Hardie braves beer mat barrage

ITV’s new marketing director John Hardie received a harsh introduction to television audiences at a celebration of the channel’s 1998 football portfolio at the Equinox club in Leicester Square last month. Hardie, Procter & Gamble’s former managing director cosmetics and toiletries (Europe), was warned not to give a speech to the bear-pit crowd of agency salesmen and women. He ignored the advice and talked them through ITV’s fabulous 1998 football programme. Within seconds mini sponge footballs and beer mats were being hurled in his direction. A trouper, Hardie battled on and delivered the speech. As he descended from the stage you could almost hear him thinking: “This never happened at P&G.”