Greg (Sparrow) Graham was inducted into the MFA Hall of Fame last night, recognising his passion and contribution to the advertising industry over half a century.
The Media Federation of Australia called out his “unparalleled generosity in training and nurturing the careers of many up-and-coming rising stars” in the industry.
The flowing tributes also highlighted his love of food, as evidenced by his many social media posts from restaurants, and his eternal search for the perfect lobster roll.
Sparrow thanked many in the industry but called out John (Steady) Steedman, his boss for 26 years who retired as executive director of WPP AUNZ in 2020.
“I've been doing this for 50 years and this industry has been my livelihood, my life, my friends, my family. And I just love what I do every day.”
His career started with an interview at McCann in the dispatch department where mail was delivered.
He was a self described country bumpkin from Wauchope on the NSW mid north coast.
“And I went into Caltex house and the lift doors opened and there were all these trophies. I used to cut the coupon out of TV week and vote for the best commercial … and here were the real trophies.
“I tried to put some stats together and the only one I could get right was that I have been to hundreds of restaurants and I love a lobster roll.
“I think I’ve been to 227 countries with work, I've been to several Olympics, I've been to over 227 pitches. I've eaten a lot of lobster. And I love this industry inside out.
“I'm really privileged to have had some lifetime experiences doing this amazing job. However, I would like to leave you with three things.
“I think we're ageist and we need to do better and look after old people. Less than 5% of people in our industry are 50. So if you really believe in diversity, we need to fix ageism.
“Number two, you need resilience. I've had great career highlights particularly in my seven years in the Big Apple with Mindshare.
“However, it was bittersweet. My dad passed away during this time, but I never got to say goodbye. So, while I have fantastic memories it comes with some sadness.
“Also, I was made redundant at WPP after 26 years, and I was devastated. But you know what? You bounce back with resilience. I've still got things to do and I’m not redundant yet.
“I'm still learning every day. I learn from the people I coach and learn from the people I mentor. You may see an old white guy who loves lobster rolls. However, I still see a resilient person who's energetic, relevant and passionate about what I do every day.
“The third thing that we're going through is the churn in our industry. We need to ensure our best talent stays in the industry.
“I'm living proof that this industry can deliver a fabulous lifetime career.”
And he encouraged all to be a better person.
“Be passionate about what you do every day. Share your knowledge and build up the people around you. Be a good human, always look to have the lobster and have fun.
“And once again, I've had a brilliant career and a wonderful life in media. I can't thank you enough for this.”
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