Ahead of the ICAD Awards, which will be held in Christ Church Cathedral tonight, the Institute of Creative Advertising and Design has awarded Mal Stevenson with the Catherine Donnelly Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the creative advertising industry in Ireland.
This is the first lifetime achievement award ICAD has given to anybody and comes as the organisation celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
“The Catherine Donnelly award is ICAD’s first lifetime achievement award. It is named after one of Ireland’s most respected and best-loved copywriters, Catherine Donnelly. Catherine wrote ads that entered the public consciousness forming part of the fabric of our society, classics like Kerrygold’s ‘who’s bringing the horse to France” and the Barry’s Tea Christmas radio ad that is enjoyed to this day,” says Rory Hamilton, President of ICAD and executive creative director of Boys and Girls.
“Mal Stevenson has 46 years’ experience in Advertising. During that time, he worked in Young Advertising, McConnells and Arks before becoming Creative Director of Irish International (now BBDO). He has worked on some of Ireland’s best loved campaigns, famous ads for brands like Kerrygold, Aer Lingus, Powers, Budweiser and Guinness where he produced more than a decade of work that became front page news. His Guinness Christmas ad “White Christmas” remains, to this day, a classic,” says Hamilton.
According to Mal Stevenson: “It has been very hard to win an ICAD award over the years. The standard has always been high which means that the awards themselves have always been cherished. I never expected recognition in my career, I was lucky to do a job that I love, but it is lovely when that recognition comes along. I am honoured to win an award named after Catherine Donnelly, a brilliantly talented writer who I was lucky enough to work with over many years.
