Storm-force winds can’t stop Crawford lifting award

A SCOT who runs some of the grandest hotels in the Middle East was last night named as the winner of the Ogilvy Award, set up to commemorate Scotland’s most famous advertiser.

Guy Crawford, chief executive of the Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, was presented with the prize by the Marketing Society, which is running a year of events to mark the 100th birthday of David Ogilvy, with The Scotsman as the media partner.

Ogilvy was a pioneer of advertising in America during the 1950s and “wrote the bible” for the industry.

Crawford was to receive his trophy at the society’s annual dinner in Edinburgh but the event was called off due to the storm-force winds, which meant some guests could not reach the Scottish capital.

He told The Scotsman: “I am truly honoured and privileged to have been of some small service to my country”.

Crawford joined Jumeirah in May 2002 as corporate director of operations. His previous posts include managing director of Macdonald Hotels when it had more than 100 establishments in the UK, and 23 years at Forte.

Jumeirah’s hotels on the Persian Gulf include the Burj Al Arab, which resembles a giant sail, and the Zabeel Saray, which is built on a series of islands shaped like a palm tree.

Graeme Atha, director of Marketing Society Scotland, said: “The new Ogilvy Award is about recognising shining examples of influential Scots who have made a big impact with their global leadership.

“It’s therefore great to be presenting this inaugural accolade to Guy Crawford who, with his impressive track-record, has been leading the field in the hotel industry for over 30 years both at home and overseas, undoubtedly putting Scotland on the map as a thriving pool of talent and innovation”.

Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop added: “The Ogilvy Award is a fitting way to recognise the role of our marketing community in enhancing Scotland’s reputation on the global stage.”

Ogilvy, who died aged 88 in 1999, was born in Surrey to a Scottish father and an Anglo-Irish mother. He was educated at Fettes, one of Edinburgh’s private schools, and founded advertising firm Ogilvy & Mather.

He is recognised as the father of direct mail – frequently referred to as “junk mail” – and his two books, Confessions of an Advertising Man and Ogilvy on Advertising, were described by Atha as “required reading” for all advertising students.

Attention now turns to the Marketing Society Star Awards, which aim to recognise the top professionals in the industry. More details are available at www.marketingsocietyscotland.com/stars12.