Kenneth Roman

Kenneth Roman (born September 6, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts)^[1] is an American author and advertising executive.

Roman graduated from Dartmouth College in 1952, where he was editor-in-chief of the undergraduate daily newspaper.

Roman joined Ogilvy & Mather in 1963 and served as chairman from 1985 to 1989. In 1989, WPP plc, a British advertising holding company, acquired the Ogilvy Group for $864 million, which, at the time, was the most ever paid for an advertising agency. David Ogilvy initially resisted the sale, but eventually accepted the title of WPP honorary chairman, a position he relinquished in 1992.^[2][3]

After 26 years with Ogilvy, Roman joined American Express in a senior communications role before becoming a consultant, board director, and author. After his departure Graham Phillips became the chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.^[4]

Roman is the co-author of two influential business books – How to Advertise ISBN 0312318596 and Writing That Works ISBN 0060956437 and the author of a 2009 biography of David Ogilvy entitled The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising.^[5]

He lives in New York City with his wife.

Bibliography

• 2009 – The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising^[5]
• 2003 – How to Advertise, Third Edition
• 2002 – Writing That Works, Third Edition
• 1997 – How to Advertise, Second Edition
• 1992 – Writing That Works, Second Edition
• 1992 – The New How to Advertise, with Jane Maas
• 1981 – Writing That Works, with Joel Raphaelson
• 1977 – How to Advertise, with Jane Maas