Rory Sutherland

Insightful advertising guru

Rory Sutherland is a columnist at the Spectator, author, and marketing executive with Ogilvy & Mather group. His columns and writing emphasise how our misunderstanding of rationality and psychological quirks inform our everyday decisions.

Photo of Rory Sutherland

“A flower is a weed with an advertising budget.”

From unlikely beginnings as a classics teacher to his current job as Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group, Rory Sutherland has created his own brand of the Cinderella story. He joined Ogilvy & Mather's planning department in 1988, and became a junior copywriter, working on Microsoft's account in its pre-Windows days. An early fan of the Internet, he was among the first in the traditional ad world to see the potential in these relatively unknown technologies.

An immediate understanding of the possibilities of digital technology and the Internet powered Sutherland's meteoric rise. He continues to provide insight into advertising in the age of the Internet and social media through his blog at Campaign's Brand Republic site, his column "The Wiki Man" at The Spectator and his busy Twitter account.

“Rory is a persuasive and charismatic speaker and has a tremendous knack for making ideas come to life in an easily digestible way..” — Gary Leih, Ogilvy Group Chairman

Rory Sutherland is a columnist at the Spectator, author, and marketing executive with Ogilvy & Mather group. His columns and writing emphasise how our misunderstanding of rationality and psychological quirks inform our everyday decisions.

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