Vale accomplished creative Strephyn Mappin – his bone dry sense of humour will be sadly missed
Many in the industry in the Asia-Pacific region will be saddened to hear of the passing of accomplished writer and creative director Strephyn Mappin, who has died in Nigeria of what is believed to be a heart attack.
His daughter Georgia wrote this on Mappin’s Facebook page yesterday afternoon, which shocked all who knew him: It’s with a very heavy heart I have to announce that my Dad, my hero, Strephyn Mappin died yesterday from what we think was a massive heart attack in Nigeria. I can’t believe he is gone, I don’t want to believe he is gone – I don’t really know what to do. Please just hug your dads tonight and tell them you love them, you just never know when it’s going to be the last time.
During his career Mappin, who was principal at his own company Animal Writes since 2011, has worked for O&M, Young & Rubicam, Saatchi & Saatchi, George Patterson and BWM. He’s been a copywriter, Creative Group Head and Creative Director. His work has won awards ranging from D&AD, Clio, AWARD, Caxton and Golden Stylus through to multiple local advertising awards and Asian advertising awards. He’s worked in most states of Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea, the UK and the USA.
Mappin grew up in Perth, graduating from Curtin University in 1978 with a BA in English and later studied writing at the Australian Film and Television School in Sydney. He is also the author of over 20 novels and collections of short stories, which have been translated into 6 languages, and has worked part-time for over 10 years as a manuscript assessor for Driftwood Manuscripts. He was also the ‘S’ from popular cartooning duo, S&M Cartoons.
There are currently 127 comments on Facebook in response to the tragic news, including one from Rob Belgiovane, who hired Mappin as creative group head / head of copy at BWM from 2004 to 2011:”Goodbye old friend. 40 years of laughs, love and honesty. I loved you Streph. And I’ll miss you madly. All our love to Tina, Zac, Georgia and Caiden xxx.”
Adds Channel T creative director Marrianne Little: “He was a lovely, erudite man who’s talent and bone dry sense of humour will be sadly missed by many of us in the ad industry.”
18 Comments
Strephyn was truly one of a kind. He was a mentor and a great friend when I started in advertising. His wickedly dry sense of humour was just what we all needed and his talent made him a true renaissance man. Award winning writer, author, screenwriter and the fear of all fish. I was lucky enough to be his best man at his and Tina’s wedding and only Strephyn would request the soundtrack to Twin Peaks for the exchanging of vows. My thoughts are with Tina and the kids. If there is an afterlife, and there is a queue, I hope Strephyn and AA Gill are standing in line together, swapping stories. Remley’s waiting at the bar for you, Streph. So long, me ol’ trout.
You cranky bastard now you’ve made me cranky. RIP Streph.
This is very sad news. Shocked. RIP Streph. Lots of fantastic memories.
Thank you for your kind words – he was absolutely one of a kind and will be missed by so many.
Don’t cry for him, crack a joke and have a drink in his honour – it’s what he would’ve wanted.
Steph was brave, brilliant, and generous with his care and his craft.
RIP you bastard. I’ll miss you.
A lovely man. RIP.
I have many great Streph memories from my BWM days.
RIP you old bugger.
My most successful suiting was when working with Strephyn – I was always too scared to come back with client changes.
Goodbye. Good friend. JL
Sad, Sad news. An unconventional man with a giant brain.
Many years ago, Strephyn wrote Chiaroscuro. I thought of this when I read the news yesterday. We always seem to think of death as dark, but Ihave a feeling Strephyn is bringing his usual gentle light to that dark place. We will miss you.
Speechless. We slipped off the edge of many an ice-cube together – love u Strephy ‘ol mate – missing u – until well meet again.
One of the wittiest, talented and toughest writers I ever had the pleasure to collaborate with and Art Direct for. His discipline and detail were legendary, as was his dislike for behaving his work time interrupted. Many a suit chided for not briefing before 10 and interrupting before 1pm. A master of the open plan office.
Warm, generous and nurturing – an occasionally tough love.
When I’m next at the Aussie Youth I will lift a glass to Streph.
So so sad. Loved working and winding him up at BWM. One of a very talented kind. RIP buddy x
Vale Streph. Have to make my way to the Aussie.
Vale Streph,
Thanks for your friendship, support and all the fun times we shared.
I’m going to miss your razor sharp wit and especially your deliciously evil giggle.
Fly high Streph, I am glad still have treasured memorabilia from your Perth days. RIP.
I just found out about Streph this evening from chatting to an Australian copywriter in Kenya and was shocked. His last email to me was on the 1st of December 2016 from Nigeria telling me about his experience there.
I have worked with Streph on and off as freelancers for the last 2 years but we never actually met, it has always been through Skype but I really enjoyed working with him, we got on really well so I was very lucky to never see his grumpy side. He had a great sense of humour.
We worked together at BWM/Naked in Dubai.
He would always share photos of his fishing expedition and i would share all my antique Ebay purchases.
I posted him a mini brass horn I bought on Ebay to scare his geese away and he sent me back his books for my boys.
He loved his family and missed them so much when he was in Nigeria.
Condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.