Kenneth Roman (born September 6, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts)[1] is an American author and advertising executive.

Roman graduated from Dartmouth College in 1952, where he was editor-in-chief of the undergraduate daily newspaper.

Roman joined Ogilvy & Mather in 1963 and served as chairman from 1985 to 1989. In 1989, WPP plc, a British advertising holding company, acquired the Ogilvy Group for $864 million, which, at the time, was the most ever paid for an advertising agency. David Ogilvy initially resisted the sale, but eventually accepted the title of WPP honorary chairman, a position he relinquished in 1992.[2][3]

After 26 years with Ogilvy, Roman joined American Express in a senior communications role before becoming a consultant, board director, and author. After his departure Graham Phillips became the chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.[4]

Roman is the co-author of two influential business books – How to Advertise ISBN 0312318596 and Writing That Works ISBN 0060956437 and the author of a 2009 biography of David Ogilvy entitled The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising.[5]

He lives in New York City with his wife.

Bibliography

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  • 2009 – The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising[5]
  • 2003 – How to Advertise, Third Edition
  • 2002 – Writing That Works, Third Edition
  • 1997 – How to Advertise, Second Edition
  • 1992 – Writing That Works, Second Edition
  • 1992 – The New How to Advertise, with Jane Maas
  • 1981 – Writing That Works, with Joel Raphaelson
  • 1977 – How to Advertise, with Jane Maas

References

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  1. ^ Van Hoven, Matt (April 15, 2009). "SO WHAT DO YOU DO, KEN ROMAN, OGILVY BIOGRAPHER?". Mediabistro. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  2. ^ Randall Rothenberg (May 16, 1989). "WPP's Bid Is Accepted By Ogilvy". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  3. ^ Roman 2009, p. 190
  4. ^ Roman 2009, p. 192
  5. ^ a b Roman, Kenneth (2009). The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4039-7895-0.
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