Russel Howcroft to present ad doco for ABC

Russel Howcroft will present a documentary special on two of Australia’s greatest admen, Alan (Mo) Morris and Allan (Jo) Johnston, for ABC.

CJZ (Gruen) will produce the yet-to-be titled doco on the two men behind the MOJO advertising agency.

‘Mo & Jo’ were team behind Aussie ad campaigns and ad themes,“How do you feel?”, “They said you’d never make it”, “Hit em with the old Pea Beu”, “Going, going Amoco-ing”, “I can feel a Fourex coming on”, “You oughta be congratulated” “A week without the Weekly’s not the same”, and “C’mon Aussie C’mon ” which became a #1 hit single.

“This is the story of how two unpretentious geniuses re-wrote the rule book in advertising. From How Do ya Feel?’ to Paul Hogan putting “another shrimp on the barbie”. They had a hit parade of jingles and ads that did much more than sell products, they changed the way we thought about ourselves, and helped take a new Australian identity to the world,” said Howcroft.

“This is the beginning of my love letter to Australian Advertising. Mo & Jo are two of the most important creative figures in Australian history since Henry Lawson & Banjo Patterson!”

Interviews will include Paul Hogan, John Cornell, Ita Buttrose, John Singleton, Ian Chappell and key  MOJO staff.

An airdate is yet to be announced.