28 March 2019 29

ADVERTISING AGENCY OF THE YEAR MOTHER

s its 21st year of existence, 2018 was Athe year that Mother supposedly came of age. It was marked by the joyful, anarchic work for which Mother has always been famous, showing that years do not define this agency; they are, instead, a mere chronology for this proud independent that shows no sign of selling up or selling out. Mother’s seminal “masterclass in crisis management” for KFC, the “FCK” print ad, showed an honesty and lightness of touch that helped the fast-food chain navigate what looked in danger of being a very serious business problem, when changes to its supply chain in February meant that it ran out of chicken. The ad became a global phenomenon, reaching more than one billion people, and engendering warmth for a brand that had been in the press for all the wrong reasons. The agency also managed to tap in to the public psyche – or “popular culture” as is the industry trope – with its “Rang-tan” ad by repurposing a Greenpeace film for Iceland. Although vetoed by Clearcast (fuelling the ad’s fame further), the moving spot showing the impact of palm-oil production on the habitat of orangutans became a sensation, garnering more than 62 2018’s title was million views. It became the most- shared and commented-on ad of 2018. particularly hard-fought, The ad also translated into business success for the supermarket – even in a tumultuous 12 more remarkable, given that Christmas is a time when Iceland’s bigger rivals months for the industry splurge enormous amounts of money amid Brexit uncertainty, in a bid to seize the Christmas crown. Iceland has only a 2.1% market share agency consolidation and Aside from 2018 being a year and a much smaller ad budget, but its when Mother’s production consideration score rose 5.9 points leadership changes. following the campaign. Moreover, one of brilliant, distinctive and million people signed a petition calling Here is Campaign’s pick for the ad to be shown on TV. effective work was apparent of those that came out Ikea has long provided a rich seam to all, there was also for Mother to mine when it comes to creative and strategic excellence, and the other side with a highly coveted new business 2018 was no different. The retailer’s cock-a-doodle-doo long-running “Wonderful everyday” coming through the doors brand platform allowed Mother to flex its muscles with its “Ghosts” spot, which encouraged people to “be a maverick with fabric”. This is just one example of the agency transforming Ikea’s brand perceptions beyond Mother’s “Rang-tan” ad for Iceland became the most-shared flat-pack furniture. Mother is also and commented-on ad of 2018 doing its best to help reinvent high- » 30 March 2019 March 2019 31 AGENCY OF THE YEAR street stalwart Debenhams with a new RUNNERS-UP long-term results, while staying services, including social content, positioning based on the theme “do a relevant and winning new business. It marketing technology and analytics bit of Debenhams”. Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO has a strong focus on people and their to existing clients. Fees for work Aside from 2018 being a year when It’s a fitting tribute to group chairman learning and development.” New- “unrelated” to media planning and Mother’s production of brilliant, Dame Cilla Snowball that in her final business wins came from Burger King buying rose 8%. distinctive and effective work was year in charge of AMV, it was named and Western Union, among others. Manning Gottlieb OMD also apparent to all, there was also new one of the best in the UK. Having With Neil Munn now running the UK produced a wide range of award- business coming through the doors. passed the baton on to Sarah Douglas agency, as well as the BBH network, winning work, picking up more Yes, the loss of Moneysupermarket. and Justin Pahl, Snowball can reflect and Ian Heartfield made sole chief trophies than any other agency at the com was a blow, but this was mitigated on a year in which AMV produced creative officer, BBH should be in good MEDIA AGENCY Media Week Awards 2018 and being by Mother winning briefs from some of its most talked-about and hands for the future. named Warc’s top media agency in Sky, The Body Shop and Superdry, challenging work for Bodyform and MANNING GOTTLIEB Europe for effectiveness. Manning Gottlieb OMD retained among others. Maltesers, while also showing great McCann UK The integration of the John Lewis & £45m Specsavers business (left) With a claimed 15 new clients new-business momentum in the shape In an age where change can feel OMD Partners and Waitrose & Partners’ and ran Christmas “mash-up” for under its belt – and all the creative of Asda and Virgin Airlines. AMV has overwhelming, how reassuring to see Christmas campaigns brought a new John Lewis and Waitrose (below) opportunities that they offer – the led the industry in tackling diversity, that McCann’s century-old mantra of t has had a blinder of a year,” the level of media inventiveness, as agency claims that 2018 is its fourth and as one judge said: “Leadership x “Truth well told” remains as relevant “Ijudges said of Manning Gottlieb Manning Gottlieb OMD “mashed up” consecutive year of growth. Contrast talent = results, while also tackling the today as when it was first coined. In OMD’s record-breaking 2018 as it won the two sister brands in a speeded-up that with the fortunes of some of its biggest issues the ad industry faces in fact, you could argue that it is more the UK government’s £150m media- ITV ad break. rivals, particularly within the holding terms of equality and diversity.” The relevant than ever, judging by the buying account, defended the £45m Pearson and his leadership team, company groups. agency was also second-most awarded impact the agency has on its clients’ Specsavers business and produced which includes other bright, long- So the business is firing on all in Cannes globally. businesses. Its work on Aldi has innovative work for clients. servers such as Natalie Bell, managing cylinders creatively, and bringing resulted in the supermarket overtaking Billings shot up 30% to £650m and director, and Clare Peters, executive in new business to fuel growth, but Adam & Eve/DDB non-discount competitors and being profits rose 10% last year, driven director, also raised the bar when it what of the softer metrics that are In 2018 the A&E/DDB the remaining named one of the UK’s best-loved “predominantly by value-added, came to investing in people. increasingly important in keeping staff co-founders James Murphy and David brands, firmly established in the fee-based services”, the agency said. Its staff-retention rate was 82%, happy and engaged? Golding announced they would be national consciousness. McCann also Headcount was up from 380 to 500. the gender pay gap was just 4.4% Mother has never followed the leaving the agency that they had led to won the first Cannes Lions Grand Prix This success marked the culmination (although that figure, for parent hierarchical approach that now looks an unprecedented run as five-time for Creative eCommerce with its work of years of investment in internal talent company OMD Group UK, includes so hopelessly out of touch and winners of the Campaign Agency of the for Microsoft Xbox. It’s little wonder and succession planning, as Manning sister agency OMD) and the senior alienates so many staff. While its Year prize. The agency they have left to that one of the judges commented: Gottlieb OMD has groomed its leadership was 62% female. The agency leadership is clear – and 2018 marked their successors, led by Tammy Einav “Great creative, delivering impressive management team. Tim Pearson, chief has 16% BAME representation. the first full year under the team of Ana and Mat Goff, is in excellent health. results for clients.” It’s also little executive, and Paul Knight, chief Meanwhile, the agency’s staff Balarin, Chris Gallery, Hermeti Balarin John Lewis continues to be its creative wonder that the agency’s client list operating officer, have both been at the well-being programme, The Gym and Katie Mackay-Sinclair, supported yardstick and, despite the pressure, it expanded with wins from Just Eat, agency for two decades and counting. and Spa, won best learning and by global partners Michael Wall and managed to charm viewers with the Princes and eBay among others. Manning Gottlieb OMD maintains development strategy at HR Magazine’s Robert Saville – it also looks after its retailer’s Christmas spot, featuring Sir that it is now Omnicom’s biggest HR Excellence Awards 2018. people. Free breakfast and lunch are Elton John. Having picked up one of VCCP media agency in the UK, ahead of Manning Gottlieb OMD also standard but it also offers a £1,000 the biggest domestic accounts of the While so many other agencies were international networks OMD, PHD and proudly claims that 10% of its staff are bonus to people who successfully give year in the National Lottery, as well as literally losing their heads, how Hearts & Science, and it can justly “boomerangers” – people who have left up smoking and has focused on Booking.com, the agency had plenty to refreshing to see VCCP as a beacon of claim to have built a uniquely British the business but then returned at a breaches. Goodstuff’s co-founders, back from a series of largely global billings last year, winning £85m in supporting the mental wellbeing and get its teeth into. Generally, the work stability in turbulent times. No crisis of culture, with a focus on media later date. Andrew Stephens and Ben Hayes, kept account losses. Notable wins included new billings from clients such as resilience of staff with an initiative was excellent as usual. confidence here – instead, a focus on creativity and effectiveness. Developing this distinctive culture up its reputation for giving back to the Lidl’s £70m planning business and Associated British Foods and called SelfSpace. It has jumped on producing brilliant and effective work Landing the UK government’s has been impressive, considering the industry by staging its third media Betway’s £30m media account. OMD Peperami. It also increased profits by board the industry’s pledge to attract a Bartle Bogle Hegarty and expanding its client roster. VCCP account, the biggest success in agency has had to share Omnicom’s showcase for media owners to present UK’s chief executive, Dan Clays, also 21%. Client retention, meanwhile, was more diverse talent base with gusto. Always known for its consistent succeeded in winning a place on one of Manning Gottlieb OMD’s history since Bankside headquarters in London with ideas to creative agencies and by secured some valuable client retentions 95%, and it was the best part of £200m One Agency of the Year judge said creative excellence, in 2018 BBH was the biggest pitches of the year as its foundation in 1990, was an a string of other agencies since the end launching a £1m fund, Startstuff, to in closed-door renegotiations. ahead of the next biggest independent of Mother’s performance: “A really also recognised for its equally strategic and creative lead for Shell appropriately patriotic win and the of 2016. support agency start-ups. OMD UK’s board is 65% female and by billings. The7stars has put a lot of good story, with a balance of work, important focus on effectiveness – it globally, showing that its worldwide undoubted highlight of the year. The fact that Colin Gottlieb, headcount has risen by a third to emphasis on transparency, and it was effectiveness and business was named Effectiveness Company of footprint can match its competitors. The Crown Commercial Service co-founder of Manning Gottlieb, is MediaCom 389 – two further reassuring health the only entrant that included its performance along with some long- the Year at the IPA. The agency’s work And while some agencies struggled to set tough standards on media EMEA chief executive of Omnicom Britain’s biggest media agency had an indicators. Glowing client testimonials audited financial accounts as part of its standing initiatives.” with Audi, which won the Effectiveness represent contemporary Britain, its transparency, and said quality of Media Group has meant there has been excellent year when it retained Sky, the from McDonald’s and NSPCC underline submission for these awards. » Managing to accomplish just one of Grand Prix, continued to impress and Nationwide and Cadbury campaigns service, rather than pricing, would be a watchful eye looking out for his old country’s biggest advertiser, and how OMD UK has regained its place as these tasks is difficult enough but there were other highlights such as have a creative heart and deliver key in this complex, competitive agency. He and former partner Nick Coca-Cola, expanded its Mars brief in one of the UK’s best media agencies. successfully achieving all four marks “Super Bolt” for Virgin Media and results. As one judge summed it up: review, which encompassed more than Manning should feel proud at how far the UK and helped to win Adidas and out Mother, and is the reason that it is “Purpose pays” for Barclays. One of the “Another agency where diversity and 90 clients across government. their creation has come. defend Shell globally. Revenue was up PHD Q: HEAR ABOUT THE Campaign’s Advertising Agency of the client judges said: “BBH continues to talent are top of the agenda alongside a So its victory was a significant At a time when network media 5%. MediaCom also produced award- Simplicity was a winning formula for Year 2018. deliver great creative that delivers great performance.” endorsement for Manning Gottlieb’s agencies are under scrutiny and winning work, notably a Grand Prix for PHD in 2018 as it played a leading role CHICKEN WHO COULD approach. “We far exceeded the financial pressure, Manning Gottlieb Tesco’s “Food love stories” at Cannes in the global HSBC win and delivered guidelines set by the ISBA 2.0 OMD stands out as a beacon of positive Lions, and it was ranked as the top for existing clients such as Sainsbury’s. ONLY LAY EGGS IN framework and the resultant structures change and decency. media agency in the world in the Gunn Three-quarters of PHD’s clients have WINTER? AGENCY OF THE YEAR: THE JUDGING PROCESS and processes have set a new industry Media 100 report. The judges were also “paid for additional services” in the Panel of top marketers joined Campaign’s editorial team in a process audited by PwC benchmark for all UK agencies and RUNNERS-UP impressed by UK chief executive Josh past year; its dynamic creative A: SHE WAS NO clients to strive for,” the agency said. Krichefski’s commitment to his staff, production team has enjoyed stellar SPRING CHICKEN This is the first year that Campaign has eye on the rigour of both the shortlist In the end, though, the final decisions Retaining Specsavers, one of its Goodstuff Communications through the launch of Mental Health growth and experiential has expanded opened up the awards to external judging. process and final decision-making. resided with Campaign’s team, as always. biggest clients, in a marathon pitch 2018 was another good year for Allies, a team designed to support the strongly. The agency broke new ground For more than 30 years, the decisions There are too many judges to mention And making our choices was as exacting process that involved no fewer than 13 Goodstuff. It passed 100 staff and health of employees. Employee churn by appointing joint heads of planning were the preserve of the editorial team. here (the full list is on campaignlive.co.uk), and agonising a process as ever. rival agencies, was another important notched up £112m in billings. Wins was 17%. The judges described to look after brand and performance But to bring the UK Agency of the Year but they did a phenomenal job of sifting So the winners on these pages are very test. Manning Gottlieb OMD was included Groupon and Subaru but the MediaCom’s entry as “very compelling” respectively in recognition of clients’ scheme in line with Campaign’s other through the entries, offering useful much Campaign’s winners, the companies “absolutely exceptional”, according to judges were also struck by how the and “brilliantly written” and it was changing needs. The judges praised the awards globally, we have introduced new pointers and comments on the calibre of and people we are so proud to celebrate Chris Carter, Specsavers’ commercial independent agency turned down a lot a very close contender for agency of agency’s gender pay gap of 2.56% as categories and now have a panel of senior each one and lending their marketing and elevate for all their achievements over trading director. of pitches as part of its mantra of “be the year. one of the lowest in the sector. marketers to whittle the entrants down to nous to the process. Thank you to all our the past year. Huge congratulations to all Other retentions included the good, do good”. Award-winning work a shortlist. PwC also stepped in to keep an judges for their excellent direction. our winners. You set the highest bar. Financial Conduct Authority and, included Hiscox’s “The honeypot OMD UK the7stars importantly, the agency grew network”, an innovative use of data on “What a comeback” was the judges’ The UK’s biggest independent agency organically by selling additional out-of-home sites to illustrate cyber verdict, as the Omnicom agency fought claims it became a top 10 agency by 32 March 2019 AGENCY OF THE YEAR

that it remains the UK’s best digital of the start-ups featured in 2018 had R/GA also spent the last year innovation agency in a year in which female founders, a rarity in the extending its Woman Up programme, it lost is founder and chief creative male-dominated tech community. which it launched in 2016 to champion officer, James Temple. He defected to The agency is also innovating from female knowledge and wisdom. In 2018 VR headset start-up (and recently won within. It created a dedicated mixed- Woman Up led campaigns for Pride client) Magic Leap, not long after the reality studio, which is designed to Week, National Mental Health agency also lost group creative director push growth for clients who are Awareness Week and International Jon Andrews to Possible. marketing in the augmented and Women’s Day, as well as hosting R/GA has replaced Temple with virtual-reality space, such as Magic monthly events to discuss topics such DIGITAL Andre Le Masurier, who is joining in Leap, McDonald’s and O2. as tackling unconscious bias in April from Google Brand Studio, and It is growing its data capabilities, recruitment, and parental leave policy. INNOVATION brought in executive leads in client too, by bringing in engineers, scientists services and strategy, namely Iain and analysts, and in 2018 it created a RUNNERS-UP AGENCY Preston from Digitas and Rob Campbell machine-learning algorithm for from Deutsch LA. Siemens to help the electronics AnalogFolk R/GA LONDON In 2018 R/GA ran the second round company classify digital content. AnalogFolk simply cannot be of its IoT Venture Studio programme Then there is the launch of a ignored after another barnstorming /GA London has continued to excel from its office – the only London financial services offering, through new-business record of winning 16 Rat delivering best-in-class work while agency to offer such an initiative at this which it will deepen innovation around accounts, which included becoming also continuing to grow substantially. scale with the start-up community – next-generation banking and AI digital agency of record for Unilever’s Whereas 2017 was about introducing culminating in a Demo Day where automation. With lots of venture food brands, and losing none. It also a consulting arm, in 2018 R/GA companies could pitch to potential capital money being pushed towards improved its already above-average launched “transformation at speed”, investors and R/GA clients. This has led emerging fintech brands, this is a BAME representation at senior which is all about improving efficiency to several start-ups partnering brands, canny move. management levels, which stands at and productivity by embedding data such as CupClub and Waitrose, Sensing Google wants to be known as an 37.5%, and was recognised by the that helps brands to thrive. Feeling and Deloitte Digital, and “actions” brand, rather than an Financial Times as one of the UK’s It was this theme of constant Sceenic tying up with Sky, Virgin and “answers” brand. To this end, R/GA top 100 companies for making a reinvention that made R/GA stand out, BT. It is important to note that the 70% created four integrated campaigns in long-term impact on their sector and as well as a track record that showed off Europe in just 14 weeks that embedded society. The work continues to impress, not only the agency’s fire power, but Google Assistant across four markets. too, in the form of a Facebook also the tangible outcomes it helped This drove a 30% growth in daily active Messenger chatbot that AnalogFolk brands achieve. users for Google Assistant in Europe created for Walkers’ “Win live” As one judge said of R/GA: “A and it is now Google’s partner for all competition. Marmite’s “Taste face” great mix of clients, which shows their things Assistant in Europe. app, using facial recognition for brand depth of expertise. Great submission For McDonald’s it activated its new building, was another highlight. and really helped me understand the Disney partnership globally using Importantly, AnalogFolk also showed impact they are making for clients.” It was this theme of constant facial recognition and read-along leadership, driving the conversation on On the subject of clients, R/GA reinvention that made books. It also delivered in-restaurant digital transformation through its picked up 11 new ones, including augmented reality through colouring- collaboration with Microsoft on the Google, Magic Leap and British R/GA stand out, as well as a in sheets, and rewarding children who Future of Decoded research and its Land. This contributed to a 10% scanned healthy food options to go AnalogFolk Academy YouTube increase in the agency’s revenue track record that showed off with their Happy Meals. masterclass series.. compared with 2017; this is no mean not only its fire power, but The agency’s work on Magic Leap feat coming as it does against a remains exciting, too. R/GA created BrainLabs backdrop of media consolidation and also the tangible outcomes it the virtual reality start-up’s global Brainlabs continued to ruffle the economic uncertainty. tagline “Free your mind” and launched media establishment’s feathers with It is testament to the breadth and helped brands achieve the developer kit and first-ever creator an impressive run of new business in quality of R/GA London’s capabilities conference LEAP. 2018 that included a global brief for Vodafone to help bring its digital media-buying in-house. For a major advertiser to place its trust in a six-year-old start-up to deliver that level of transformation put Brainlabs on the map as one of the UK’s most significant innovation agencies. It rounded off an impressive new- business year in which it also began working with Formula One, the Financial Times and American Express. What also sets this young performance- marketing agency apart is its culture, which places a high premium on innovation and self-improvement, as well as its employees being happy at work. One judge aired a view that was echoed across the panel: “Love this agency’s chutzpah. The purpose stuff doesn’t feel like empty platitudes. Fresh thinking throughout.” »

R/GA London: new clients include virtual reality start-up Magic Leap 34 March 2019 AGENCY OF THE YEAR

showed that a physical delivery can offer something unique. It recruited Cardiff City FC player Junior Hoilett to kick promotional footballs into gardens in the Welsh capital. The scheme boosted conversion to BT Broadband by 69%. CUSTOMER For World Sight Day in October, Wunderman created a campaign ENGAGEMENT for the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust that told the story of a girl and her AGENCY “uninvisible friend”. Playing out across on-street digital displays, geo-targeted WUNDERMAN ads and a large blimp installation in east London, the campaign generated a he close of 2018 was a time of 23% rise in traffic for the charity. Tendings for Wunderman: nine days On the B2B side, Wunderman into the new year its founder, Lester designed and launched a website for Wunderman – known as the father of EY that aimed to reposition the direct marketing – died at the age of 98. consultancy as one that thinks and acts But he stayed with us long enough to digitally. It helped EY increase traffic see the agency he founded in 1958 by 46%. For Microsoft, it created become, to most observers, the senior Microsoft Pivot 1, an innovative, Proximity customers of Virgin Media, the event’s partner in the merger with J Walter interactive webcast that highlighted Proximity has no shortage of creatively headline sponsor. For the Open Thompson – a turn of events that the tech company’s place as a thought- prestigious clients: at the end of 2017 it University, it created “The Open would have seemed scarcely plausible leader in digital transformation and AI. won Ikea’s UK CRM account from diaries” videos, in which students 60 years ago. It attracted 1,000 registrants and seven-year incumbent Lida and in May shared their experiences to tackle As a global network, Wunderman’s connected Microsoft to 700 businesses. added Audi to its suite of Volkswagen- misconceptions about barriers to performance in recent years has been The agency’s success, which has owned brands. The agency’s stated education. Viewers of these were more strong enough to make former chief included organic growth across all its focus on creative customer than four times more likely to explore executive Mark Read the natural key accounts, led to the creation of engagement has allowed it to grow the OU’s site than those seeing generic successor to Sir Martin Sorrell at the 82 new roles in 2018. In March, it business across its existing clients, too, Facebook ads. With creative tech sister helm of WPP. And in the UK, it has launched an on-site operating model, which include TV Licensing and agency Code Worldwide, Rapp delivered the same mix of business Wunderman Inside. And in September Procter & Gamble. Its achievements in developed a creative automation performance and innovative creativity it bolstered its capabilities with a 2018 ranged from a campaign for Virgin solution for Burberry, while for PayPal that resulted in it being named majority stake in Dutch marketing Holidays that helped the brand grow it launched the brand’s “digital kitty” Customer Engagement Agency of the technology firm Emark. email revenue by 58%, and almost service, MoneyPools, in the UK. Year by Campaign in 2017, too. The judges were unanimous: double engagement rates, to a striking Under the banner of “year of the Wunderman offers “strong work with film for UK Black Pride that offered TMW Unlimited client”, the agency placed its focus on real insight and creativity at the heart”, visibility for one of the most TMW’s work in 2018 included a expanding its work with existing as well as showing a “clear exerted push underrepresented communities in the campaign for Unilever brand Simple clients. It was named lead digital to build and invest in internal culture”. country, LGBT people of colour. On top featuring the members of Little Mix, a agency by Panadol, more than doubled As one judge pointed out, 2019 could be of that, Proximity took home 13 awards partnership that also included a the size of its GSK account, added more a truly exciting year: “With the merger at the DMAs, across seven clients and limited-edition product range and work for Microsoft and Samsung, and with JWT, we’re about to find out what including three golds. It was also content tie-up with Superdrug. For expanded its BT-EE business by 18%. they are really capable of.” ranked the top large company in Virgin Trains, it set out to create “the It joined Shell’s “agency of the future” Campaign’s Best Places to Work. most tailored customer journey ever” roster, launching several programmes RUNNERS-UP with improved email communications for the energy brand. Wunderman also Rapp that boosted open and click-through picked up accounts with Selfridges, MRM/McCann Rapp won 15 new clients last year, rates and helped drive sales growth. In Nestlé Purina and Bose. Two of MRM/McCann’s big successes including PokerStars, Montblanc and November, TMW’s powerful Armistice Wunderman’s work in 2018 clearly in 2018 came via Microsoft. It Waitrose. As part of Omnicom Day work for Westminster Council illustrates what one judge called “a continued to produce acclaimed work Precision Marketing Group, Rapp also marked the centenary of the end of dual focus on tech and creative”. For for Xbox alongside sister agency picked up business in the global Ford World War One. The hour-long film Ikea, it created the Ikea Toybox, an McCann London, with custom review. The agency’s work included a aimed to bring to life some of the AR-enabled app that allows families to controller campaign The Fanchise 360-degree VR red carpet experience at London and Westminster people turn the retailer’s cardboard boxes into Model bagging 44 awards globally, the Bafta television awards for behind the huge sacrifices made.» building and play materials. The including the inaugural Grand Prix in agency handles the account for Ikea’s Creative eCommerce in Cannes. In loyalty scheme, and the project was July, the agency beat on-site specialist informed by data analysis of 50 million Oliver, as well as Wunderman, to be rows of dialogue across 17 years of named Microsoft’s in-house agency of parents’ online conversations, which record, with 35 of MRM’s people found that 50% of parents struggle for working at Microsoft’s site in Reading. creative play ideas. It was launched live Other wins included Macmillan Cancer on stage at Cannes with a group of Support, Subway and SaferLondon, as Q: WHAT DO YOU CALL 10-year-olds, generating significant it converted 81% of the pitches it took A CHICKEN IN A earned-media coverage. part in. It also picked up extra work Since the proliferation of from Moneycorp and Tommee Tippee SHELLSUIT? smartphone technology, traditional and defended its Direct Line Group direct mail has only continued to lose business. MRM is keen to support A: AN EGG prestige and relevance for many diversity. A quarter of its creatives are advertisers. However, in a campaign for over the age of 45 and half are women; BT, “The garden drop”, Wunderman its board also has an equal gender split. 36 March 2019 March 2019 37

Droga5 London: highlights included AGENCY OF THE YEAR Solange Knowles Ferguson-directed dance performance for Uniqlo

Standout projects in 2018 included The agency has fostered a loyal work with Spotify for which the agency team, with 24% of staff clocking up turned the brand’s virtual playlist into five or more years in service. Of its a brand platform and activation. The senior leadership, 64% are female and ‘”Who we be” experience, which 15% BAME. included performances by artists The judges praised Amplify’s culture Dizzee Rascal and Cardi B at London’s and delivery of high-value experiences, Alexandra Palace, reached an audience which demonstrate clear client results. of more than one billion, resulted in an As one noted: “Amplify’s entry lived up BRAND 85% increase in followers of the “Who to its principles and ethos. Its claim to INDEPENDENT we be” playlist and won a Q Award for want to be creatively brave, culturally EXPERIENCE Best Festival or Event 2018. connected, curious and executionally AGENCY The agency also created one of the excellent shines through.” AGENCY most memorable activations of the DROGA5 LONDON summer, with the UK launch of RUNNERS-UP AMPLIFY YouTube Music. Across four days, nly a few years ago, Droga5 London shown it can also create populist RUNNERS-UP Beefeater Gin’s global creative account. agency moved into pure-play social YouTube Music In Residence staged a Bearded Kitten Owas a non-starter. After launching in stories. The best example of this is a Other notable wins included Kingston clients, in-house production and brand here wasn’t much hype around takeover of 180 The Strand, with a Bearded Kitten has a simple mission 2013 and failing to match the calibre of series of ads for Amazon Prime Video. Cult Technology, BBC Top Gear, Richmond consultancy. Something must be TAmplify’s 10th birthday in 2018. collection of music spaces and statement: “We design fun.” And that is its New York headquarters, founder The video-streaming platform’s Cult was started in 2012 by serial Sausages, UGG and Havana Club Rum. working beyond its business, too, as it This agency has never been one for performance areas for talks and gigs. what it does, delivering activations for David Droga declared the outpost biggest brand campaign followed entrepreneurs Cat Turner and Bridey For Beefeater, Impero set out to return has an 88% talent retention rate. grandstanding, combining a humble And when Google wanted to scale up brands including Red Bull, Amazon “needed to operate in a different way”. protagonists whose lives were Lipscombe, with a focus on social the brand to its “gritty” London roots approach with the urgency of a its Curiosity Rooms, taking an existing and Time Out. In 2018, the agency’s By early 2016, a new management transformed for the better by TV creative, but it has since evolved to and relaunched it with an urban, Republic of Media start-up. Yet with a decade’s skin in the two-day format and turning it into a experiential billings increased by 60% team was in place: chief executive Bill binges, such as a couple who rekindle keep pace with the shifting digital youthful design and an outdoor and Republic of Media is a media planning game, it has set down some solid five-week showstopper on Piccadilly and staff headcount by 50%. Arguably, Scott, chief creative officer David their passion while watching the landscape. Its services have expanded digital campaign. A nationwide tour and buying agency founded in 2012, financial and creative credibility. Circus, it turned to Amplify to do it. its standout campaign was for beer Kolbusz and chief strategy officer romantic show Outlander. into strategic consultancy, emerging with “do-gooder” celebrities for with offices in Edinburgh and So this momentous year for the With such a broad range of output brand Lagunitas in the UK, which Dylan Williams. The pressure was on The work caught the attention of tech innovation and production, and in Richmond Sausages, an UGG Manchester. 2018 brought great agency that describes its mission as and a strong leadership team that included a series of events leading up for the trio to turn the shop around, but management at the tech giant’s Seattle 2018 it won new business from Amazon influencer campaign to make autumn success: billings grew 43% to £95m, “joining the dots between people, likes to let its work do the talking, it’s to the opening of London’s first beer the backdrop could not have been more HQ and has the potential to build into Fashion, Netflix, Dunhill, PepsiCo and and winter cool, and a packaging bringing it closer to its ambitious goal brands and culture” passed without easy to see why Amplify wins so many “circus”. This included performances bleak. After the UK voted to leave the along-running creative platform. NBC Universal. To meet these overhaul and launch ads for protein of being the largest independent fanfare but with a slew of client wins plaudits. Among these, it was named and interactive games. The campaign European Union, economic growth There were other gems in the form of demands, the agency poached Digitas’ brand Goodness Shakes rounded off agency in the UK by 2022; it is currently and enviable creative work. Most Admired Agency by fellow brand featured 22 events delivered across slowed, squeezing prospects in the Bulk Powders’ tongue-in-cheek ads Matt Watson as executive creative the agency’s creative work. On the less than a third of the size of the The agency bagged 13 new clients, experience agencies in Campaign’s nine countries. advertising industry as well. This starring Anthony Joshua, Tom director. It also grew the Cult family talent side, Impero claims it has 77% market leader. The year started with including Asos, BrewDog and Sipsmith, Future of Brand Experiences report. climate made it an even more difficult Daley and Lucy Watson, which picked with a studio in Brooklyn, New York, female staff and no gender pay gap. winning Velux. It went on to scoop up which joined long-standing clients Other notable successes for the Haygarth time to be an independent business. up a Cannes bronze Lion. The agency and hired Ruben Musca, as head of Beaverbrooks Jewellers, Magners Cider, Google, PlayStation and Airbnb. The agency included the launch of Young Last year Haygarth restructured its key Despite these challenges, Droga5 created the visual identity and launch production, and Karl Velasco, as group Isobel Rumchata, Ripe Insurance, Scottish new-business wins represented £5.4m, Blood 2, an update to its original work departments – tech, PR, social and London has more than fulfilled its campaign for Coal Drops Yard, a head of fashion and beauty. At the start Isobel is 15 years old but prides itself on Rugby, Rangers FC and Utilitywise. increasing Amplify’s total billings by exploring the hopes, fears and realities experiential – to create one connected ambition, becoming one of the hottest beautiful piece of design that featured of 2018, Cult launched a research and its start-up feel. In 2018 it brought that Seven of its 12 new client wins, which 42% to £25m. of young people growing up in Britain. offering for brands. The agency, which agencies on the UK ad scene. the work of 20 different artists, development arm called The independent streak to clients such as will yield £13m in 2019 billings, As a result, Amplify boosted its The research and films were handles experiential for Coca-Cola’s In 2018, the benefits of the agency’s illustrators and photographers. Experiment to create products that BrewDog, which spread an anti- resulted from competitive pitches creative department, growing the team complemented by a series of talks product portfolio, also revamped its labour came to fruition. Droga5 And it transformed the House of integrate emerging technology with advertising message and offered to buy against major network agencies. For from six to 25, under the leadership of enabling the agency to prove its deep creative process to deliver better London recorded an 85% pitch Peroni from a pop-up bar into a fashion human need. The innovation lab a one-million pints round instead. The Republic of Media’s biggest and executive creative director Jeavon knowledge of key audience groups. insights from live activations. After the conversion rate and beat more incubator, which unveiled its produced Mindscape, an Amazon agency’s second campaign for the founder client, bet365, the agency Smith. He was made partner and The agency’s footprint is also success of a Ferrero Rocher campaign, established agencies to blue-chip collections during London Fashion Alexa and Google Home voice app that brand played on the slogans of historic helped widen its reach during a Fifa board director in recognition of his expanding. In the UK, its student- with a “Behind the layers” experience, accounts, bringing it into the big Week in February 2019. offers support to people suffering from mass-market beer advertising to get World Cup year and managed the output during his first 18 months with focused agency Seed has nearly tripled Haygarth focused on helping brands league. Wins included Barclaycard, Droga5 London’s once empty trophy anxiety or panic attacks. people to try IPA beer. Isobel’s first brand’s broadcast sponsorships, the agency. in size in the past two years, with to explore the monetisation of BMW’s Mini Electric, Amazon Prime cabinet now holds 54 prizes. While work for ice-cream brand Kelly’s of including Premier League Football on Recruits included creative directors, turnover rising from £3.4m to £9.5m. In experiences. Internally, Haygrath grew Video in the UK and Germany, Pernod industry leaders expound on how work Impero Cornwall featured locals talking about Sky and BT Sport. Last year its work for strategists, planners, architects and 2D addition, Amplify launched its first its workforce to 115 and introduced a Ricard’s Kahlua, Canada Goose, should not be done only for awards, the Creative agency Impero boasted 40% their favourite flavours in their native the Scottish government won prizes at and 3D designers, as the agency sought standalone international office in new graduate programme. Judges eDreams, and London shopping and agency’s accolades are a key sign of its growth and a pitch win rate of more Cornish tongue. On the new-business the Campaign Media Awards, to enhance its creative reputation Australia, with founding clients praised its impressive financials and restaurant district Coal Drops Yard. business transformation. Its output has than 65% last year. In March, it beat front, Isobel won 10 out of 13 pitches, Marketing Society Star Awards and beyond its brand experience work. Google, Spotify and Campari. employee culture. Where Droga5 London really shines started to trigger envy from other Leo Burnett Madrid, Lola MullenLowe including Buzz Bingo, Jet, Caffè Nero YouTube Works for Brands Awards. is in the work. Kolbusz is a bold, advertising leaders and attract talent and Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam to and the aforementioned BrewDog. The Republic of Media was also named in eccentric creative leader who is not who want to work in a place that clearly the London Stock Exchange 1000 afraid to push boundaries, and this prioritises creativity. Companies to Inspire Britain. attitude trickles down to his team. Take The shop boasts a stable leadership its ad for genealogy company Ancestry, team and 92% staff-retention rate, Uncommon Creative Studio a Brexit-themed musical released as including home-grown talent such as Uncommon marked its one-year Prime Minister Theresa May struggled Charlene Chandrasekaran and Dan anniversary in 2018. Started by ex-Grey to reach an exit agreement with the Morris, both recently promoted to London executives Natalie Graeme, European Commission. The film creative directors. Lucy Jameson and Nils Leonard, it featured a cast of European characters, On the work front, its success looks vowed to be a new kind of creative including a German butcher and an likely to continue this year as the business, and, so far, it has. In just a Italian grandmother, serenading agency has already unveiled its debut short span, it went from a team of three British people with Rick Astley’s 1987 campaign for Barclaycard, which people and no clients, to 35 people with hit Together Forever. champions real businesses, starting more than 15 clients and £5.8m in For retail brand Uniqlo, the agency with crystal healers in Kettering, and is turnover. Uncommon’s clients now enlisted singer-songwriter and artist preparing to launch Mini Electric’s first include ITV, YouTube and Ecover. After Solange Knowles Ferguson to direct a vehicle in 2020. sprinting out of the starting blocks with modern dance performance exploring As Brexit looms and the ad market a bold Ovo Energy campaign giving the the theme of creation. The work feels the heat, Droga5 London is a finger to climate-change deniers, the premiered at the Hammer Museum in cheering success story. Of course, as agency helped set up youth fashion Los Angeles, along with a sculpture 2018 showed, an agency’s fortunes can brand Collusion for Asos; brought some called Metatron’s Cube that served as always reverse quickly. But, more than zest to mortgage broker Habito; and the film’s centrepiece. ever, the UK needs more shops like shone a light on WWF’s fight for the Droga5 London has built a quirky this, which champion creativity with a environment. The energy is palpable. It Amplify: activity included scaling up Curiosity Rooms event for Google brand, but over the past year it has fierce, independent spirit. Droga5’s Brexit-themed ad for Ancestry featured Rick Astley’s 1980s classic Together Forever is off to a flyer. » 38 March 2019 March 2019 39 AGENCY OF THE YEAR

Other notable work included the through the clutter. Greggs is the industry front line with energy, The Transformation Trust and return – and international extension standout story.” As another judge said: purpose and enthusiasm. After a Futureversity, are paying off. At exec – of its 2017 summer campaign for “The Greggs work is excellent. Playful relatively quiet 2017, Lucky Generals and planner buyer level, 30% of easyJet during which its planes were and true to the brand.” strengthened its relationship with MediaCom staff are from BAME turned into “Flybraries”. These stocked Amazon through four major campaigns backgrounds. MediaCom has also classic children’s books to keep kids RUNNERS-UP (including its Super Bowl spot) and trained more than 160 employees to entertained on the plane, encourage delivering for longstanding clients recognise the signs of, and support them to read and resonate with affluent Hill & Knowlton Yorkshire Tea and Anheuser-Busch colleagues who are struggling with, parents who feel guilty about the time Hill & Knowlton is home to more than InBev. The agency focused on fewer, their mental health. MediaCom, PR AGENCY their children spend on digital devices. 2,000 creative strategists, content bigger pitches, and it paid off. Lucky alongside Bartle Bogle Hegarty The agency’s production company, creators and master storytellers. As AGENCY HEAD Generals won the Co-op and Celebrity London, won the Media Grand Prix at TAYLOR HERRING St Mark’s Studios, is independently one judge said, the agency has “a really Cruises accounts after highly Cannes Lions for its Tesco “Food love turning a profit and has produced 75 solid and systematic approach over an DAME CILLA competitive battles. Calcraft was also at stories” work as well as Agency of the films. Andrew McGuinness, co-founder impressively large canvas of clients SNOWBALL the forefront of the industry’s response Year at the Media Week Awards. ndependent PR agency Taylor of BMB, is the agency’s first non- and colleagues”. Some of its key work Chief executive, to sexual harassment as a driving force MediaCom narrowly missed out on IHerring is enjoying creative and executive board member to advise on in 2018 included helping Adidas Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO behind the TimeTo campaign. Lucky agency of the year this time around but commercial success with integrated more above-the-line work. make the most of its 2018 Fifa World Generals created its ads, and 100 Krichefski has much to be proud of. campaigns that not only hit the Meanwhile, its viral news site, The Cup sponsorship. companies signed up to its code of headlines but also achieved stand-out Poke, is also continuing to grow in ne might forgive a long-serving conduct ensuring it would have a Mark Lund success in paid channels. popularity, building a following of two Hope & Glory Oexecutive a bit of wind-down ahead proper impact on agency life. As 2018 Chief executive, McCann Taylor Herring started 2018 on a million fans on social media and The judges were impressed by Hope & of a portfolio career. However, Dame came to a close, Lucky Generals was Worldgroup UK high, having created its first ad for attracting five million unique monthly Glory’s entry, and the choice of winner Cilla Snowball did the opposite. She looking at a 20% rise in revenue and Four-and-a-half years after Mark Lund Samsung in November 2017. To users. By championing the creative was a close call. The PR agency posted rocked up to her corner office, rolled up 25% increase in profit – and that’s parachuted from start-up life into the promote its QuickDrive washing genius of unsung YouTubers, a strong financial performance, won the sleeves of her shift dress and took before its new-business wins enter the top job at McCann Worldgroup UK, the machine, the agency took over an Photoshop artists and tweeters it has the vast majority of the pitches it up her place in the chief executive’s equation. Crucially, 97% of Lucky 2,200-strong business is working ever entire ad break on Channel 4 and also built a powerful resource of entered and treats its staff well. But its swivel chair for her final 18 months Generals staff said they had confidence closer together. After three years of showed footage of the machine freelance creative talent. real strength lies in brilliant creative in advertising. in Calcraft in an agency survey. You what McCann describes as “consistent working. It then released a 66-minute All this has produced a healthy work for its clients. The agency When Snowball arrived at AMV in wouldn’t bet against her winning over double-digit growth”, the group now version of the film, with an original business with an increase in total produced its first global TV ad for The 1992, it was the eighth-biggest agency that final 3% this year. partners eight out of 10 of its clients soundtrack by Hollywood composer billings, fee income and profit margin. Pokémon Company, which aired in the UK. Five years after she joined as on more than one discipline. In Michel Nyman, which premiered in the It has a great staff-retention rate – 90% during primetime, in the UK and US. It new-business director it was the Sarah Golding 2018 McCann Worldgroup picked up Cineworld Cinema in Leicester Square. – perhaps partly helped by its equity centred on the insight that for a biggest agency by billings. It has – Chief executive, The & Partnership 37 new bits of business, retaining the Although this was work done in 2017, it scheme that allows all senior staff to Pokémon GO player, discovering a new amazingly – held the top spot London; president, IPA Direct Line Group direct marketing is a good illustration of the agency’s own shares in the business. monster is akin to a naturalist finding a consistently since then. Its billings tally Sarah Golding’s diminutive stature account and expanding its relationship humorous approach to campaigns. The judges were impressed with new creature, so its creative re- is more than £450m, making it more belies a whip-smart brain and furious with Opel/Vauxhall across Europe. Elsewhere, it launched a cheeky the agency’s growth, its creative and interpreted the Sir David Attenborough than three times the size it was when just pipped to Agency of the Year by work ethic. Combining an ambitious Lund continued to be one of the campaign for Greggs to highlight a effective campaigns and particularly TV series Planet Earth for the digital she arrived. A remarkable achievement. Omnicom sister agency Adam & Eve/ presidential agenda at the IPA with the industry’s statesmen, leading the proposed extension of the bakery with its Greggs work. One of the judges age, complete with a Stephen Fry AMV’s claim that it has had a DDB. Among its existing clients, AMV When Snowball arrived at (more than) full-time job of running a Advertising Association’s Media chain’s opening hours and trial of an said: “This was a really refreshing read voiceover. For the Royal Mint, it consistently smooth succession plan claims to have driven up its advocacy AMV in 1992, it was the large agency is akin to walking a Smart and the IPA’s business evening menu. With Valentine’s Day in terms of approach not just to client launched “The great British coin hunt” over the past 41 years glosses over some scores above the industry average, and tightrope. But there’s no danger of leadership programmes. Further approaching, Taylor Herring offered a work, but to the culture internally with – a range of 10 pence coins, one for of the details behind Snowball it extended its record-breaking run of eighth-biggest agency in “Goldie” falling off. As part of her collaboration is in Lund’s sights. tongue-in-cheek antidote to the some great results which really cut each letter of the alphabet. It resulted assuming day-to-day control of the golds at the IPA Effectiveness Awards “Magic and Machines” agenda at the McCann Worldgroup will follow the over-priced, overrated, romantic- in sales worth more than £5.5m via the shop. That the agency, which she with recognition for its Guinness work. the UK. Five years after she IPA, Golding has encouraged the lead of some rivals, bringing 11 of its dining land-grab. It introduced a client’s website. In addition, the agency handed over to chief executive Sarah Snowball’s move to a portfolio career joined as new-business sometimes timid ad body to take a agencies under the same roof in 2020. candlelit, four-course dining beat CHI & Partners (now The & Douglas and chairman Justin Pahl is not surprising. Her reach has stand, pushing the tech companies Lund has said the move will lead to experience in Greggs shops across the Taylor Herring’s viral news Partnership) and social agency ATN to (both internal promotions), was back in extended beyond advertising for many director, it was the biggest on brand safety and calling for a more “productive collisions”. It’s a country, complete with mood lighting, site, The Poke, is also come up with Argos’ integrated April the running for agency of the year is years and it gives AMV a chance to agency by billings moratorium on political advertising smart strategic move in an age where music, roses, candelabras and linen Fool idea: a USB-powered “Eau de testament to Snowball’s and the wider push on into a new era from a strong online. Back at the day job, she collaboration is key. » tablecloths. The one-night-only menu growing in popularity, catalogue”, which dispensed the smell team’s achievements in 2018. base. Indeed, Snowball’s damehood rebranded the agency formerly known included Love Heart-garnished bakery of freshly printed catalogue for The shop’s position at the top of the was as much in recognition of her as CHI & Partners to The & Partnership items and a brochette of doughnuts. building a following of two customers while on the Argos website. agency table by billings has belied efforts in driving diversity and equality London, bringing it in line with the rest The agency made a promo video, million fans on social media It was all part of the campaign to tell internal complications there in recent as it was her day job in advertising. She climbed 51% to 200. Biggam isn’t afraid of its network. The change was invited media to the event, held a the story of Argos’ transformation into years. Its move to Bankside provoked chairs the Women’s Business Council to take a stand on contentious issues. designed to highlight the central role of preview and had an unexpected and attracting five million a leading digital retailer. As one judge much disquiet among the troops – and the private sector council of the She worked with ISBA on revisions to the London office and celebrate the press-coverage windfall when a diner unique monthly users said: “Strong, solid, innovative work particularly in the creative department, government’s “Great” campaign. its controversial media contract and beginning of a new phase for the shop. proposed to his girlfriend on the night. from a robust and well-run agency, it was said – and the agency had to Advertising and AMV have been makes the case for transparent Client wins included HouseSimple, Tickets sold out within 20 minutes of evidently both growing and profitable.” pitch (unsuccessfully, as it turned out) lucky to have such a hardworking agency-client relationships. She has Paramount and Coty. The recent Q: WHY DID THE CHICK going on sale. The booking website to retain two longstanding clients champion in Snowball for more than also led diversity initiatives designed to Centrica pitch will test Golding’s DISAPPOINT HIS received 193,000 visitors, 46,000 of Sainsbury’s and Camelot. two decades. And so, undoubtedly, enact real change – rather than just fill mettle but you know she will do whom tried to book a table on the day At the start of 2018 Snowball handed will the organisation she goes on to column inches – working with the everything she can to land on her feet. MOTHER? reservations opened, driving an the agency the task of creating work of work with. After all, Snowball is not Brixton Finishing School and Warwick A: HE WASN’T WHAT HE increase of 10% in unique users on the the highest calibre, pitching better for the type to wind down her approach Afro-Caribbean Society and Josh Krichefski Greggs site. The campaign boosted fewer pieces of new business and to anything. introducing policies such as a Chief executive, MediaCom UK WAS CRACKED UP TO BE total sales by 3.7% year on year in the forming deeper partnerships with its maternity-clothes bursary. The7stars’ Josh Krichefski is the embodiment of same period – with no other above-the- existing clients. RUNNERS-UP achievements in 2018 suggest there’s the modern media leader, putting as line marketing active in the period. In less than two weeks in March, no chance of the taps there running dry much effort into supporting his staff’s Later in the year, the agency pranked AMV delivered on the second of those Jenny Biggam any time soon, and it’s no wonder with wellbeing as he does into driving new people by setting up an undercover three goals when it picked up Asda and Co-founder, the7stars Biggam in charge. In an increasingly business. Despite running the biggest stall at the gourmet Foodies Festival as Virgin Atlantic (and retained Virgin The7stars takes its name from a pub. homogenous world of media, that can media agency group in the UK – and Gregory & Gregory, with attendees Holidays). The agency also won work With its ever-present landlady Jenny only be a good thing. being conflicted out of many new- filmed praising the stall’s products. from Ford, Samsung and the Stroke Biggam pulling the pints, the business opportunities – MediaCom Greggs’ head of customer and Association across the year. independent agency had another Helen Calcraft won 49 bits of business. It also retained marketing, Graeme Nash, said: “Taylor In June, at Cannes, it proved it could phenomenal year. Billings rose 31% – Founding partner, Lucky Generals and expanded major accounts, Herring is delivering an outstanding do the first of the three, picking up driven by wins including Associated There are few people in the industry including Sky, Mars and Coca-Cola. programme of work for us – it is three Grands Prix – more than it had in British Foods, Capital One and with Helen Calcraft’s charm, wit and Krichefski’s varied efforts to promote strategic, engaging and disruptive.” the entire previous 41 years – and was Deliveroo – and the agency’s staff stature. In 2018 she burst back on to the diversity, including work with Scope, March 2019 41

With his desire to elevate his team over his own ego, Brim represents a new generation of creative leader. While CREATIVE PERSON adland gets embroiled in RICHARD BRIM politics and posturing, Chief creative officer, Brim keeps his head down Adam & Eve/DDB and gets on with it

ichard Brim often says that the work Rhe is most proud of is not the traditional, emotive advertising for their predecessors and guide the which his agency has become known agency into its next era. He has already through the likes of John Lewis’ proved he is more than up for the task. Christmas campaign, but rather the big With his desire to elevate his team ideas that become part of culture. over his own ego, Brim represents a Indeed, the standout work from new generation of creative leader. Adam & Eve/DDB in 2018 was not a TV While adland tends to get embroiled in ad but “Project 84” for the Campaign politics and posturing, Brim keeps his Against Living Miserably – an head down and gets on with it, installation of 84 sculptures, placed on overseeing work that continues to top of the ITV tower on London’s South elevate advertising’s creative standard. Bank, which represented the number of men under 45 who take their own RUNNERS-UP lives every week in the UK. More than a powerful stunt, the campaign was the Darren Bailes catalyst for the government’s decision Executive creative director, VCCP to appoint a suicide prevention It is no easy task tackling an advertiser minister and launch the Global with a heritage as rich as Cadbury. Ministerial Mental Health Summit. After VCCP won the hotly contested “Project 84”, along with account, Darren Bailes set a goal of “#TrollingIsUgly” for The Cybersmile the International Committee of the Red Booking.com, ghd and Fashion Targets returning the brand to its family roots. Foundation, racked up 10 Cannes Lions Cross’ harrowing tale of Santa in a war Breast Cancer. In the New York office, The agency got off to a strong start with between them. Those wins contributed zone, that the shop can balance which launched in 2016 with founding a debut ad about a girl using trinkets to to A&E/DDB being named Agency of humour with the heartfelt. client Samsung, he helped secure six buy her mum a gift of Cadbury Dairy the Year at the Cannes Lions Other 2018 highlights included the new accounts this year. Milk. It also branched into retail, International Festival of Creativity for continuation of Great Western There was also a significant launching a pop-up shop, where people the second time since 2014. Under Railway’s campaign starring Enid milestone in A&E/DDB’s history in 2018 could live out the spot for themselves. Brim’s leadership, the shop has earned Blyton’s The Famous Five, Halifax’s as co-founder and long-time creative Bailes’ department added an artistic a string of other titles, including 2018 nostalgic cartoon ads, McCain’s leader Ben Priest departed, while touch to O2 with the “Breathe it all in” Agency of the Year at the Campaign Big celebration of diverse families, and the James Murphy and David Golding campaign, starring George the Poet. Awards and British Arrows, and Lloyds Bank spot challenging mental- revealed they are to leave as well, to set And Nationwide rolled out more simple becoming the most awarded agency in health taboos, which won Channel 4’s up their own creative agency. This films giving voice to real people. the Gunn Report’s history. annual Diversity in Advertising Award. means Brim, along with the rest of the Beyond traditional advertising, VCCP With its predecessors BMP and DDB, Brim also oversaw the creative on management team appointed in 2016, built the Look&Book app for easyJet A&E/DDB was also named Campaign’s several major pitch wins, including can step firmly out from the shadow of and launched a Domino’s TV channel. Agency of the Semicentury and was in Comparethemarket.com’s meerkats the top five Big Best Places to Work. recently turned 10. Nowadays, long Brim can count his achievements as campaigns and creative leaderships are one reason for the agency’s success. rare but, like the meerkats, Bailes and No recognition of Brim would be his senior team have staying power. complete without mention of A&E/ DDB’s legacy client, John Lewis & Danny Brooke-Taylor Partners, but this year he helped steer Founding partner, Lucky Generals the brand in a new direction. First As an industry figure, Danny Brooke- there was its first joint campaign with Taylor flies mostly under the radar, but Waitrose & Partners, a performance by he has led his agency to great heights. schoolchildren of Queen’s Bohemian Lucky Generals had a smashing year, Rhapsody. Then the agency surprised with notable wins including the Co-op, with the much-anticipated John Lewis Celebrity Cruises, Anheuser-Busch Christmas ad, which paid tribute to InBev, PlayStation and Tinder. singer Sir Elton John. Creatively, it also scored one of the Christmas is always a time when biggest jobs in advertising: Amazon’s Brim and his agency sparkle. Waitrose’s Super Bowl commercial. “Alexa loses festive campaign eschewed blockbuster her voice” starred a host of celebrities TV for a series of short spots in which filling in for the virtual assistant, and characters abandon their rituals to tuck went on to be shortlisted for an Emmy into tasty treats more quickly. It was and become the top-rated spot in USA proof, alongside Save the Children’s Today’s Ad Meter. Also for Amazon, silly ad for Christmas Jumper Day and Campaign Against Living Miserably “Project 84”: among Adam & Eve/DDB’s standout work Brooke-Taylor stewarded a global » 42 March 2019 March 2019 43 AGENCY OF THE YEAR

campaign for Prime Day, which made it promoted Sian Richards to become “the biggest global shopping event in VCCP’s first head of diversity and the company’s history”, according to inclusion, empowering her to build on At a time when fresh the brand. Closer to home, the agency her work on the creative community questions are being asked made another Hostelworld spoof She Presents and effect real change at starring Mariah Carey, as well as the the agency. about planning’s future, TimeTo campaign addressing sexual Not content with his achievements JOINT WINNERS harassment in adland. This year Lucky inside VCCP and the ad industry more Nairn has led from the Generals has made its second Super broadly, Douglas also finds time for front and shown that it Bowl ad for Amazon and opened its ACCOUNT PERSON several side-hustles. Alongside Dame STRATEGIC PLANNER first international office in New York, Martha Lane-Fox, he co-founded the remains an indispensable so Brooke-Taylor will be able to show JULIAN DOUGLAS Lucky Voice karaoke chain in 2005, JO ARDEN ANDY NAIRN part of agency life his talent on an even bigger stage. Vice-chairman, which now has eight branches. Douglas Chief strategy officer, Chief strategy officer, VCCP Partnership also co-founded Parent Pool, a social MullenLowe London Lucky Generals Rob Doubal and Laurence Thomson enterprise and app bringing parents Chief creative officers, ulian Douglas manages to do the together to provide childcare to, and awards success is because it has been McCann UK Jseemingly impossible: he juggles receive help from, people they know. o Arden is overdue a little industry ndy Nairn is well established as one responsible for delivering record car Rob Doubal and Laurence Thomson, spearheading VCCP Partnership’s Douglas brought his outside interests Jacclaim. She is a critical player at her Aof the UK’s best strategists and he sales for the marque for the past two better known as Rob and Lolly, helped amazingly effective new-business into the agency by installing a Lucky agency MullenLowe London, leading a has made a particularly significant years, making Suzuki the fastest- McCann London achieve revenue operation with leading major clients, a Voice karaoke booth in the basement of department that picked up both Effie contribution to the discipline, his growing car brand in the industry. The growth of 17% last year, proving that suite of industry initiatives and a VCCP’s headquarters in Victoria. It and IPA Effectiveness Awards last year. clients and agency in 2018. Nairn has steered his agency to its RUNNERS-UP activity delivered incremental £207m creative excellence means good gaggle of extracurricular businesses. should come in handy when he finally Moreover, she is a serial pitch winner He has been outspoken on several first IPA Effectiveness Award, first Effie sales revenue – a payback of £17.88 for business. Their agency remains best VCCP has led AAR’s annual new- gets a chance to take a breather and (most recently helping the agency land key industry issues, from brand safety Award and Grand Prix at YouTube’s Bridget Angear and every £1 spent in media and known for its groundbreaking work on business survey for seven years in a celebrate being named Campaign’s the Co-operative Bank business) and to big data, and diversity to content Effectiveness Awards. He also led and Craig Mawdsley production. Suzuki Cars general Microsoft Xbox, which last year won a row, picking up major new clients, such Account Person of the Year. the personal architect of strategies and creation. And he has created a won two major pitches: the Co- Joint chief strategy officers, manager Tammy Charnley said that Cannes Lions Grand Prix in the as Transport for London and Cadbury, campaigns that genuinely matter. formidable effectiveness culture at operative Group (lead creative agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO the IPA Effectiveness gold was inaugural Creative eCommerce while retaining core partners such as RUNNER-UP Last year, Arden was instrumental in Lucky Generals, which has helped across its food, funerals, insurance and 2018 was one of the finest years for “testament to the brilliance of Chris category. In 2018, Doubal and Thomson Comparethemarket.com and O2. In campaigns that encouraged victims clients as diverse as Amazon, healthcare divisions) and Celebrity Bridget Angear and Craig Mawdsley’s and the team, who have helped also picked up almost 100 awards for 2018, Douglas led VCCP’s successful Sarah Douglas and survivors of child sex abuse to Hostelworld, Budweiser and Yorkshire Cruises (global creative agency). strategy double act. They have won transform our business. Thanks for clients across the Clios, D&AD and pitch for the global Shell business, Chief executive, come forward and tell their story to the Tea achieve impressive returns on their He also worked on the industry’s first new clients and secured more business helping us be brave.” Creative Circle among others. Beyond winning work from Shell’s long-time Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO Independent Inquiry into Child Sex communications investments. campaign against sexual harassment, from existing ones, adding more than Xbox, they have overseen work for the partner J Walter Thompson (now As chief client officer since 2012, Sarah Abuse, tackled heart disease with the For example, Budweiser was the TimeTo, where his proposition “Where £5m of revenue to the agency through Cat Wiles All England Tennis Club, Subway and Wunderman Thompson) and ahead of Douglas was responsible for improving British Heart Foundation and recruited most discussed brand of the Fifa World do you draw the line?” became the their strategic efforts alone. And they Head of planning, VCCP Shredded Wheat, while helping to networks with a more established AMV ’s relationship with its clients, nurses with the NHS. Cup and AB InBev later announced a inspiration for provocative advertising helped create some of the year’s most Cat Wiles is the blue-sky thinker land new accounts such as eBay, international presence. delivering the highest satisfaction All three are among the toughest 10.1% global uplift for the lager that got noticed. He has also developed awarded work for Bodyform, and the behind last year’s O2 relaunch. She Godiva and Chivas. The pair have Douglas will no doubt run the Shell scores in the agency’s history. campaigns attempting societal change (excluding the US), describing the a unique approach to tackling hate most effective for Guinness. The pair goes above and beyond to search out focused on developing talent, bringing account with as much enthusiasm as Overlooked for the managing director – particularly the Independent Inquiry integrated campaign as its most crime on social media. His Lucky has also created a standalone revenue nuggets in the outer reaches of popular in Ross Neil as executive creative he shows for Nationwide and Domino’s. job in 2016 following the departure of into Child Sex Abuse. The “Truth successful ever. Yorkshire Tea grew 14% Bastards initiative takes hate tweets stream for the agency, with pure brand culture, enlisting diverse experts from director from WCRS, poaching teams Indeed, one of the judges described Richard Arscott, Douglas has cemented project” strategy that Arden came up in a long-declining market, displacing and donates money to corresponding strategy projects for diverse clients, the worlds of semiotics, ethnography, from Grey London, and promoting Douglas as “one of the industry’s real her position as “number one” since the with sought to inspire people from Tetley for the first time in decades. charities. For example, a message including Sainsbury’s, Argos, anthropology, psychology and Sanjiv Mistry and Jamie Mietz to forces of nature”, praising VCCP’s work. exit of Ian Pearman, mentoring every part of society to participate and Funding Circle, meanwhile, a about “migrant bastards” generates a WorldRemit, the National Lottery, psychiatry to help her unlock brands’ executive creative directors. Now they The judges were particularly taken younger women and supporting new to give a voice to victims and survivors campaign that Nairn personally payment to the Refugee Council. Nutmeg and PepsiCo. These hidden potential. The gatherings of are chief creative officers for all of with the work Douglas does outside the mothers returning to work. In addition otherwise denied it. It used the worked on, grew 61%. In Q2, the brand At a time when fresh questions are achievements are the result of a long expertise, something she does for her McCann UK, they can continue agency. In addition to his position as an to leading AMV’s multi-award-winning campaign line “I will be heard”. The lent British businesses more than the being asked about planning’s future, process to build one of the best strategy team on a bi-weekly basis, has proved nurturing great creativity group-wide. elected member of the IPA Council, account for Bodyform-owner Essity, agency was unable to share the results entire banking sector combined. The Nairn has led from the front and shown departments in the industry, with the to be key to the department’s success. he has pushed for change on diversity, Douglas spearheaded the Omnicom of the campaign, but they are believed company has now been floated at a that the discipline remains an longest unbroken run of golds in the Not only is this lunch event a favourite Alex Grieve and Adrian Rossi originating the Advertising Unlocked agency’s successful efforts on the to be significant. valuation of about £1.5bn. indispensable part of agency life. IPA Effectiveness Awards history. The initiative of Wiles among the planners, Executive creative directors, campaign to introduce students Virgin Holidays and Virgin Atlantic Moreover the agency’s work for the Meanwhile, Hostelworld announced As one of the judges said: “An department also boasts a strong but it has resulted in a Grand Prix, four Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO from underrepresented groups to pitch. If there were any doubt about NHS used Arden’s strategy of taking that 68 million views of Lucky inspiring entry. Breakthrough, alumni: the appointments last year of golds and more shortlisted papers than In the five years after being made the industry. Douglas’ importance to AMV, her the massive pride we all feel in the NHS Generals’ Mariah Carey campaign had provocative ideas with the customer at Raquel Chicorel at M&C Saatchi and any rival at the Marketing New executive creative directors, Alex In March 2018, Douglas took on extra promotion to chief executive after to a more active desire to be part of its helped it boost bookings by 13%. This the heart, delivering success after Sophie Lewis at VMLY&R as chief Thinking Awards. Wiles also led the Grieve and Adrian Rossi raised the responsibility for identifying and Dame Cilla Snowball’s exit should have future. Ian Hampton, NHS England’s was the latest instalment in a campaign success for clients as well as a strategy officers take the total of AMV winning global strategy for the Shell agency’s game. 2018 was a standout releasing new revenue streams. He also put paid to that. senior campaigns manager, said: “Jo is Nairn devised four years ago and this sustainable business.” alumni now running their own strategy pitch last year, which has led to the year with the shop landing in the top one of the best strategists I have unusual longevity in the online space Another added: “A really good paper departments in London to seven. addition of strategic hubs in New York, five of Campaign’s new-business encountered in my 25 years as a won a Grand Prix and a couple of golds summing up what’s clearly been a great Singapore and Shanghai. » rankings. The creative department’s public-sector client. I always look at YouTube’s Effectiveness Awards. year for Andy and his agency.” Chris Herbert prowess can share the glory for those forward to her presenting because I Strategy director, the7stars wins, which included Asda and the know I’m going to learn something new Chris Herbert leads the strategy on joint Virgin Holidays and Virgin about my area of expertise. More the7stars’ high-profile Suzuki Cars Q: HOW DID THE Atlantic accounts. For the latter, importantly I know the result will be a account, as well as on new-business AMV produced the brands’ first great campaign.” wins including Capital One, Sofology, CHICKEN KNOW WHEN joint marketing campaign, a surreal In addition to her client work, Arden Nintendo and Prostate Cancer UK. His IT WAS TIME TO WAKE trip through travel destinations. has also given back to the industry. Last work with Suzuki was widely acclaimed The pair also raised the standard for year she was chair of the Nabs Fast throughout 2018, winning at the UP? A: IT HAD AN BT, which produced scripts that Forward course, a Wacl Gather Marketing Society’s Marketing attracted the top tier of directing talent. committee member and a judge for the Excellence Awards and picking up gold ALARM CLUCK Snickers staged a rap battle starring Sir Warc Brand Purpose Awards. She was at the IPA Effectiveness Awards. To put Elton John, while Maltesers shone a also granted an IPA Fellowship. those results into context, the7stars spotlight on women who are usually The judges praised Arden highly. was the only media agency shortlisted overlooked in advertising. Work for One said she was a “purpose-driven within any category at the Marketing Bodyform and Guinness also continued strategic thinker who delivers and Excellence Awards – and it was the one to dazzle. At the end of the year, the turned around the agency”. that walked away with the trophy. team split when Rossi moved to Grey Another cited the fact that Arden It was also the first media agency to London as creative chairman but they produces “great work for worthy have won an IPA Effectiveness gold can be extremely proud of their joint organisations – but importantly award without a creative shop co- track record. delivered outstanding results”. author. The reason behind the work’s March 2019 45

when it comes to long-term brand- Fox has also introduced a new planning building and short-term direct process, Hive, which puts “empathy response. Florence will sometimes use with consumers” at the heart of the either Burchnall or Mclean, depending craft of planning. Landing Lidl’s £70m on a client’s requirements, or, at other planning account, which the grocer times, he will use both of them. moved from its buying agency, The judges were impressed by Starcom, was a major endorsement of Florence’s “robust”, “detailed” and Fox’s new approach. Wins for “flexible” thinking, which he combines McDonald’s and easyJet at the MEDIA PLANNER with an ability to distil complex ideas Thinkbox Planning Awards were in simple and comprehensible terms. also proof that OMD has been MIKE FLORENCE He is grounded and generous in the delivering for clients on Fox’s watch. Chief strategy officer, PHD way he works. “Everyone at PHD is a She has also been a champion of young planner,” Florence likes to say because, talent and was justly proud that four as colleagues put it, “he recognises that members of her team, all women, have he winner stood out as an much of the creativity required to been named in the Media Week 30 T“exceptional” and “very strong” deliver standout campaigns exists Under 30 list over the past two years. media planner, according to the within the investment teams who work The judges praised her “sense of judges. They singled out Mike with media owners”. purpose” and “focus on career Florence’s media thinking and his Florence has shown industry development” for her team. reorganisation of PHD’s planning team leadership beyond PHD and parent around the twin pillars of brand and company Omnicom Media Group by Steve Gladdis performance advertising. working with magazine trade body Chief strategy officer, MediaCom Florence introduced rhythms Magnetic on a study into the value of As the leader of 350 media planners at planning – what one judge called “a attention as well as reach. He spoke at MediaCom, Steve Gladdis has oversight game-changing methodology” – in Magnetic’s Spark conference in of a huge array of output at Britain’s 2017 that helps brands to plan their autumn 2018 and went on to take part biggest media agency for some of the media “in rhythm” with business in an ad campaign, called “Pay country’s biggest advertisers, including trends and cultural events in the attention”, in early 2019. Sky, Tesco and Direct Line Group. He calendar. The rhythms team, which Karen Stacey, chief executive of has been an advocate of “systems” went on to win Agency Team of the Digital Cinema Media, said in a planning, treating every media channel Year at the Campaign Media Awards in testimonial: “Mike’s skill of as part of an interconnected system, spring 2018, is credited with helping to demystifying the seemingly complex and his team has applied that to win and retain a string of clients. and reminding us that our job is to award-winning work such as Tesco’s “Rhythms” work for Sainsbury’s in move people and make them think or “Food love stories”, which won the the run-up to Valentine’s Day identified do something different is why PHD media Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. TALENT that men buy later and spend 50% remains a company of great thinking Churn in the strategy team is just 11%. more than women, and a resulting shift and results.” He was a strong contender in this MANAGEMENT in strategy drove an increase in sales. closely fought category. Florence, who joined PHD in 2014 RUNNERS-UP PERSON/TEAM and became chief strategy officer in Marie Oldham 2016, and his chief executive, Verica Vicky Fox Chief strategy officer, VCCP Media SIOBHAN BRUNWIN Djurdjevic, also took the pioneering Managing partner, connections Marie Oldham has a fascinating role as Head of people and culture, M/SIX step of appointing joint heads of planning, OMD UK a media planner within a wider, largely planning in his team in February 2018. As the head of OMD UK’s 50-strong creative agency group and sees herself compelling blend of emotional Giving Rebecca Burchnall planning team, Vicky Fox played a as a bridge between the client and Aintelligence and ambition made responsibility for performance and leading role in chief executive Dan creative and account planning teams. Siobhan Brunwin a clear winner. Andrew Mclean oversight of brand in Clays’ reboot of the agency, which Her work has included a brand- People are at the heart of the ad the dual planning roles was recognition resulted in a refocus on cross-channel, building, out-of-home campaign for industry, and Brunwin’s entry that marketers have different needs cross-customer journey optimisation. the Girls’ Day School Trust, which underlined the power of an indvidual doubled website and school visits, and to drive cultural change in a business. a study of Generation Z in partnership In just over 12 months she has with The Guardian. She is also a successfully built an entire talent mentor for Wacl and a lecturer at function from the ground up, with a Bournemouth University. The judges remarkable scope. Whether making praised her activities outside VCCP but change happen for the entire agency or said they would “be keen to see more focusing on the needs of an individual, hard-nosed, business performance, Brunwin’s commitment to building a which we are sure is there”. positive and flexible culture was clear. The judges singled out her work with Ambitious about Autism for its groundbreaking impact. Only 16% of adults with autism in the UK are Q: WHY DOES currently in paid employment. Young A CHICKEN COOP people with autism do not have access to the same opportunities and support HAVE TWO as young people without a disability. In response to this, Brunwin put DOORS? M/SIX forward to be part of Ambitious A: IF IT HAD about Autism’s Exchange Programme, under which the agency offered paid, FOUR, IT’D BE three-month work placements to three young people with a diagnosis of A CHICKEN autism. One of the interns went on to secure a permanent job at Group M, which owns 50% of M/SIX. » 46 March 2019 March 2019 47 AGENCY OF THE YEAR

This is just one example of Brunwin’s were from a BAME background, and goes over and above when responding “hitlist” of brands it wanted to add, the passion and commitment making a the agency also became Stonewall to a brief. Instead of just filling in a agency had a grocery retailer, a bank, tangible impact on the agency, its Champions. AMV has also launched a form or a spreadsheet, it works on It feels as though Havas has an airline and a car manufacturer. The groundbreaking initiative to give culture and society at large. Notably creating books that are hand-delivered settled in and is creating team also reassessed its pitch when M/SIX ran its first employee additional assistance to employees to clients, builds microsites, produces approach. With all this in place, AMV engagement survey in 2018, 87% of when it comes to childcare, which has films and delivers its creds via an strong competition in the picked up Virgin Atlantic from fellow employees agreed that they can be enabled some of its staff to keep app. “It’s about standing out,” the Omnicom agency Adam & Eve/DDB, their true selves at work. working at the agency despite the high agency says. market when it comes to Asda from Saatchi & Saatchi, Ford, Brunwin clearly recognises the need cost of childcare in the capital. That’s not all. The new-business pitching. Chief marketing iZettle, the Stroke Association and to evolve in the face of changing NEW-BUSINESS team is also helping people across the Alzheimer’s Research UK. expectations in the workforce. She has Nicola Longhurst company improve their skills when it officer Tracey Barber is the set up a “mirror board”, a group of Head of HR, VCCP Partnership DEVELOPMENT comes to pitching and responding to Adam & Eve/DDB junior talent from across every team in The judges praised Nicola Longhurst new briefs. Barber has led the group to driving force behind this Adam & Eve/DDB’s new-business and the agency, and is set to introduce a for her “real ambition” and “great use TEAM make sure that every new joiner at PR team of just three, led by Jemima training scheme around mental health of partnerships” to lead change Havas understands who in the Monies, won 16 new clients in 2018. in 2019. across the agency. Notably, Longhurst HAVAS new-business team does what. One judge said: “Incredible This included one of the most hotly But perhaps most importantly, works in partnership with Creative Last year the team also created an performance, particularly given where contested pitches of the year, Camelot’s apart from any individual initiative or Pioneers to ensure that 50% of the here’s an energy around Havas. event at Abbey Road Studios, with talks the agency was coming from. It’s an £42m National Lottery, which the investment, Brunwin demonstrated an agency’s candidate base is BAME, TAdland is feeling it and the clients and presentations from people in the impressive turnaround.” agency won in a pitch against 14-year underlying kindness, which shone as well as partnering Creative Equals are feeling it. When Havas moved all its film, gaming, music and youth culture Havas’ approach to new business is incumbent Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO through all her work. Here is someone so that “a positive ambition doesn’t 24 agency brands under one roof in sectors. From a total of 48 “cold certainly one that other agencies and Grey London. Other wins included who not only clearly cares about her mask a less diverse reality”. She King’s Cross at the start of 2017, it prospects”, Barber secured 33 new- should be taking note of. As Chris Highways England, Booking.com, work, but also the positive effect she has also fostered a culture of honesty, explained the rationale was to create business meetings. There will be Hirst, global chief executive of Havas Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, Born can have on each indvidual employee. with monthly meetings where more collaboration, mainly across another event this year. Creative Network, puts it, Barber is “an Free and Veg Power in partnership with Of course, difficult conversations anonymous questions are answered in creative and media functions, in-house This has all led to new business and absolute powerhouse at what she ITV. The team also worked with the have to happen within the talent and an open forum. In addition, she has to better respond to client needs. marketing delivering more than 2.4% does”. And it seems as though the team agency’s New York office to help drive HR realm but there is always a way of been the driving force behind “The Two years on, it feels as though of total revenue for Havas in 2018, will continue to smash it in 2019. new business in the US, which led to doing so in a kind and respectful way. Big Rant”, an annual happiness survey Havas has settled in and is creating surpassing its 1.5% target. The agency picking up six new accounts, including The judges praised Brunwin’s “brave, that allows employees to get things strong competition in the market when won 83 pieces of work including the RUNNERS-UP the global Jim Beam business and the energetic, innovative and inspiring off their chest and, in turn, drive more it comes to pitching. Chief marketing Department for Education’s teacher US Ubisoft account. Vicky Allard (left) and Billi Hatfield drove a consistently effective comms strategy in 2018 approach”. As well as the “heartfelt and authentic conversations about officer Tracey Barber, the driving force recruitment work; the Starbucks EMEA Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO authentic commitment [she] has made workplace wellbeing. behind this, has consolidated the CRM account, for which Havas faced The agency created a “restructured, OMD UK to her business and the people within new-business and marketing teams to competition from TMW Unlimited, refocused, re-energised” new-business OMD UK’S new-business development impressions of more than 4.5 billion, it”. An approach that has helped her to The Wunderman talent team create one centralised function Ogilvy, Proximity, VCCP, Rapp and team in 2018, led by deputy chairman team picked itself up from its 2017 social impressions of 116 million and “achieve a lot in a short space of time”. The Wunderman Talent team set a consisting of 10 people (down from 20). Table19; More Th>n, Treatwell and and chief marketing officer Michael performance, which the agency garnered news coverage in 32 Brunwin aims to make M/SIX “the clear resolution for 2018: to create an The new-business machine is Giffgaff’s media business; PR briefs Pring. After realising that the team was described as being the “worst year in countries. Its “Trash isles” campaign most important place in the career of environment where everyone could difficult to power – taking top creatives from Sky and Virgin Atlantic; and going for too many opportunities and OMD UK’s history”, after the loss of for LADbible/Plastic Oceans, with its its people”. What was clear from her thrive. The talent team pushed and suits away from their day job to ask Action for Children for Conran Design not converting enough pitches, Pring Boots, Carlsberg, Bel, Heinz and bid to get the waste plastic in the North entry is that not only is she achieving relentlessly towards it. Judges praised them to prepare ideas and then present Group, National Grid and Max Factor. decided to take a look at the numbers. Peugeot Citroën. The team also hadn’t Pacific recognised as a country by the this goal but her commitment has the team for its extensive programme to clients isn’t always easy. Add to that Havas says that this means it He found that if the team focused on won a pitch since picking up Bacardi in UN, reached half-a-billion people and ensured that she is obviously one of of initiatives, and inclusive nature. It the firm understanding of different generated £64.6m in new UK media the higher-value accounts by reducing 2015. Chief client officer Jessica CORPORATE generated 50 million video views. the most important people at the was commended for combining parts of Havas’ business that is needed billings last year, and managed to land the amount of pitches in which it took Roberts brought in Anthony “Lifefaker”, a campaign for mental- agency. A worthy winner. strategy with implementation and (media, creative, CRM, PR, to name but a place on 60% of all new-business part, it would be able to increase its Stonehewer from PR agency Eulogy. COMMUNICATIONS/ health organisation Sanctus, had a tangible outcomes to ensure a few) to pull together the best team for opportunities. What’s more, the agency income by more than 50%. As a result, They created greater transparency reach of two billion, increased web momentum. The team made the job, and it’s clear that new-business has had more wins than any other the team set a minimum income around pitching and gave everyone the MARKETING TEAM visits tenfold, and achieved a PR value Perhaps most importantly, significant progress in ensuring staff teams have their work cut out. agency in Campaign’s new-business threshold and created a clear set of chance to get involved. The team of of more than £8m. could take ownership of their careers Barber, though, has proved she has league tables, ranking in the top three criteria relating to the types of clients seven then came up with “The Beat” – ABBOTT MEAD Allard and co have also bolstered the apart from any individual through a global initiative to encourage the tenacity to make it work. The team for both creative and media. with which AMV wanted to work. On a a step-by-step process for everyone to agency’s reputation by ensuring those a more frequent employee-led career follow, including how to build a pitch VICKERS BBDO in its leadership team are seen as initiative or investment, development framework. The agency team, deliver the presentation and thought-leaders. Snowball wrote for Brunwin demonstrated also rolled out unconscious-bias negotiate. There were also workshops and was interviewed across a range of training and boosted staff perks and Havas’ for those who were new to the process. t was a big year for AMV, with a trio of publications, including The Sunday an underlying kindness, rewards. Staff turnover is at an all-time new-business This was coupled with a strong ICannes Lions Grands Prix – one for Times’ “Style” magazine. Joint chief low and external job applications have development team prospecting strategy and led to OMD Bodyform and two for LADbible/Plastic strategy officer Craig Mawdsley helped it win 83 which shone through all increased by 40%. picking up seven new clients including Oceans – meaning outgoing chief continued to demonstrate his status as pieces of work her work Lidl, Barclays, Daimler and Betway – executive Dame Cilla Snowball couldn’t one of the industry’s top thinkers• with more than £238m in billings. have asked for a better send-off. In an insightful regular column for addition to Bodyform and LADbible/ Campaign, while his counterpart Wunderman Plastic Oceans, work for Pedigree and Bridget Angear also commented widely RUNNERS-UP The WPP agency has labelled 2018 as Sanctus moved forward the social on how brands can create movements Q: WHAT DO YOU the “year of the client” as the business conversation, while a major campaign and tackle taboos. In addition, Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO development team worked alongside for Snickers tapped into a surge of executive creative directors Alex Grieve The Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO talent CALL THE CHICKEN chief executive Pip Hulbert and client interest in Sir Elton John as the singer and his former partner Adrian Rossi management team was credited with leads to create a strategy that aimed to prepared to embark on a farewell tour. were frequent commentators on making real progress when it comes to THAT CROSSED “effectively embed new accounts” and This work on its own has, rightly, creative work in Campaign and other BAME and LGBT+ representation. One THE ROAD? grow existing business. This has been celebrated, but in each case its titles. Other members of the AMV judge praised the team for its “really included expanding its relationship impact has been magnified by BBDO team were also recognised in the impressive stats” around diversity. A: POULTRY IN with Shell to cover an additional five consistently effective comms, led by “Agents of change” and “35 women This has included investing in the MOTION markets. For petcare brand Purina, communications director Vicky Allard, under 35” lists by Management Today. introduction of a permanent half-time Wunderman says that it has grown the supported in 2018 by ex-new-business One judge said the comms team had contract initiative to granting new business by about £1m in revenue and marketing assistant Billi Hatfield. done an “outstanding job of promoting fathers the same rights as new annually. The agency was also named Allard helped deliver widespread the outstanding work”, while another mothers. The agency was also credited the lead WPP digital agency for GSK’s media coverage and generated huge noted: “I like the way its leaders are with taking inspiration from outside oral care division in April. New clients social-media engagement. happy to get stuck in and challenge the AMV with a stellar line-up of external came in the form of Bose, Selfridges Bodyform’s groundbreaking “Blood industry and clients about some of the speakers. Of its scholar recruits, 33% and Panadol. normal” campaign achieved PR issues that we face together.” »