Evaluative Review of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
Assignment brief: Part 1: Evaluative Review of an advertising/branding agency (2,500 words)
The first part is a 2,500 words evaluative review of a top UK agency of your choice. In order to do this, you will need to research the agency and the type of work they produce. Choose one of the agencies from the following list:
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO adam&eveDDB
McCann Erikson Bartle Bogle Hegarty
VCCP Leo Burnett
Grey London Ogilvy & Mather
WCRS Publicis UK
The above agencies all have global reach and offices around the world, however, for the purpose of this assignment you should look at their past and present creative work in the UK. Write up a 2,500 words evaluative report demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of the agency you have chosen and the work they produce. This will require you to undertake secondary research in order gather information on your chosen agency from sources such as WARC, Campaign and various other advertising publications (don’t just use the agency’s own website - gather your data from a much wider range of sources).
Structure your Evaluative Review as follows:
Introduction and Background to Agency A brief synopsis about the agency history, reputation, size, location, and the type of accounts that they handle. This background could also include other information such as the ‘mission statement’ of the agency (if they have one) or any particular philosophy the agency may have adopted together with any information you may be able to gather with regard to the agency culture itself. What is the agency really famous for, who are the key people in the agency?
Critical evaluation of the creative work Here you will need to show examples of the advertising campaigns produced by the agency, (some from the past and some from the present), and provide some critical commentary on each, evaluating their levels of creativity and effectiveness. Illustrate this section with plenty of images of the advertising that you are referring to. (note: You may wish to sub-section this section as you see fit)
Conclusion Summarise your key evaluative insights and observations on the agency you have chosen to research.
Reference List All sources of information must be properly referenced using the Harvard system.
Not included in the word count: Appendices, References (Harvard style)
Assignment brief: Part 2: Reflective Statement (500 words)
Part of preparing yourself for the job market involves self-examining your strengths, weaknesses, skills, interests and aspirations. There will be many decisions that you have to make based on your own needs, abilities, hopes and desires, and these need to be realistically appraised with regard to the various opportunities that may present themselves to you. For this part of the assignment you are required to write a 500 words individual reflective statement examining your own employability with regard to the type of jobs/career that you are aspiring to. Be open and honest with yourself. Try to identify your skills, attributes and experiences that would be of value to a potential employer and also where there may be gaps that need to be addressed. What are your strengths and which areas need to be developed? One thing that may help you with this process of self-reflection is the ‘Graduate Capital Model’ developed by Associate Professor at University: https://www(dot)southampton(dot)ac(dot)uk/careers/staff/employability-exchange/curriculum-development.page - identity_capital
As this part of the assignment is a personal reflective statement, you should write it-up using first person (In most other cases your assignments are required to be written in ‘third person’). Write this as though you were talking to yourself, as indeed you are appraising yourself. You should be honest with yourself – Whilst you need to identify all of your positive attributes, you should also identify areas that need to be addressed or developed further. This statement should not be seen as one you that may send a prospective employer, but instead, one which you would use for your own personal reflection. As you are restricted to just 500 words, this is also an exercise in being focused and concise. Although you may refer to ‘The Graduate Capital Model’ above, you should not treat this statement as a literature review or place much emphasis (if any) on discussing theory, as you do not have enough words to do this. You may have to begin by writing a more comprehensive draft, and then editing it down to the key areas of reflection.
ARTD6113-37756 Professional & Academic Skills 1
An Evaluation Review of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO adam&eveDDB
Word count:
Part A: 2624
Part B: 528
Student ID:XXXXXXX
Part A: An Evaluation Review of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO adam&eveDDB
Introduction and Background
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO (AMV BBDO) is one of the world's leading full-service advertising agencies. Founded in 1993 by Peter Mead and Adrian Vickers, AMV BBDO has grown from a small London-based agency to a global powerhouse. The agency is based in London and is part of the Omnicom Group, one of the world's most prominent advertising and communications networks. AMV BBDO has offices in New York City, Amsterdam, Singapore, Dubai, and Shanghai and serves clients worldwide. The agency is part of the BBDO global network, which is in over 80 countries worldwide. As a member of this network, AMV BBDO is committed to creating the world's most influential and creative communications solutions. The agency is also renowned for its innovative campaigns and has received several awards for its work. AMV BBDO is dedicated to delivering the best possible results for its clients (Rehman, 2020).
At Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO adam&eveDDB, the mission is "to create work that works". The agency is renowned for creating innovative campaigns that make a lasting impression on consumers and have won numerous awards for its work (Chen, 2022). In 2020, it was named "Agency of the Year" by both Campaign magazine and Advertising Age and "Agency Network of the Year" by Adweek in 2021. The agency is passionate about creating ground-breaking campaigns that positively impact society. It is driven by the belief that great work can make a difference. Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO adam&eveDDB is committed to producing work that reflects its values of creativity and excellence. They strive to create work that appeals to and engages audiences in meaningful conversations. The agency is dedicated to delivering work that makes a difference (Sim, 2019).
AMV BBDO is a global marketing agency with 10,000 employees working in over 80 offices in more than 120 countries. It boasts an impressive portfolio of more than 600 clients, representing some of the world's most well-known businesses. As one of the largest and most established agencies, AMV BBDO is renowned for being highly creative and successful. Their team of professionals comprises experts in all disciplines, from creative strategists to media planners, ensuring their clients have access to the most innovative ideas in the industry (Namkung and Park, 2021). With years of experience, they can deliver effective marketing campaigns across all channels, from TV and radio to social media and print. Thanks to their successful track record, they are trusted by some of the biggest brands in the world. AMV BBDO is committed to ensuring its clients receive the best solutions possible and strives to stay ahead of the competition. As a result, their clients can be confident that their campaigns will be successful and effective (Bacon, 2017).
AMV BBDO is one of the leading advertising agencies in the world, offering a comprehensive range of services from traditional media, such as television and print, to digital media and branding (What is branding for and what is it?, 2021). They specialize in strategy, creativity, and technology, providing services from web design and app development to content marketing and social media campaigns. The agency has significant clients from various industries, including automotive, finance, retail, telecommunications, and food and drink. AMV BBDO works on accounts including BT, Visa, Vodafone, Diageo, Sainsbury's, and Unilever. In addition to working with well-known brands, AMV BBDO also works with charities such as the NSPCC, The Prince's Trust, and the British Heart Foundation (Ogura, 2022). In 2020, AMV BBDO further cemented its status as a leader in the industry by partnering with adam&eveDDB to form AMV adam&eveDDB. As the agency grows, they continue to provide top-class services to its clients, offering innovative solutions to help them achieve their goals. With their extensive experience and expertise, AMV BBDO is committed to providing its clients with the best possible results.
The agency is led by two key figures: Chief Executive Officer Andrew Robertson and Executive Creative Director Paul Brazier. Both are experienced, highly respected industry professionals with decades of experience in the advertising sector. The two are supported by the Chief Creative Officer (David Kolbusz) and Chief Strategy Officer (Nick Hirst). At AMV BBDO, the culture is focused on collaboration, creativity, trust and innovation, emphasizing diversity and creativity. The agency encourages employees to bring their best ideas to the table and to challenge each other in a supportive, open environment. The agency's culture is focused on working together to create the best work possible, which is evident in every aspect of its operation. AMV BBDO strives to create an environment of openness, trust, and excellence from how they approach each project to how they interact with clients. The agency also emphasizes the importance of work-life balance and is committed to sustainability (Gamayunov, 2019).
Critical evaluation of the creative work of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO adam&eveDDB
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO (AMV BBDO) is one of the most renowned advertising agencies in the world, producing iconic campaigns that millions have seen. Some of the agency's most iconic campaigns include the Guinness Surfer', John Smith's 'No Nonsense', 'Dulux Dog', 'Tango – Orange Man' and most recently, the 'Stick with the Winners campaign for Sky Sports, 'Fearless Girl' and Google's 'Year in Search' campaign. AMV BBDO has also worked for other big brands such as John Lewis and Channel 4, creating the "We Are the Superhumans" and "Life's Better with a Dog" campaigns, respectively. The agency's campaigns show their commitment to creating memorable and impactful advertising that has the power to shape public opinion and change behaviour.
The 'Dulux Dog' campaign was one of the most successful campaigns of all time. The campaign featured a lovable dog named 'Dulux' who was always up for an adventure (Dahlen and Rosengren, 2016). Using a character allowed the message that Dulux paint is durable and reliable to be communicated effectively and playfully. The campaign was highly successful, and the character was instantly recognizable to the public, with the adverts and television appearances creating an iconic image. As a result of the campaign's success, the Dulux Dog became the official mascot of the Dulux brand, appearing in other campaigns and even having its range of merchandise. The campaign was a huge success, proving an effective way to promote the Dulux brand.
Image 1: Dulux Dog by Dulux Paint (Dahlen and Rosengren, 2016)
The 'Tango – Orange Man' campaign was an incredibly successful marketing effort, creating a character that was just as memorable as the iconic 'Dulux Dog'. The orange man perfectly conveyed the refreshingly different nature of the Tango soft drink with his zany and quirky personality. Through the campaign, viewers were also made more aware of the various flavours of Tango and how they could be used to create fun and original recipes. The orange man is featured in multiple Tango commercials, showing the brand's fun and energetic personality (Kietzmann, Mills and Plangger, 2020). Overall, the 'Tango – Orange Man' campaign was a great success, allowing Tango to stand out from other brands and become a memorable and beloved soft drink.
Image 2: Tango Orange Man for Tango Juice (Kietzmann, Mills and Plangger, 2020)
The 'Surfer' campaign for Guinness is widely credited as being one of the most effective television adverts of all time. It was released in 1999 and quickly became a global sensation. The ad showed a surfer riding a huge wave with a bottle of Guinness in his hand while the dramatic soundtrack of 'Pure Shores' by All Saints played in the background (Ford, 2021). The commercial was highly praised for its creative use of imagery and music and has been credited as one of the most successful campaigns in UK advertising history. It’s simple yet effective storytelling and captivating visuals resonated with audiences, and the campaign was credited with increasing sales of Guinness by 4.3%. The ad was also praised for its creative direction, with its music, cinematography and sound effects combined to create an iconic piece of advertising.
Image 3: The Surfer campaign for Guinness (Ford, 2021)
The 'No Nonsense' campaign for John Smith was a massive success for AMV BBDO. It featured the catchphrase 'It's Not a Beer. It's John Smith's and was brought to life through a series of humorous commercials and print ads (Khamis et al., 2021). The campaign resonated with audiences and was credited with helping to increase sales of John Smith's by 7.8%. It demonstrated the power of creative advertising and the importance of crafting a memorable message that resonates with consumers. Furthermore, it highlighted the effectiveness of AMV BBDO's innovative advertising strategies and their ability to drive strong results.
Image 4: The 'No Nonsense' campaign for John Smith (Khamis et al., 2021)
AMV BBDO has consistently produced creative and effective campaigns, such as their 2017 'Fearless Girl' campaign for State Street Global Advisors. The campaign featured a young girl facing down the iconic Charging Bull sculpture in New York's Financial District (Zou and Teng, 2020). It was praised for its powerful message of female empowerment and the creative use of symbolism. The ad was an instant success, receiving numerous awards and accolades, including a Cannes Lion and a D&AD Pencil. The success of the 'Fearless Girl' campaign further proved AMV BBDO's commitment to producing creative and memorable work that resonates with audiences around the world. The agency remains one of the world's most awarded and respected advertising agencies.
Image 5: 'Fearless Girl' campaign for State Street Global Advisors (Zou and Teng, 2020)
The 'Stick with the Winners' campaign for Sky Sports, created by AMV BBDO, was launched during the 2018 FIFA World Cup and featured the catchphrase 'Don't just watch football. Stick with the Winners'. The campaign aimed to capture the excitement of the tournament and was praised for its creative use of humour (Shulga et al., 2021). It featured a series of television adverts, outdoor posters, digital and social media activations, and even promotional items such as t-shirts and hats. The campaign was highly successful and helped to boost Sky Sports' brand awareness and customer loyalty. It also helped to create an exciting atmosphere around the World Cup and inspired fans to 'stick with the winners'.
Image 6: 'Stick w...