As for his legacy, another modern-day New York creative provocateur, Greg Hahn, chief creative officer and founder of Mischief USA, described him as “an outspoken champion of bold creative work.”
“He detested the middle ground,” said Hahn. “Work like George’s, that creates talk, builds brands, and lasts decades, isn’t born in the middle ground. I once heard a quote from him, ‘You can be cautious or you can be creative, but there is no such thing as a cautious creative.’ Every act of creativity is a leap of faith, and George wasn’t afraid to take wild leaps. “
And according to David Kolbusz, chief creative officer at Orchard, what sets Lois apart from so many of his contemporaries was “The timelessness of his product.”
“It demands no historical context to be enjoyed, and it’s never celebrated for nostalgic reasons. Be it his Esquire covers, his logo work, or his ad campaigns, the design and art direction transcends the era in which they were created. Asked, “If I had to do it over again now in the present, would I do it the same way?”, the answer with Lois’ work is almost always “Good golly, yes.”
Below, more members of the ad community pay tribute to Lois, via LinkedIn.
Nancy R Tag, BIC Program Director at CCNY: “He was a towering figure, not just in the industry, but in our culture. He was a fighter >> against injustice, mediocrity, and bigotry. His swagger could mask a vast and tender generosity. His ego was big, but his heart significantly bigger.”
Rob Schwartz, chair of TBWA/New York: “You can’t be in advertising and not pay a debt of gratitude to George Lois.”
Wayne Deakin, global principal creative at Wolf Ollins: “One of my heroes.”
Marc Nohr, chairman of Fold7: “I grew up on George Lois stories, pored over his magazine front covers, and always preferred his definition of creativity over others: “The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.”
Graham Fink, founder of Fink Different: “George was one of the reasons I started my career in advertising. His book The Art Of Advertising was like a bible on my desk.”
Patrick O’Neill, freelance chief creative officer: “This man inspired so many to think bigger, act courageously and speak the unvarnished truth.”
