by Herman Manson (@marklives) Ogilvy & Mather South Africa has announced that co-chief creative officer, Chris Gotz, is leaving the agency to take up an as-yet-undisclosed senior position with O&M North America in September 2015. We caught up with Gotz to find out what has precipitated his move.
Why did you decide now is the right time to make a career move?
Chris Gotz: There’s never a good time to leave Ogilvy & Mather SA. It’s a great, great company. I’ve done the best work of my career there. They taught me everything I know. In Cape Town we have been the no. 1 creative agency in SA for three years running. When last did an agency in SA do that? It’s unprecedented. But I’ve been with the company for 16 years, so a second act started to seem appealing.
How did your future employers convince you to come on board?
CG: My future employers are my current employers. Ogilvy & Mather is very much a family company.
My colleagues here are very happy for me. I told them I was going over there to have a look. They supported me. The Ogilvy & Mather North America team is fantastic, I am hugely excited at the prospect of working with them.
How long has it been in the works for?
CG: I became aware of the opportunity about two months ago. It’s all been very quick.
As a South African in the States, what do you expect the cultural challenges to be?
CG: I think we’re a bit cowboy here in SA. I think things may be a bit more measured over there. To be honest I don’t expect huge challenges, just incredible opportunities to be able to work with a huge new pool of talent.
How well is the SA agency prepared for your departure?
CG: We’re in great shape, I hope I’m leaving the agency in better shape than when I joined. The depth of our talent is incredible.
In Cape Town, Tseliso Rangaka has been promoted to ECD, and that’s [been] a long time coming. He’s been a hugely influential figure in the agency for some time, both In Johannesburg and Cape Town; he’s a big part of the future of our company.
And I hope to see us still at no. 1 when I come back.
What were the high-points of your career at Ogilvy & Mather South Africa?
CG: Shew. I did some TV work for Volkswagen about 15 years ago that I’m still really chuffed with. A lot of people will remember the Touareg “Father and Son” ad, “Chris and Penny” for Jetta, the “Rally” campaign we shot with Kim Geldenhuys.
I was lucky enough to work with Greg Burke, Robyn Putter, Gary Leih, Mike Abel, Mark Fisher and finally, Gavin Levinsohn and Luca Gallarelli — so “on the shoulders of giants” as they say.
More recently, the Carling ‘Be The Coach’ was the campaign that really got Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town firing on all cylinders. But there’s so much work I’m proud of.
[Yet] I think when the dust clears, I’ll be left with the people — the clients and creative people and suits who have made the past 10 years the best I could have hoped for.
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