Vale Christen Monge: a class act

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Christen-Monge-1990.jpgMany in the ad industries throughout Australia, Asia and Europe will be saddened to hear of the passing of Christen Monge, a world-renowned creative director from the 80s through to 2010, who died of a stroke at his home in Sussex at only 61 years of age.

Monge is well-known to many who were in the Sydney industry from 1988 to 1992. In early 1988 he was brought into Ogilvy Sydney from Ogilvy London – where he helped launch Fosters in the UK and was part of the team on the long-running Guinness campaign – and soon set about changing the rather staid image of the agency with award-winning work for Homer Hudson Ice Cream, American Express, Philips, Lipton and Guinness.

CHRISTEN-MONGE-2014.jpgIn the 1990 Campaign Brief poll, Monge was voted #2 creative director in Australia by his peers.

In 1990 Monge left Ogilvy to join FCB Sydney, followed by a long high-flying career back at Ogilvy in Asia and Europe. In 2010 he left the advertising industry, finally pursuing his dream of renovating Kingscote Estate in Sussex, where he planted a vineyard – with the first harvest only last year. (Unknown to Monge, his wines have just won a Silver and two Bronze Awards at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards, proving he was awarded at whatever he touched!)

Former Ogilvy Australia chairman John Hopkins, who hired Monge in 1988, sent CB this message this afternoon: “When I was running Ogilvy in Sydney I was able to persuade Christen with the help of others to come to Australia and work with me as Creative Director. This must be a dreadful time for his wife and young children. They still had so much to achieve together.

“As a past colleague I am more fortunate. Yes I too am sad, but I’m also lucky – our team with Christen managed to achieve so much together as we challenged each other to do outstanding/interesting work that sold stuff, hire talented people, further improve the image of Ogilvy’s, try and keep head office at bay and in the process have considerable fun.

May that spirit that he had for big and unusual ideas be remembered by those trying to create sales for their clients in the advertising world today.”

Monge is survived by his wife Alison and four children.

UPDATE – Christen’s funeral will be held at 11am on June 5 at St Duntans Church Cranbrook, Kent. The wake will be held at his Mill Place Farm, Kingscote Vineyards, West Sussex.