John MacVean Lally, one of the pharmaceutical industry’s long-term creative talents, passed away on January 22. Lally was a founding partner of Lally, McFarland & Pantello, now a part of the Euro RSCG Life network of healthcare agencies. He was a resident of Killingworth, Conn.
“John will be remembered for his humor, passion for the creative product and staff, and legendary genius,” commented Ron Pantello, chief executive of Euro RSCG Life. “He was unquestionably the greatest copywriter and creative director of his generation.”
Lally began his medical advertising career as a copywriter at William Douglas McAdams and Robert A. Becker Advertising. In what was a career-defining move, Lally joined Sudler & Hennessey, where he focused on what he liked to do best – creating effective market positioning for products in concert with the creative expressions of those positions. At S&H, where he became creative director, his analytical and creative thinking helped such products as Premarin and Inderal achieve record sales.
In 1980, he left Sudler & Hennessey with James McFarland and Ron Pantello to found Lally McFarland & Pantello, where he continued to serve as marketing strategist and creative director for such clients as Ayerst, Norwich, Procter & Gamble, and Wyeth. Lally was known for his marketing insights and facile, erudite manner.
Lally retired in 1993, and pursued his love of baseball and American history.
He was a graduate from Colgate University, with a B.S. degree in chemistry, and obtained a post-graduate degree in mathematics from Syracuse University.