The images are breathtaking. They are shocking and beautiful at the same time. The photographs might excite you or make you angry…possible even frighten you but they most assuredly intrigue you. This is the difference between simply taking a lovely photo and art. The challenge of photography can be described as framing the content in such a way as to enable the viewer to understand the truth of the subject matter. Sometimes it may take a modicum of “untruth” to reveal that. Only the right photographer possesses the eye to envision this in advance. It takes the right art buyer/creative producer to discern which photographer can lend a sensibility in line with a specific campaign. Kate Mahon is that type of person. A look at her website (with the laughably modest title www.reallygoodphotographers.com) and the images which immediately appear are a testament to the first statement you read in this article. What you see will excite you, perhaps make you blush, you may even wince, but you will definitely keep looking. In the world of advertising, images are more powerful than ever. Now that social media has made digital imagery ubiquitous, everyone is an amateur photographer and editor. This means that advertising requires more than beautiful people; it requires provocative and deeply mindful content. Kate has spent more than a decade and a half in London using her love of photography, her awareness of the market, and connections to coordinate the right photographers and campaigns. Unapologetically, it is Mahon’s joy of the collaborative process rather than the any sense of being a frustrated photographer that has led to her success as an art buyer/creative producer. After studying journalism (at the London College of Printing) followed by a short stint with i-D Magazine and Time Out, Kate became immersed in London’s fashion and photography scene. Add to that a period in which Kate worked in live performance production with artist such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie, REM…her perspective became increasingly diverse and modern. Blending all of these worlds together empowered Mahon with an attitude and insight into the imagery which captures the public’s attention. Within her first three years, Mahon went from art buyer to Head of Art buying and became Art Buying Director within seven years; an obvious testament to her abilities. Although not intending on a career in advertising, her first foray into the arena went so well that she was quickly hired by Kate Stanners of Saatchi and Saatchi in London to be their Head Art Buyer and Creative Producer. The highly successful global campaigns which Mahon helped create for HSBC, Olay, Toyota, and Head & Shoulders appeared in print and television. Stanners attributes these achievements to Mahon’s involvement stating, “None of this success would have been possible without Ms. Mahone’s leading contributions.”
Rather than seeing her role in the advertising world as “sales centered”, it is the creative and personal side that feeds her love of this vocation. She relates, “The collaboration is the main aspect I love. In the Fine Art world it is all a very personal and solitary process, but in advertising every part of the creation of a campaign is a collaboration between the client’s brief, the creatives ideas, and the photographer or director’s vision of bringing the idea to life. My job includes working with a huge range of image makers from all genres.” One of the best examples of this in Mahon’s career is the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. As the only Art Buyer and Creative Producer on this world renowned campaign, Kate not only oversaw all aspects (including casting management, wardrobe, production costs) but also brought together some of the most iconic photographers of the era including; Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, and David Bailey. The images were striking and had universal appeal, resulting in an increase of Dove’s worldwide sales by an astounding 600%! Brian Connoly (Creative Director of Publicis New York) worked with Kate at Saatchi & Saatchi and directly correlates this to her lead role in the Dove campaign stating, “I truly credit much of this success to Kate Mahon’s creative contribution which was vital in attracting customers in the first place.”
Although financial and industry praise are a part of the business, Kate enjoys the ability to challenge herself and the public to process imagery in unorthodox ways. The British are famous for their composure and self restraint. Mahon persuaded fashion and punk icon Dame Vivienne Westwood to remove her front false teeth, giving the appearance of injuries from a brawl…that takes a good bit of persuasion. In addition, one of Kate’s many award-winning ads with Harrods (including the 2006 Cannes Lions and a London International Award in 2005 for Best Use of Photography) displayed ten of Britain’s best tailors after what is assumed to be a considerable melee. Linking fashion with those in a state of disrepair is the type of self deprecating humor that is as British as tea or football (soccer for you Americans). Beyond her work with the famous, beautiful, and talented photographers and subject matter, Kate has spent a significant portion of her time and energy using her skills to take part in social projects like: the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the Royal National Lifeboat Society. Nick Studzinski worked with Kate during her time at Publicis advertising agency and notes that, in addition to her exemplary work, she had a tendency towards mentoring. He recalls, “Kate has a keen sense for talented individuals in the creative and business part of the industry. She even hired a Junior Art Buyer who is now head of the art buying department at Publicis.”
The world of advertising continues to change quickly with technology and virtual interaction on a global scale. Ms. Mahon finds this to be a driving inspiration rather than a fear based motive. “Complacency is not possible with the ever changing industry. During my career I have seen a seismic shift in my role and the entire advertising industry as a whole. Learning to adapt my skills is extremely exciting and, when successful, quite rewarding. The foundations of loving photography and the production process are evergreen but the actual platforms and the way in which work is created has fundamentally changed.” comments Kate. Mahon’s expertise has achieved respected status in the field. In addition to being sought after by many of the U.K’s prestigious advertising firms, she is often asked to use her discerning eye for judging competitions such as Le Book and the Association of Photographer’s in London and critique portfolios at the London Photography Fair.
Having worked with household American names like Kevin Bacon, Harvey Keitel, and Olympian Michael Phelps has ignited Kate’s interest in working in America. With a pedigree that contains such respected American photographers as the aforementioned Annie Lebovitz, as well as; Martien Mulder, Agustus Butera, and Jeff Minton, it would seem that Mahon’s disposition and talent meshes well with U.S. artists. She admits that, “I have been coming to the U.S. and in particular New York for the last twenty years and I have never lost the original excitement of seeing the city for the first time. I love England and my home city but I relish the idea of experiencing the U.S. and getting to know the subtleties of both the country and the people with whom I have always felt an empathy.”