Ad industry saddened at John Archer’s passing

Affectionately know as ‘Achah’ he most recently ran his own consultancy Woof, based in Ho Chi Minh City.

From 2002 to 2006, Archer was the regional creative director for Indochina at Bates Worldwide and later Bates Asia, based in Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City respectively.

Archer started his career in advertising with O&M in Melbourne, from where he moved across to O&M Jakarta and O&M Singapore in working with Neil French. A stint at McCann was followed by a creative director's role at Bates Bangkok.

Tributes have been pouring into a Facebook page set up by his many friends and former colleagues wishing to celebrate his life and mourn his passing.

“John was a dear dear friend and a mentor from the day I arrived in Asia in 1994. He was gruff and unforgiving yet he was always the guy to tell you to sell it 'for all our sakes'," said David Mayo, president of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Asia Pacific. "We will miss him. Another Asia advertising institution has closed but will never be forgotten.”

Added Matthew Godfrey, president at Y&R Asia Pacific, “John was a brilliant wordsmith, quick witted with phrases as poetically sharp as a paper cut from a samurai sword. He had mastered the ability to present himself as tough as nails. Battle hardened by decades of experience around Asia with some of the greats in the business from Neil French to Michael Ball. He always meant exactly what he said and spoke directly without fear or compromise. He never suffered fools. He actually threw them out on regular occasions. But once past that gravel exterior, John also had a warm marshmallow centre. Caring, loyal and generous. He collected awards around the world, that is true, but more importantly, John collected friends. It was his complexity of brilliance with bullishness, harshness and helpfulness that made him such a loveable rogue. Asia and especially 1 degree North will seem much less interesting without J the A. Farewell my friend.”