Steve Hayden, the visionary promoting government behind a few of the most influential campaigns of the fashionable period, died on Aug. 27 on the age of 78.
Hayden started his profession as a copywriter at Basic Motors in Detroit. His profession took off at Chiat/Day within the Eighties, the place he partnered with Lee Clow and Brent Thomas to create Apple’s now-iconic “1984” Tremendous Bowl advert. The cinematic spot, which launched the Macintosh laptop, redefined how promoting and know-how might faucet into tradition.
He later served as chairman and CEO of BBDO West, the place he introduced over and helped retain the Apple account for greater than a decade, additional solidifying his fame as a artistic power who might marry model storytelling with enterprise affect.
In 1994, Hayden grew to become vice chairman and chief artistic officer at Ogilvy, the place he oversaw the consolidation of IBM’s international enterprise, which on the time was the biggest account shift in promoting historical past. Below his management, the company launched IBM’s “e-business” marketing campaign, a defining effort that helped reshape the model and the class. He additionally guided award-winning work for American Specific, Kodak, Motorola, and Dove, together with the continued “Actual Magnificence” marketing campaign.
At Ogilvy, Hayden is remembered not solely as a strategist and inventive visionary, but in addition as a mentor and collaborator. “Steve Hayden was my accomplice,” mentioned Shelly Lazarus, chairman emeritus of Ogilvy. “With out him I’d by no means have been capable of do what I used to be capable of do. With out him, Ogilvy would by no means have had the success that it had over so a few years. Steve made it look simple. However there was brilliance behind each seemingly easy concept. And the way a lot enjoyable all of us had collectively. I can’t fairly consider that he’s gone. The world is a much less good place. My gratitude for all that I received to share with Steve Hayden is countless. My love for him is perpetually.”
Colleagues throughout the business echoed that sentiment. “The folks that I look as much as all regarded as much as Steve. That’s how large he was,” mentioned Chris Beresford-Hill, international chief artistic officer of BBDO. “The whole BBDO group sends condolences and like to his household.”
Hayden’s affect stretched throughout generations of creatives. Past the campaigns that outlined his profession, his legacy endures within the individuals he mentored and impressed.
Born Stephen Edward Hayden on Could 21, 1947, in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the son of an internist and an opera singer. He’s survived by his longtime accomplice Kristy Allen, his household, and family members.
