Al Offen: Chief Operating Officer. The professor will see you now. His title is C.O.O., but what Al does here is much more diverse. On any given day he is agency consigliore, contrarian and curmudgeon-in-chief; which, in his case, is apparently what the ‘C’ in C.O.O. stands for. An industry veteran whose resume reads like a Who’s Who of the world’s leading agencies, Al made Ogilvy his home for over 18 years before joining his friends in forming ON Ideas. Who was a big influence in your career? David Ogilvy was my hero in the advertising business. He embodied all that was right for the brand, his people, and his agency. Read his books and learn how.
What attracted you to ON Ideas? I’m at ON Ideas because my pal of two decades, Tom Bolling, felt he needed me, and his passion for this distinctive business model was irresistible. The health insurance was a nice touch, too. What do you do for a good time when you’re not working? I like observing people. Human behavior is fickle. The more we know, the better we can communicate. But try explaining that to a cop while you’re peeking through a window!