Page 28 - AdNews magazine Mar-Apr-May 2023

www.adnews.com.au 28
Howcroft: “100% right, noth- ing has been the same since. And it's been important to remember that the opening show of Gruen was the second-highest first show in ABC's history. The highest was Kath and Kim. This should also be a shout out to The Moneys (now part of Accenture), a very young agency at the time, which did the initial campaign.”
There was an intake of breath after the second show. Howcroft: “After the second episode, pretty much the following day there was an article about what a disgraceful show that it was and here we are, the advertising industry wanting to be taken seriously and out comes this show.
“There was nervousness around it. Absolutely. But I genu- inely sat in that seat because I thought if I'm not there, a compet- itor would be. It wasn't about want- ing to be on TV.
“By the time we got to year three or four, I was sitting there for very positive reasons. I wanted to be there.”
Now he sees Gruen as a joy. “I enjoy every single part of it. Even when I get trolled ... well I don't really enjoy that but it's part of it. People love the show. And you know, there's a live studio audi- ence and people come up to you after the show. They want to have a photograph with you and they're shaking because they are so excited. It's very humbling, it's powerful. It's joyful.
“Andrew Denton was a brilliant coach. I'm sure he coaches everyone, but he would coach me on how to do a better job. And he was brilliant at it. He wouldn't coach you every day, every show. He just occasionally takes you aside and tells you some- thing. And it would have a profound effect. You do as you were told.”
The show has had a significant impact on his career. “I do find myself in board rooms meeting people that I otherwise may not have met. And I find myself being allowed to have a voice. And that is actually part of the joy for me because I like to have a voice, but I wasn't necessarily going to have
one that's as loud as it's become. So I have to be very, very thankful.”
In around 2007, he got a call from the office of then prime min- ister Kevin Rudd, saying the boss wants to have a big conference like Bob Hawke did with the Accord but about Australia's future. What should we call it?
“I said call it The Vision 2020 Summit. And that night I was watching the television and here he was announcing the 2020 Summit. But no-one from advertis- ing was invited.
“That is the typical lot of an advertising person. You get a phone call from a client, ‘Quick, I need an idea.’ You give them an idea and then they completely ignore you.”
Many who watch Gruen see and then talk about the tension between Howcroft and Todd Sampson, the now former CEO of Leo Burnett.
“When Gruen was announced, a journalist hits me with: “So what do you think about Todd Sampson being the other panellist?" And my response to the journalist: ‘Who is he?”
Top. Todd Sampson, Hall of Fame trophy.