboats, one of which he owns.
He lives with his very talented wife Marilyn and their very talented son Tyson and their not quite so talented dog Roger.
Good on you Jack, I’m proud to have worked with you, and to count myself amongst your friends.
Keep up the great work.
Lionel Hunt
Sydney
Vaughan with wife Marilyn and son Tyson in the 80s
51 Comments
So sad to lose the best of the best in our industry, more importantly so sad to lose a dear friend.
Farewell dear mate, I will miss hearing you and Lynchy debating endlessly the pros and cons of various campaigns.
Much love to Marilyn and Tyson.
Well,I think Lionel has said it all.I too was very proud to have worked with Jack,to have known Jack and to have had Jack as a friend.I havn’t seen Jack for a few years, but when I heard the news a tsunami of memories came flooding back.Great work,famous campaigns, great lunches, memorable moments.A great writer, many laughs,a great person,a great loss.My thoughts are with you Marilyn and Tyson.For those of you that aren’t aware of Jack Vaughan’s talent, just check out the Award annuals, you’ll be blown away.
If all young writers studied the Award Annuals they’d pray to be as good as Jack.
Although I never worked with him, I 100% agree with Ron Mather.
Were his work to be curated and published, it would be an outstanding tome and an inspiration for copywriters everywhere.
I still have a framed copy of his NAB ad hanging on my wall – ‘Have you ever wondered why one newspaper works better than another?’ given to me by The West Australian some years ago.
Vale Jack Vaughan.
Jack wrote advertising that was worth watching – back when the ads were better than the program you were watching. A revered figure already when I entered the business in the late 80s . A participant not a spectator .
Rest in peace.
Jack was absolutely next level brilliant. He was a legendary writer and a wonderfully gentle man. So humble but with a wicked sense of humour, and a truly contrarian streak. Sad news indeed. Condolences to his loved ones.
Jack was my hero. Still is.
He corrected a headline I had badly mispelled, it was meant to read lose but I has stupidly written loose, now I am at a loss.
At one point in my early days, I could have quoted every single award-winning headline written by Jack. He (and Lionel) owned words.
Brilliant writer. Great CD. Wonderful teacher. Thank you Jack.
I was always in awe of Jack Vaughan, always felt small in his presence. He was an enormous talent, a giant with words, The Giant. Jack worked hard to turn words into ideas. He worked with great art directors but he wrote headlines that needed no art direction — they were art in themselves. He knew that readers like to be rewarded and he worked hard to ensure they were. He slaved over all he wrote I suspect, so that it would read like it came easy. He was a serious writer, who prose was light and made you smile. And he was the master of wit, dry wit, in his conversations, his presentations and his published and broadcast work. May the industry always remember Jack Vaughan.
At a a time when the Pommy Mafia ran advertising in Australia, Jack was the one that showed us that Australians could write. Really write. I loved the man and owe him a lot for his huge gesture of support
The day advertising died. Farewell Jack.
I wouldn’t be here without Jack.
He saw something that nobody else did and gave Mike O’Sullivan and me our first job at Y&R in London.
For all his qualities he still made some howlers.
A great talent that was charming and fun to share with a bottle of wine. RIP Jack, thoughts to his family.
Here’s a story about Jack. That Newspaper Works ad, beautifully art directed by Rob Tomnay, was at first hand-written in pencil, on tracing paper, to size by Jack.
He wrote it in different type sizes until it roughly fit a SMH full page, fixing the kerning and widows as he went.
It was an incredible thing to see.
That is the master copywriter he was, absolutely meticulous.
As an old newspaper journo – I love this story
The quiet over-achiever. Thanks for the inspiration Jack.
So many great jobs together, so many fun times never forgotten. Just a wonderful man.
Always the one you’d aspire to be.
Vale Gentleman Jack.
When he came back to Australia from Y&R London he was renowned as the man in black until he walked into Y&R Sydney… took one look at my black jacket black t shirt black jeans and black sneakers and he saw red… then we went out to drink copious amounts of white wine….he never forgave me for stealing his thunder but we ended up doing some great work together.
Vale The Master.
I owe much to Jack. When I was a cook at a restaurant he frequented, he took an interest in me and encouraged me to pursue a career in advertising. He didn’t have to, but he did. And when I was asked to come to the Palace for a junior copywriter’s job, it was Jack who’d encouraged Lionel to interview me. He didn’t have to, but he did – and my life, like others who’ve commented before me, was never the same again. Thank you Jack. You were everything everyone has said about you and more. I’m forever in your debt. My sincere condolences to Marilyn and Tyson.
All of the above and then some. Jack & Marilyn were friends of ours for more than 50 years and I can honestly say that he was the most influential person in my life. A gentle man of great taste, he gave me an appreciation of the finer things in life, including of course, the finest advertising. We have all lost a great practitioner, person and friend.
I owe a debt to Jack. When I first arrived in Sydney in 1986 I put an ad in B&T addressed to Mrs. Vaughan as I had a problem getting an interview with him. The following week he put an ad in the same publication as if Marilyn was responding to my call. This got me a call from John Anstey and I was employed the following week. I did get a chance to speak and thank him a couple of years later. Thanks Jack. RIP.
Jack showed me great ideas and taught me how to turn them into meaningful advertising. He taught me to appreciate good Indian curries and not choke. He let me drive his black Charger in Adelaide. He showed us all what great ads are. And he’s been a close friend for fifty years.
All my condolences to Marilyn and Tyson.
I was fortunate to have worked with Jack and he wasn’t as good as everyone has said.
He was better.
Not just an outstanding copywriter but a bloody good art director and a great bloke and friend.
His attention to detail was awe inspiring.
He made my job easy as he’d usually already done all the hard work (including the pencilled-in type in the right point size).
Which meant of course, we had more time to enjoy a few chardonnays.
He’ll be sadly missed.
My sincere condolences to Marilyn and Tyson.
What more can one say that has already been said in the previous comments.
Always a pleasure to be in his company.
Anyone who can achieve his status in advertising has to be revered.
I also have to revere Jack for his numerous talent quest achievements at the annual Caxtons to draw a map of the world blindfolded.
Gone but never forgotten.
Thanks Jack. Our thoughts are with Marilyn and Tyson. Love from Mike, Liz, Rob & Sarah.
I met Jack (then John) in London, where we worked together (at Garland-Compton, later Saatchi & Saatchi), flatted together, composed (even sold) and performed songs together, partied together, and where John and his Aussie friends introduced me to Christine Carter (now Greenough, Mother of my Son Rob Martin Murphy, long an admirer of and inspired by Jack), who I married in London with ‘John Vaughan’ as my Best Man. The pair of them soon convinced me to try living in Australia for two years, and I’ve managed to stay for fifty-five. Jack returned to Australia the same year I got here, and we worked together at Compton Sydney 1969-71, then Y&R Adelaide 1972-74, then The Campaign Palace 1982-84, which were easily the most rewarding (and most awarded) times of my 34 years in advertising. He was a great believer in, and demanded, a clear and convincing creative strategy (‘Great ads are the last thing we do’ was his line on The Campaign Palace’s letterhead), and in return Jack created (with unmatchable intensity and craft) for his clients some of the most memorable and effective and awarded ads in history. I will forever treasure his friendship, wisdom and example, each of them unique. Sincere condolences to lovely Marilyn and to Tyson. Cx
When I wrote about advertising I treasured his counsel. A man of singular talent, rare wit and a kind soul. Vale.
Well done Jack. Caring family, loyal friends and a stunning career Some get one or two right. You nailed all three. With love to Marilyn
As I was about to head to London in 1989, nervous, unsure but in equal measures wide eyed and excited, Jack said ‘you can do this’ and I thought ‘maybe I can’ Kind, generous, so talented. Vale Jack.
Very sad news, he was a true legend….I still remember as a young intern at Y&R in London, the encouragement and advice he gave me, advice that held me in good stead throughout my journey in advertising….thanks Jack. R.I.P.
Thanks for this Michael Lynch, being a little out of the loop these days, I value this news, as so very sad as it is. RIP Jack. And thanks for the legacy.
Had a cigar and a glass or two of a big chardonnay in remembrance. One of the greats.
Yes – without doubt, one of the nation’s greatest copywriters. A compendium of his work would be more than an outstanding record. It would be a monument to his craft, an unequalled inspiration to would-be copywriters everywhere – a tome from which to learn. A framed copy of his ad for NAB (Newspaper Advertising Bureau – “Ever wondered why one newspaper advertisement works better than another?”) given to me by The West Australian years ago, still hangs in my office.
I met Jack in Melbourne sometime in the 80’s, he was at the Palace, I was working as a freelance photographer.
Working together was special…there was always something new to learn & much to laugh about.
What a gifted & unique writer he was..not only able to express an idea in words but unusual for the times, Jack would often brief me directly…visually as an art director would, along with his own hand drawn layout..always sporting a great headline & some sort of visual reference.
A meticulous Ad man & gentleman..such a help & inspiration to the dyslexic photographer he was working with.
Thank you Jack it was so good to know you.
My friend, Jack Vaughan.
Jack’s passions and pursuit of perfection did not stop at the layout pad and typewriter.
The complete picture must include colonial homes, wooden boats, Batmobiles, painting, wine and, dare I say it, food…
I’ll always remember Jack jumping at the chance to help me bring my yacht home from the Whitsundays down to Sydney.
The weather was perfect for a smooth passage all the way — a voyage I calculated as taking a few days at most.
What I hadn’t taken into account was the number of restaurants it was possible to discover and sample between Hamilton Island and Mosman Bay.
I lost count of the restaurants — and of the idyllic days — but the crocodile soufle in Gladstone I will never forget.
As I’ will never forget Jack Vaughan: the greatest of admen, the very best of human beings.
I feel very privileged and humbled to have been able to call him friend.
RIP Jack
Apart from being best man at Mum and Dad’s wedding, Jack really wanted to be my godfather. For some reason, Dad had promised that role to another friend. Who I never saw or heard from again after my christening (at the Wayside Chapel by Rev. Ted Noffs, as an aside). To this day, Dad still wonders why he made that choice. Eventually though, as I grew up, Jack did become my godfather. Of great Australian ads. And from what I’ve read here, he was that same godfather to many. When Dad was MD of The Campaign Palace (82-84), Mum used to drop me off at Boronia House in Mosman (their office at the time) on Friday afternoons to spend the weekends with him. Along with Dad and Reg Bryson (Head of Strategy), I remember the creative department being Jack, Bob Isherwood and Phil Putnam. Even at that young age, I could feel the rare air. As they worked away, with famous campaigns on the walls and early Apple computers like the IIe, IIc, Lisa and Mac on display (one of their main clients), it was then that I decided that whatever it was they were doing, I wanted to do that too. Later, when I was trying to get my book together, pre-AWARD School, I would send Jack ads for his critique. Always calm, considered and constructive in his feedback, it was invaluable advice that always motivated me to keep going and to keep pushing. Just like a great godfather would. Vale, Jack. Love and condolences to Marilyn and Tyson.
I was lucky enough to work with Jack on a campaign many years ago and got to witness his brilliance firsthand, along with his great sense of humour and, of course, his infectious laugh. It was a fantastic experience. We’ll remember him fondly. Condolences to Marilyn and Tyson.
As a 17 year old wannabe copywriter in the early 1990s, I helped out at the AWARD judging at Sydney Uni. The judges were Siimon Reynolds, David Droga and Jack Vaughan. Jack was wearing a heavy brown leather jacket with an imprinted Harley Davidson logo on the back. I thought he was the coolest guy I’d ever met. Many years later we got to know each other properly and I realized despite my teenage immaturity, I wasn’t wrong; Jack was a true gentleman and I’m very sad to hear of his passing. My thoughts are with his family.
*Vaughan – he would have killed me for that typo lol.
Jack was the greatest! A creative genius. As a young copywriter, I was fortunate to have spent time in Jack’s presence. I was in awe of him. His guidance was calm, considered, and always spot on! I only wish I could have one more glass of white with him. My thoughts go out to his family.
Jack introduced me to cigarettes. He introduced me to advertising.
He was my best friend since kindergarten for 73 years.
There is a hole in my life.
Phil, it’s been a long, long time and I immediately thought of you when I heard this sad news. I remember seeing your friendship with Jack
over the years when we worked together. My thoughts are with you, and of course jack’s family. Blessings.
I did the Advertising course at East Sydney Tech with Jack and Ross Whitely.It was a pretty hopeless course i think we laughed most of the way through it.We all went to London in the late 60’s and had the best time.I caught up with Jack some years later when i was working in Adelaide with Leo Burnett.Caught up again at Manly Wharf for lunch.Jack will remain in my memory as a great mate and will be sorely missed.Give them hell up there mate!!!!! xxx
Jack, I am so sad to hear this. Loved working with you, our steak lunches at North Sydney, and time
on your lovely Halvo. Remember your black tie birthday party and always felt honoured to share some time with one of my ad industry heroes. What a writer, what a great human, will miss you 🙁 Condolences to Marilyn and Tyson
Jack inherited me as a junior copywriter when he came back from Y&R London – that was my real break into advertising. At a time when visual puns were de rigueur, he encouraged me to write long copy. He never said very much when reviewing work, which just made you hang off his every word all the more. But his door was always open and he was generous with his time; I think sitting on his couch, watching his brow furrow behind a smouldering Davidoff as his pen hovered over my latest half-arsed hash of a copy deck, is one of my happiest memories. Thanks for everything, Jack.
I worked at Garland-Compton in London from 1969-1973. I didn’t realise that Jack Vaughan worked there as well, he must have left just before I started.
The agency has definitely gone up in my estimation knowing Jack was there too.