>> The copywriter who married an Albanian Count
People often ask me what it was like in the days of the Mad Men. In my autobiography I tell you.
Take the story of Kathy, a lady I worked with twice – but missed working with once.
It all started in 1963 when I got my first big job as a copy chief. At the time I was living with a retired call-girl, but that’s another story.
My big job was at CPV International, part of what was Britain’s most famous advertising agency – Colman, Prentis and Varley.
Their fame was largely because they cooked up a slogan – You’ve never had it so good – that Harold Macmillan used to win an election.
At more or less that time Kathy got a job at the main Colman, Prentis and Varley agency.
She told me about her first day there.
Thrilled to bits to get the job, she arrived bright and early at their offices in Mayfair, went up to the copy department and waited for her colleagues.
Nobody appeared at 9, nor at 10, until some time later someone came in and said “who are you?”
So she told him and asked “Where is everyone?”
He replied “What are you doing in here? Go down and join all the others in the bar.”
That’s the way it was in those days.
Actually I was more or less tipsy most of the time between 1967 and 2004. But by 1977 when my partners and I started our agency – THB & W – the fashion had moved on to drugs: another matter.
Kathy and I, as I said, never met at CPV, but worked together at the Franklin Mint – an extraordinary firm.
I got on well with her, liked her, and eventually employed her. I fear she may have been corrupted slightly by the devil may care approach at CPV because although a good writer she did keep a supply of wine in her desk.
I don’t remember what happened to her, possibly due to my own condition, but I do recall she had been married to an Albanian Count.
I don’t remember what she had to say about him – but nowadays, of course, the Albanians control much of the drugs and prostitution in Britain.
I was very fond of her and I regret meeting few eccentrics like her nowadays.
However if you read my book you’ll encounter quite a few.
You can go here to get a foretaste…
Best,
Drayton
