The Platinum Egg 2010: Frank Hollingworth.
“The word ‘bromance’ is a new addition to Swedish, describing a close, open-hearted and devoted – but non-sexual – relation between two men.” This is how one Swedish dictionary defines the word and it’s hard to think of a better way of describing the partnership that began almost four decades ago and still remains the cornerstone of King, one of the country’s leading advertising agencies. In the advertising world, Frank & Sunit is a stronger brand than Ben & Jerry.... They are like gin & tonic. If you say “Frank”, you have to concentrate a bit not to blurt out “and Sunit” out of sheer habit. That’s big an impression they have made together, first at Hollingworth Mehrotra, later at King. Frank’s campaign for the ICA grocery chain is the one that imprinted itself most strongly. Not just among King campaigns, not just on the Golden Egg jury, but of all campaigns ever, anywhere in Sweden. If you don’t believe it, try asking people on the streets of Sweden, from Ystad in the south to Haparanda in the north. Besides ICA, Frank likes to point to the campaign for H&M’s Rocky Jeans. Good-looking, cocky, funny spots from the golden age of Swedish advertising. Asked if these are what he is proudest of in his career, he answers, “No.” “Ok, then what are you proudest of?” He falls silent, thinking, then answers, “That I haven’t fallen out with Sunit.” Is there some factor in Frank’s genetics or childhood (he was born in 1964) that can explain 40 years of uninterrupted professional success? Yes, quite a bit. Frank’s father, also named Frank, was a celebrity chef of his era. Together, they did a television programme called Gott För Smått (Tasty for Tots) in which Little Frank made milkshakes. Later, they wrote a book together, Frankarnas Uppfinningar (Inventions of the Franks). In other words, it is not entirely surprising that Frank Hollingworth ended up in the Academy.
After the Platinum Egg: Frank is still active as a creative director at King. He works closely with a project manager named Sunit Mehrotra.