Chris Kyme’s Postcard from Hong Kong: A rocket that landed in Hong Kong

Chris Kyme (pictured above) continues his ‘Postcard from Hong Kong’ series.

 

I have only just learned about the passing away of someone from Hong Kong’s past, Mark Hilltout who was Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong in the 1980s. I came out to Hong Kong to join Leo Burnett, O&M’s fiercest competitor at the time, and I quickly became aware of that rivalry, not least because both agencies were housed in the same building (Mount Parker House, Taikooshing). So we were all rubbing shoulders in lifts, eating in same eateries and drinking at the same watering holes.

I soon learned as to who was pulling the creative strings at Ogilvy, as he was very hard to ignore, a tall, handsome creative firebrand of a character.

I never actually knew Mark that well (met him once and left his office with my hair all windswept) but the work and reputation of Ogilvy at the time spoke for itself at award shows and naturally it was an agency we all looked up to. However, I did write about the agency at the time for the book ‘Made in Hong Kong’ I wrote with Tommy Cheng, and did interview Mark from afar for that. I think it’s important to not forget those who contributed to the foundations and growth of our industry.

I also sought contributions from two people who worked closely with Mark Hilltout from that time. Harry Reid, who was MD of the agency and who hired Mark. Harry was instrumental in helping build the Ogilvy network in Asia, and went of to become COO Worldwide. Clarke Mallery who was also a Creative Director at the agency back then. And CC Tang, who was a Chinese copywriter at the time and went on to become something of a legend in Hong Kong creative circles.

Excerpt from ‘Made in Hong Kong’
One of the most significant changes made by (Harry) Reid which set the transformation of Ogilvy in place was the hiring of Mark Hilltout as Creative Director. As Hilltout recalls. “My family and I were living in Johannesburg.. I was a creative group head at O&M, and through the O&M grapevine I was considered a possible candidate to run either Hong Kong or Singapore. So I interviewed with both Roger and Harry. O&M Singapore was out of the question because the egomaniac running it was producing some of the best print in the world. And I did not want to step into shoes too big for me.

Whereas O&M Hong Kong was a solid, large shop where I felt I could make my mark. John Denham, the Creative Director, was happy to step down and concentrate on a pan-Pacific copywriting role. Harry Reid offered me a miserly salary which I stupidly accepted.” Or not so stupidly. Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong, under Reid’s leadership and Hilltout’s creative drive set in place what was to become a major creative force for years to come. Hilltout’s recipe for success was ‘K.I.S.S’. Keep it simple STUPID. Any fool can have an ‘idea’, but very few can bring it to life.

“Contrary to most of the world’s creative experts, who believe there is nothing without a big idea, I believe that any idea, big or small that is produced in a shoddy, badly produced way, fails to communicate the idea and ends up looking like a piece of shit. And as for big ideas, I maybe spot one or two every two or three years. So I believed in trying to find a solution to the clients brief and executing it as well as possible. And with the budgets in Hong Kong, thinking small was the order of the day.”

Harry Reid
At the time (1980s) Ogilvy Hong Kong was beginning to grow and its reputation was developing nicely but we had some concern that the creative work lacked verve and spark.

That’s what Mark Hilltout brought from day one on his appointment as Creative Director!

From a management view it was great to see the impact he quickly made at the agency and most of all of course in the creative department- and, importantly, our clients also soon became aware of our new creative strength.

It was an important step to take and eventually led to Ogilvy becoming Hong Kong’s most successful Advertising Agency. Mark’s contribution to this success will never be forgotten!

Clarke Mallery
In the Spring of 1986, from the tarmac of Hong Kong’s old Kai Tak airport, someone set off a bottle-rocket that soared, sparkling, dazzling, high over Victoria Harbour, swooped down and came to rest in the Taikoo Shing offices Ogilvy & Mather.

That someone, almost overnight, jolted a talented but sleepy group of young creatives awake and provided the spark that unleashed their potential to produce advertising that was fresh, that was memorable, and that increased the sales of their clients’ products and services.
That someone was Mark Hilltout.

Mark was inspiring. He was demanding. He was able to look at an idea and if it was in there, pluck out the kernel that made it special, and discard the bits that got in the way. He simply just made everyone better.

Perhaps his most admirable trait was his jealously guarding of his team’s work, adamant in defending ideas he thought deserved it.

He did not suffer fools gladly, leading to some ruffled feathers, but earning the respect and admiration from his staff. Under his leadership as ECD, the creative output reached the highest level ever produced at O&M Hong Kong.

Finally, his mere presence made the place more fun. Quick with a laugh. Always encouraging. Not a small bit quirky, but strategically focused, conceptually excellent and a master craftsman.

I was very lucky to have been at O&M when that rocket landed. More than a dear, dear friend, he was one of only a handful of my very favourite people in the whole world.

CC Tang
“There were a lot of adverse stories about expatriates when I was a junior. Mark and most of my foreign colleagues were different.

Mark hired me to rejoin Ogilvy & Mather in 1989 despite multiple objections, thereafter I became a better creative person under his influence.

Mark was creative, charismatic, funny, passionate and TALL, thus we nicknamed him 高佬泉.

His art direction raised the bar for the teams. His perspective enriched our taste. His personality made the agency fun to work there.

A teacher, a leader, and a great boss indeed, Mark will be remembered in our hearts.”

Pictured below: Clarke Mallory and Mark Hilltout, Media Magazine 1989.