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Goff and Wilton’s Ark debuts for Huel - More About Advertising
There's been a quiet diaspora from adam&eveDDB, still one of the UK's premier ad agencies and now a growing international force running Omnicom's DDB network. Founders James Murphy and David Golding exited to New Commercial Arts (now part of Ogilvy), Jon Forsyth launched Neverland and Richard Brim and Martin Beverley are set to set up
Medievalism or tech takeover? 2025 looks to be an uncertain year - More About Advertising
What does 2025 have in store for the world of advertising and marketing? Among the many AI-focused predictions, agency Wonderhood has come up with a parallel track that spurns technology and embraces the unlikely (but all-too-believable) trend of “Medievalism.” “The great regression” is a rejection of modern tech culture, fuelled by Trump’s return to power
Laurence Green: three advertising lessons from beyond advertising. - More About Advertising
Depending on how you spent your Christmas Day, you may well have renewed your acquaintance with a hapless inventor, his long-suffering sidekick and their dastardly nemesis. As we wave goodbye to the season of advertising best practice - that short window where our audiences like what we do - it struck me that there might
British Gas decorates C4 home shows with T&Pm idents - More About Advertising
Centrica-owned British Gas and ecotech brand Hive are sponsoring Channel 4’s home shows, flagged by 24 idents from T&Pm. They use all the tropes of the home improvement genre, but the admiring comments are directed at the British Gas engineer rather than the décor. A second series of idents will tick the “sustainable living” box
MAA Ads of the Year: KFC ‘Believe in Chicken’ from Mother - More About Advertising
Who d'a believed it? Chicken can be cool? But that's what KFC and agency Mother are achieving in the UK, repositioning the venerable brand for a new generation with not a beaming good ol' colonel from the Deep South to be seen anywhere. BBH, when it launched on an unsuspecting world, said when the others
MAA Ads of the Year: Etsy’s ‘Where’s Wally?’ from Orchard Creative - More About Advertising
This one won the Christmas prize, a stroke of genius from Orchard Creative to enlist book stalwart 'Where's Wally?' Wally (Waldo in the US) wasn't the only literary giant to appear at Christmas, Roald Dahl's BFG made a telling intervention for Sainsbury's too. But we keep being told that ads are about storytelling, making emotional
MAA Ads of the Year: Barclays from BBH - More About Advertising
No Ad of the Week this week (were there any ads?) so let's begin a canter through the Ads of the Year between now and 2025, beginning with this effort from BBH for Barclays, trying to trap its customers young. 'Kids World' deploys an old wheeze, kids as adults, to formidable effect. Copywriter Elliott White,
Happy holidays from everyone at MAA - More About Advertising
As the year draws to a bumpy close for many in business - optimism in the US contrasting markedly with more, mostly self-induced gloom in Europe - it's still the time of year to celebrate with family, friends and (maybe) colleagues. It's possible, of course, that the latter may see changes, even reductions when some
MAA 2024 Review of the Year: what’s creativity got to do with it? - More About Advertising
No prizes for guessing this year's big event, the mooted $30bn takeover of IPG by Omnicom. Whichever sector of the ad industry you want to talk about this is going to have a big impact, not least on all those people who are going to be looking for jobs in 2025. The announcement itself was
Ultimate Christmas dilemma: Iberia airlines puts travellers to the test - More About Advertising
Every Christmas there's a standout airline ad, and this one by McCann Madrid for Iberia Airlines takes the prize for 2024. At check-in, four passengers are presented with a choice: return home for Christmas as planned, or take an all-expenses paid trip to their dream destination. Then the cameras - and the families at home
Polly McMorrow exits IPG’s McCann – joining Brim start-up looks likely option - More About Advertising
It's hardly surprising that some senior IPG execs are contemplating pastures new with the mooted takeover by Omnicom and now McCann UK CEO Polly McMorrow (below) is off - reported to be joining Richard Brim and Martin Beverley's start-up agency due to launch in February. McCann says: “We would like to thank Polly McMorrow for
Pitch politics: Asda, Ocado, Havas and Uncommon - More About Advertising
Clients aren't so worried about account conflict these days Omnicom CEO John Wren remarked loftily (and optimistically) when promoting his takeover of IPG. Someone should tell Uncommon Creative Studio which finds itself prevented for pitching for Asda, having just won Ocado. Fair enough on Asda's part as Ocado is also a grocery retailer, albeit online
Neverland’s Richard McGrann picks his Desert Island Ads - More About Advertising
Let’s be clear. I love OOH. I love radio, social, PR. The lot. But if I’m going to be stuck on a desert island bereft of movies, books, my beloved PS5 and a face painted on a football, I’ll take some telly ads for entertainment, thanks. Preferably ones with great soundtracks. On a loop. Desert
MAA Ad of the Week: DFS ‘let your bum do its thing’ from Pablo - More About Advertising
Remember when post-Christmas winter sales were a big thing? People queuing up all night to bag a sofa, I seem to recall Next opening at some ungodly hour on Boxing Day. As with so much in life Amazon has changed that, with its pre-Christmas Black Friday extravaganza imitated everywhere, so there's even less to look
Extreme house-hunting with Rightmove and Neverland - More About Advertising
This is some way to start your day: Neverland and Rightmove have taken house-hunting out of the cosy domestic sphere to present it as a personal, high-dive adventure tale. Professional diver Zoe is here to show us that Rightmove has a house to match everyone’s requirements, however unique. Launching on Christmas Day ahead of the
Zoopla’s sweaty take on moving house - More About Advertising
More (property) moving tales: this time Lucky Generals for Zoopla. As with Neverland for Rightmove, it's easy to see why these property websites don't actually show the agony and grief of actually moving house or flat. Zoopla has rather more sweat and angst with its sports analogy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUSbVy_PpUw Property is a national obsession in the
Live out the ultimate CMO life. But first, survive the agency party - More About Advertising
Here's the official trailer for CMO 25, the ultimate marketing leadership simulator for PS5 and XBox, which comes with some hefty challenges like conquering the work/life balance, mastering tech and navigating the agency party. If you can wow the board, amaze Mark Ritson and scoop glittering prizes, there are rewards ahead. These include "being the
Make My Money Matter enlists Benedict Cumberbatch to put out a rather large fire - More About Advertising
Make My Money Matter is trying to persuade us to persuade pension funds not to invest in companies trashing the rain forest, with Benedict Cumberbatch taking over from Olivia Colman. Playing nasty as only Benjy can. By Lucky Generals. MMMM hopes the campaign will see action from the pensions industry ahead of the UN's 2025
Can Kellogg’s’ Cornelius rival KFC’s swagger? - More About Advertising
Those damned chickens are everywhere it seems: KFC's contemporary reincarnation by Mother (not a Colonel in sight) has won won numerous plaudits and now Kellogg's is giving its on-pack rooster a makeover by Leo Burnett London and CGI wizards Framestore. An international campaign surely, judging by the strangely deserted streets. “See You in the Morning
Saatchi New Zealand taps funny bone for Toyota’s RAV4 - More About Advertising
Genuinely funny ads are thin on the ground these days so credit Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand for its ode to Toyota's RAV4, "the original recreation activity vehicle." Featuring NZ's (fictional) Department of Recreations, Activities, Visits and Stuff (D-RAVS). https://vimeo.com/1036586385 Toyota NZ's Susanne Hardy (from the southern hemisphere) says: “We know that Kiwis love the
Designit’s Nick LaManna picks his (Christmas) Desert Island Ads - More About Advertising
Christmas stands alone as a holiday built on pure childhood magic. We all remember waiting up for Santa, the excitement of Christmas morning, and just believing that anything was possible. That's why Christmas ads hit different - brands tap into the nostalgia of when we still believed in the magic. This emotional foundation gives brands
Remembering copywriting giant Tony Brignull - More About Advertising
Tony Brignull, the most awarded British copywriter, has died at 87. Along with the late David Abbott and Tim Delaney, still going strong at Leagas Delaney, Brignull was one of the shining lights of British copywriting in the so-called 'golden era' of British advertising when agencies like his Collett Dickenson Pearce shone domestically and then
George Parker: Omnicom/IPG – why big doesn’t mean better - More About Advertising
For the last week or so we have been bombarded with news items in the ad trades and the financial press about the forthcoming merger of Omnicom and Interpublic. Most of these are merely a rehash of the pablum generated by the holding companies PR departments telling existing clients that they will benefit not only
Can The Or make Christmas cracker crowns cool? - More About Advertising
The changeable British weather has given rise to a new era of covetable rain-proof brands, and now The Or has taken the trend one step further. The Mother Family agency has made waterproof fashion festive with a cracker-style crown that can endure the elements. Crowntech comes with a detachable balaclava for added protection against winter
Rehab Agency’s Callum Gill: AI’s verdict on the Christmas ads - More About Advertising
Teams spend months, sometimes even years, planning and perfecting creative campaigns and content. From initial strategy and concept development to being production-ready, every detail is meticulously crafted. So, when traditional creative testing is introduced at the last minute, it’s no surprise it can ruffle some feathers. That’s why we created Stress Tester, an alternative way
Uncommon bags Ocado to fill B&Q retail gap - More About Advertising
Uncommon Creative Studio has moved rapidly to fill the retail gap in its portfolio after B&Q moved to Leo Burnett, winning Ocado in a three-way pitch against Fold7 and Joint. The business moves from St Luke's which didn't repitch. Flock was the pitch consultant. Marketing director Eilidh MacAskill says: “We genuinely could not be more
Trouble Maker buys branded entertainment studio The Outfit - More About Advertising
Indie agency Trouble Maker Group has bought branded entertainment production studio The Outfit as part of its strategy to provide entertainment-led content for brands. The Outfit's work includes Channel 4, HelloFresh, Ring, McDonald’s and Estée Lauder. Trouble Maker CSO Jonathan Fraser says: “Developing entertainment strategies is becoming one of the fastest growing and increasingly important
Who are these guys Butch? - More About Advertising
Mark Read, Arthur Sadoun and Sir Martin Sorrell have all been offering their two penn'orth about the Omnicom/IPG deal, assembled here by Australia's B&T. With this creation from Adobe Firefly, described as generative AI for creatives. But which is which in what looks like adland's version of Super Heroes?
Brands need to be not just recognisable, but deeply felt - More About Advertising
The days of meticulously crafted campaigns, broadcast from the ivory towers of Madison Avenue, are over. Consumers are no longer strolling patiently down a pre-ordained path to purchase; they're sprinting through a multi-dimensional digital maze, bombarded by choices at every turn. Brands get mere milliseconds to capture their attention, make a lasting impression, and tell
MAA ad holding company, media agency, US agency and advertiser of the year - More About Advertising
Ad Holding Company of the Year 2024 was the year ad holding companies became interesting again. First we had Publicis Groupe surging ahead of the pack (set to supplant WPP as the biggest by billings this year - they hope) and then the planned Omnicom/IPG merger. This (if it survives regulatory hurdles, which always seem
Aint’s Jorg Riommi: who really benefits from mega-mergers? - More About Advertising
Are advertising mega-mergers really serving clients or shareholders? Looks like there is no end in sight for the saga of the mega-mergers. Ten years or so after the Omnicom/Publicis Groupe attempt, plus the many other mergers in last few years within WPP that killed a few historic creative brands, the struggle for size and dominance
WPP ties up with Universal Music, home of Taylor Swift and Elton John - More About Advertising
WPP and Universal Music Group have announced a partnership that will give its clients access to data on fans of artists like Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan, Billie Eilish, Elton John, Kendrick Lamar - and most of the other acts you can think of. In a world where Swift’s Eras tour grossed $2 billion in ticket
BMW motors back for the present in Christmas ad - More About Advertising
Christmas ads seem pretty well over and done with in the UK by now (who'll be first to launch one in August?) but they're a bit more trad in the EU. They're also featuring gifting rather more, which is part of the point. Maybe John Lewis exhausted this seam for the UK. But what do
Johnson & Johnson is another big media win for WPP - More About Advertising
WPP's GroupM is ending 2024 on a high note, winning Johnson and Johnson's US and Canada media accounts, worth around $200m (J&J spends about $500m worldwide.) WPP is reported to have beaten Publicis Media and IPG in the final pitch. The business moves from IPG's J3, formed to handle J&J's global media business. IPG is
The MAA Agency of the Year 2024: Mother/The Or - More About Advertising
Mother London’s consistent excellence always keeps the bar high for British advertising and in 2024 it has truly been an agency to conjure with: the quality of its work and its people, matched always by an unrivalled business savvy, make it without question MAA’s Creative Agency of the Year. The decision was even more clear
Sadoun has a pop at Omnicom and IPG in “merry merger” video - More About Advertising
A typically ebullient Arthur Sadoun does his best to turn the proposed Omnicom-IPG merger to his advantage in this video to staff. In fact, the Publicis Groupe CEO's message is directed just as much to clients: Omnicom and IPG, he says, will have to focus internally on integration if they want the deal to work,
MAA Ad of the Week: Aviva from adam&eveDDB - More About Advertising
Can anyone make us love insurance companies? They've been in the news recently after events in New York (makes you grateful for the mostly free NHS) and adam&eveDDB gives the task its best shot in this charming film for Aviva. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sySK5HFQ8ts Well cast (stardom beckons for the lady playing the daughter in a family restaurant),
Rat pack denizens exhumed by AI for Still G.I.N - More About Advertising
It's AI for breakfast, lunch and dinner now: here's a new effort for Still G.I.N (wish they'd stop this) featuring remastered Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr with brand owners Dre and Snoop Dogg. By Rosewood Creative with director Dave Meyers and generative AI company Metaphysic. All in 'gangsta' mode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui-EKnb8mGM It's well done but,
Long-serving BETC prepares Canal+ for a new era - More About Advertising
Canal+ is heading for a separate listing in London as part of the break-up of the Bolloré media empire (including Havas) although the family will still own dominant stakes. Here's a timely 'trailer' showing the growth of the broadcaster cum streamer over 40 pretty interesting years, from Havas-owned BETC. Shows the downs (not too many)
Facebook races ahead in ad revenue even though share is falling - More About Advertising
John Wren and Phippe Krakowsky may like to refer to their shiny new Omnicom/IPG as a "platform" as they prepare to measure up to the social media giants with their pooled data resources. But there's been a timely reminder of what they're up against. Industry data source WARC has produced its latest look at Facebook