Stories diverge as to why the Platinum Egg, established in 1975 to honour Swedish creatives with a strong track record of high-quality work, started being awarded to prominent foreign creatives in 1988.

Somebody who moved in the same circles as the jury recalls that American art director George Lois and British creative director John Hegarty actually produced quite a bit of advertising for Swedish companies and products out in the wider world...Read more, and that’s why they received the award. But neither Esquire Magazine, Jewish Levy’s bread, Levi’s jeans nor Robertson’s Golden Shred Marmalade feels particularly Swedish.

Another person who knew how the jury was thinking at the time heaves a sigh and says it was obviously just a crass attempt to boost the profile of the award. In any case, since 1989, after two years, no more foreign creatives have received it. One can speculate as to why. But these two ad world giants were nonetheless worthy of their Platinum Egg.

– L.F.