Saatchi 40th Anniversary

SAATCHISTORY: Celebration of the first 40 years of Saatchi

Maurice Saatchi: Co-founder of M&C Saatchi,(and Saatchi & Saatchi)
Moray McLennan: M&C Saatchi Global CEO

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Moray McLennan: So this Thursday, we’re celebrating and thanking people for the start, the birth of the most powerful employed show and as I must say, the most glamorous communication business in the world, Saatchi & Saatchi.

Lord Maurice Saatchi: This is gonna be a great thank you for all the people in Saatchi & Saatchi and M&C Saatchi for a really truly amazing story.

In the very beginning, our situation was exactly like yours is now.

In that, Charles and I thought that it was possible to have an advertising agency, which could achieve something previously considered impossible.

You can have size without the doll bureaucracy that you should get when you have size.

This was the guiding thought though out the whole years, and it was really well captured because, put it in phrase: It’s good to be big, it’s better to be good, but it’s best to be better.

Moray McLennan: My Saatchistory started while ago back in the glorious days.

In the 80s, it was an extraordinary time for Saatchi & Saatchi, so the most famous advertising, the greatest advertising ever in the world of communication, we produced for British Airways, for the Conservative Party, for Silk Cut, it was an extraordinary time, when Saatchi & Saatchi appeared to be the most powerful and influential communication brand in the world.

Lord Maurice Saatchi: Couldn’t we make up the story, could you? But 40 years ago, there were 11 people in the room. It was Year 1. Year 5, the biggest agency in Britain. Year 10, the biggest agency in Europe. Year 20, the biggest agency in the world.

Moray McLennan: Then of course the great pattern in the mid 90’s when we started M&C Saatchi, which is a lot of tremendous adventures, and we started again like Saatchi & Saatchi, with 11 people, on board of this small shop in London.

Lord Maurice Saatchi: Many partners band around Moray, all left, (it is) absolutely unbelievable how it paid jobs and secure positions for life and great respect in prospects, to be with one of 11 people starting M&C Saatchi.

Moray McLennan: And 15 years later, we have 26 offices in 18 countries, it’s been an extraordinary journey and a fantastic time.

So I see this is the beginning of Chapter Two for M&C Saatchi, we had an extraordinary 15 years, phenomenal growth, we have everything in place, and now Chapter Two is about growing on international clients base, so what we’re really looking for is another 15 years of phenomenal growth, rocket profitability, greater products, a great client base, and it’s gonna be as much fun as it was for the first 15 years, I hope.

Lord Maurice Saatchi: The great point to remember is “Nothing is impossible”, that’s how this company started and it proved to be true and we’ll do it again. Moray, I’m sure you’ll agree.

This is crazy, impossible, cannot happen. I ensure you that. Enjoy your evening.