Media strategist guru Gordon Patterson has been shot dead.
News of his death broke on Twitter, and was confirmed by his colleagues at Omnicom, where he was business director.
Patterson was shot in his driveway in a botched robbery on Thursday night.
Journalist and industry commentator Jeremy Maggs said Patterson was a widely respected brand thinker. “He was one of the most widely respected media commentators in SA, with a passion and knowledge of the print industry and his expertise is going to be sorely missed.”
Maggs said Patterson was always willing to give comment for those writing on the media and that the industry today was drawing a collective breath of horror.
“It would be my contention that today the advertising and branding industry is a much poorer place,” Maggs said.
He expressed condolences to Patterson’s family.
Trevor Ormerod, general manger for group sales and marketing at TMG, said Patterson he was a doyen of the advertising industry and a good friend for 20 years.
“We are devastated by his tragic death. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and colleagues in an industry he has served with devotion during his illustrious career. RIP to one of SA’s great admen.”
Patterson was a stalwart of the advertising and media industry in SA, where he worked for more than 25 years. At the time of his death he was on the board of the Audit Bureau of Circulation, and was vice-chairman of Advertising Media Association of SA.
He also served on the print subcommittee of the South African Audience Research Foundation, which carries out major media surveys such as AMPS and RAMS.
Patterson’s previous corporate roles included MD of SMV Group and chairman of Vivaki South Africa.
he was also a former chairman of the Media Directors Circle and a founding director of the AMF in SA, in which he still held a directorship at the time of his death.
-bdlive