30 from 30. The people who have helped shape the industry and Campaign Brief: Iain Rowe
For Campaign Brief WA’s 30th anniversary, over the thirty days of June we’re looking back on 30 people who helped shape the industry and us.
Iain Rowe was widely regarded as Perth’s best account director. Strategically brilliant and versatile across any product or category, he managed the balance between what was best for his clients and what was best for his agencies better than just about anyone else in the industry.
Rowe joined Jenkin Morgan Aitken in October 1984 from Hall Advertising, at the time Scotland’s best agency. He quickly gained a reputation as one of the sharpest thinkers in the industry. He became Managing Director of JMA in 1986 and was a pivotal figure in the agency’s success. In 1991 he moved to Marketforce, where he spent the next ten years – again with great success.
In his 17 year career in Perth Rowe formed immensely strong relationships with some of the town’s most significant clients. People like Allen Burtenshaw at Tourism WA, the Kailises and Rod Pestell at Red Rooster, Jane Cassidy-Norrish at Brownes, Maurice Swanson and Mike Daube at the Health Department, and Jan Stewart at Lotterywest all valued his counsel highly.
Not exactly flamboyant or excitable, Rowe’s calm and logical approach made clients feel they were in safe hands with him. And they were.
Rowe retired from Marketforce in 2001 but continued to play a significant role in the industry. In 2003 he was in the unique position of working with three different agencies: with Gatecrasher as consultant on HBF; with Marketforce consulting on key government accounts including WA Tourism; and as project manager for the Health Dept. of WA’s Nurses campaign, working with 303. Rowe managed the competing and potentially conflicting demands with the consummate professionalism that were the hallmarks of his career.
Campaign Brief enjoyed many conversations with Rowe. Always taking our call, he was an honest and truthful source of news and commentary for us.