Danny Brooke-Taylor, founding partner, Lucky Generals
Please find time to watch Ring's reel.
It's a body of work the rest of us could only dream of creating, yet he did so in a lifetime so cruelly cut short.
You will laugh and you will cry.
You will see joy and wonder and mischief.
It is beautiful and cool and funny and honest and inspiring.
And so was he.
Yan Elliott, group executive creative director, The & Partnership London
On a professional level, the contribution he made to the industry has been massive.
The awards shows for many years were The Ringan shows.
He was the light, the benchmark as to what you wanted your work to look like.
His talent was such that if Ringan liked your script, you knew you were on to something.
A massive talent but that's not the only thing that made him special. It's only half the story.
What came with that talent was such a down-to-earth, affable nature.
A talent with no ego – now that you rarely see.
It's so incredibly sad because, as frightening as it may seem, we were in no doubt that his best was yet to come.
Imagine what that would have looked like!
From a professional and personal perspective, we were lucky and honoured to have him for a while.
We've lost a great.
Davud Karbassioun, president, Pulse Films
Ringan had such a positive impact on everyone and everything he came close to. His work consistently set the bar for all of us. He made advertising that didn't look or feel like advertising, it transcended it. So much can be learned from studying his body of work, it's a welcome reflection of the real creative opportunity in this mad industry as well as a reminder of why so many of us are drawn to it.
He was obsessive about the craft of filmmaking, meticulous in his research and approach but also had this very rare ability and enthusiasm to get everyone excited and on-side. Clients, agencies, crew, artists, talent all respected and trusted him and were willing to leap into his vision with him.
He never did a director's cut, which is an extraordinary thought, he never needed to, he believed his responsibility was to get the very best expression of the work out to the real world and would fight for what he believed in every step of the way, always with the best intentions.
That inclusive passion always made his work better. Simply put, he was an extraordinary talent and he cared so much. He cared about the people and the work.
I was lucky to meet and work with him early in his career making commercials for Bartle Bogle Hegarty and realised how special he was, and selfishly just tried to follow his lead every step of the way from then, even all the way to Los Angeles.
He was a very dear friend and I will miss him. He had this effortless confidence and compassion, which always made him the coolest person in the room, and I was just grateful to be in the room with him for parts of his journey. There is a big group of us that got so much from him and we owe him everything. He made us all look good. We'd copy his style, steal his jokes and anecdotes, and while we hope to continue to champion everything we learned from and loved about him, there will only ever be one Ringan Ledwidge.
Andy Jex, chief creative officer, TBWA\London
The compulsion to talk about the incredible reel of work is strong. It's so outstanding and so adored. But the truth is, it's still here with us, we can go and watch it anytime.
Heart-breakingly the thing none of us can see and share again is the man himself. And that's why now's the time to remember Ringan's specialness. Which ultimately allowed him to create the work that he did. Of a level just that bit better than anyone else.
He was the coolest kid on the block, capable of magic, a humble soul that could make you laugh, and saw wonder, beauty and ideas in the everyday. The impact and the transformative effect he had on people he met was extraordinary.
The amazing thing about Ringan (let's be honest – he never needed the surname) was his way with people. There are plenty of people in the world that can make others feel special. But when someone with a golden talent like Ringan has the ability to make everyone he meets feel just as talented and just as special as him – that's truly powerful and magnetic.
It was the same no matter who he met. Imagine the power of that, when you're the director of a crew, there's nothing they won't do for you. This wasn't something that developed with success, as far as I know he was always that way. As a result, so many people have such a strong bond to him.
There is no inbetween when it comes to him. No-one ever just "knew" him. There are just those that never met Ringan and those that love Ringan.
Next Saturday will be a moment, The Kop at his beloved Liverpool will sing "You'll never walk alone", we'll all be thinking the same thoughts and they'll never have sung a truer word.
Josie Juneau, head of new business, Rattling Stick.
Ringan was one in a million. The best of the best. His talent to one side for a moment. He had this wonderful ability of making everyone – and I mean literally everyone – he met feel special.
He never forgot a name. He’d always make time to listen. He’d give a little head nod and a wink from across the room if he couldn’t escape his current chat to get to you and you instantly felt like you were included.
He was gifted in the ability of lifting everyone he met and coincidentally has furthered many a career/or even just a mood/ or an entire life in fact because of that. He was a very special soul with an infectious booming laugh that instantly made you laugh too, he was always on hand for advice and support, always stayed true to his word.
And let’s be honest he was rather nice to look at.
Andy McLeod, director at Rattling Stick
Everyone loved Ringan, and he loved everyone back.
Everyone was his best mate, he treated us all as if we were special.
There's supposed to be some sort of corollary, whereby the more talented you are, the nastier you can be.
Ring obviously didn't see that memo.
Ben Mooge, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe
Ringan was beyond special.
How could you make such good work and be such a good soul?
It just doesn't compute.
Being the best-looking guy in the room.
Being that funny.
And being that good at football.
The utter, utter bastard.
He was such good company.
Anyone who knew him will be as utterly heartbroken as I am.
The work was outstanding.
The man was even better.
Miss you Ring.
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