PUBLICIS

This french agency has crossed the waters to become the currently-ranked #3 holding company in the world, but constantly switches places with Interpublic for the bronze in Advertising.  The companies in this holding company are known for being worldwide and unconventional.

Publicis

The central agency of the holding company, this business has become a worldwide phenomenon and is not afraid to cross any lines.  After running this campaign for pizza using the unconventional media approach of using smoking paper to print the ads, the Italy office of Publicis had to endure all kinds of storm from anti-smoking groups, yet this campaign did sell the product, though through questionable means.

Saatchi & Saatchi

This ad from the New York office shows the true talent of this agency.  This ad is a clear example of the idea that "it's not about what it's about."  This idea of destroying a playground for a crest toothpaste commercial?  Somebody had a weird train of thought, but hey...it sells the product.  No wonder this won a Clio and many other awards.

Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett not only has its claim to fame through apples on the reception desk and time and time again breaking the perception that this agency would just run itself into the ground.  Leo Burnett created some of the most timeless ad icons of the world, most famously are Tony the Tiger and the Jolly Green Giant.  From their Chicago office, this ad from 1970 demonstrates the early brilliance of this agency.

Fallon Worldwide

Fallon tends to pump out ads that are, well, different.  This company based in Minneapolis (and the source of the commercial) is famous for their interesting type of campaigns, from throwing bouncy balls down the streets of San Francisco to convincing you that a hotel is better via rodeo clowns (per the example above).  This ad campaign boosted the business of Holiday Inn not because of the superior quality of the hotels (though I concur that the showers are out of this world) but because they approached the ad in an unconventional manner.


 Kaplan Thaler Group

It seems that some products have that image that just sticks with you.  Just like the Geico Gecko, the Aflac Duck has become an icon in advertising.  Though annoying, it does share a message that sticks.  The motto of Kaplan is "we make unknown brands famous," and like the swiffer wetjet, they have made insurance, memorable. This ad is from the New York office and headquarters.

Three's a Crowd, the Main Countries of Advertising

"I always say that there are three kinds of advertising.  Then English make advertising that comes from the head but touches the heart: it's always rather intellectual.  The French make advertising that comes from the heart and touches the head: it often relies on imagery that is romantic, emotional and sensual.  The Americans make advertising that comes from the head and touches the wallet." (From Seguela, Adland pg 127)

This statement made me think, does advertising follow this format?  I have selected 3 ADs, all from DDB, to demonstrate this assumed phenomenon.  Granted, this is not always correct, but very interesting to observe all the same.

London

What does this look like?  An ad for food, right?  Seems to automatically appeal to the brain, doesn't it?  Yes, but what gives it away is not the image but the copy, "You'll love them or you'll hate them."  By telling the audience the emotion they will feel it automatically evokes thought, not feeling which shows an example of stereotyped advertising.

Paris

This ad screams relationship appeal.  And it really does touch the heart at first, and then goes to the brain.  What is really funny is even though this is an ad for a men's magazine, it seems to appeal more to women.  It appeals to the fantasy and then creates the mental picture that tugs at the heart, a classic example of French advertising.

New York

This campaign is what made Bill Bernbach famous.  And although the quote critique is harsh, it is correct.  Take a look at the copy, although this ad was revolutionary in sharing the idea of anti-advertising, it is all facts and figures, which also goes with the assumption in Adland.

Interpublic=Incest

Interpublic is one of those companies, the one where the holding company is actually based in an agency so they can get more people in their bed, figuratively speaking, of course.  This holding company, which constantly switches with Publicis in the rankings is based in McCann Erickson who wanted more clients...so they made a holding company.  Okay...well here are some examples of their work.

McCann Erickson

I freaking love this ad!  It is so interesting and intriguing, and like most of the work form McCann Erickson, it is something that breaks the language barrier.  This ad is from the Columbia office, yet it speaks to everyone, "to have a good day fix the inside first." Bravo McCann, you deserve to be the big player in this holding group.

The Martin Agency



After a lot of drama around Walmart I really like the work that the Martin Agency is presenting out of Richmond, VA.  The ads are really creative and don't actually talk about the store or have than annoying bouncing smiley face.  This agency is currently one of my favorites because what it generates is totally original, and endearing, without having that annowing commercial aspect...except those creepy GEICO eyes on the money...I could do without those.

TM Advertising

Now I gotta give "Uncle Temerlin" some props.  Without this company I may not be an advertising major at SMU.  Aside from that, their ads are really creative and interesting, as well as not so traditional. This campaign for Nationwide Insurance, which they recently lost to McKinney, is brilliant.  It not only works for the insurance agency, it also advertises for Coops paint, so in a way it is killing two birds with one stone.  Not only that, it is advertising both companies in a non-traditional way.
Draftfcb

This company is known for their "out there" ads, and no wonder, they are creative!  Who else would make a hoax of tagging Air Force 1?  This ad from Hong Kong keeps with the idea that the people at Draftfcb are well...different, but in a good and creative way.

Lowe

This company is one of the many creative outlets for axe body spray.  Between BBH and the other companies that work with unilever, this is personally one of my favorite ads.  I like how it is tasteful and it makes you think, like most of Lowe's work.  However, there still exist the obvious axe undertones, still as a whole it is simple, creative, and to the point.

Carmichael Lynch

According to Richard Florida, Minneapolis is a creativity brain drain, however these print ads for Harley-Davidson are simply beautiful.  I do find this ironic, though, because it is only warm enough to even ride a harley in Minneapolis about 4 months out of the year.  Still, they hit the nail on the head on this one.  And now, these ads for a motorcycle company seem even a bit...endearing?  I do wish that this campaign had more of a market for women, though, that would be interesting to see...

Hill Holliday

This ad makes me wish that they didn't close the Dunkin Donuts in Snider Plaza so I could go snag this caramel drink.  From Boston, this ad carries a very universal and interesting message about the contents of the coffee drinks at Dunkin Donuts...it looks like candy!  And candy is soooo much better than coffee...I just gotta have some!!

Deutsch


This ad is from the LA office.  I like it because, finding it today, it is timely for the preview of the holiday season.  I think it is incredibly creative, though not necessarily that original.  Deutsch does, however, know how to make a diet drink seem interesting, put in Santa...the creation of Coca-cola...brilliant?

Mullen

This ad from the Boston office is just hilarious...the company is advertising for themselves, a bit cocky, but hey, it is brilliantly entertaining.  Part of me wishes that there was really a giant turkey threatening impending doom on Boston, it look so menacing after all!  Though incredibly literal, this ad is still highly entertaining.

Campbell Mithun

People seem to always be ragging on Campbell Mithun.  Here they are, in Minneapolis, with a lot of power companies around and they can't seem to get any amount of local business and recognition.  Still, I really like the "partnership" series that they have put out; both the TV commercials and print ads are really entertaining and interesting.  Still,  I don't really know how effective they are.  It seems that like with anti-smoking commercials people are going to keep doing what they like to do, no matter how good the advertising is.

TAG SF



Any company that gets to advertise for Halo is lucky.  After living in the dorms last year on a male-dominated floor, I can safely say that people OBSESS over the game, so they will buy it.  Still, for theSan Francisco headquarters of TAG they managed to make the ad great and interesting, not to mention transcending of age barriers.  Kids that play with army men grow up to play Halo...a slippery slope but still the makings of a great ad campaign.

 R/GA

After a recent merger with Interpublic it is interesting to see how this effects the creative experience of R/GA in the transfer from self-ownership.  Their work with Nikeid is really interesting.  I love shoes, so any website that allows me to design my own is going to be great to me.

apples

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  This philosophy may be true, but we do know that apples can keep you in business.  Adman Leo Burnett founded one of the most famous advertising companies for his namesake in some of the most peculiar settings.  He started this during the Great Depression and in Chicago.  People called him crazy, they said he should be out there selling apples on the street and that would make more money.  Something about this must have stirred Leo Burnett because now, sitting on the reception desk of the company is an Apple, free for the taking for all the patrons of the company that brought the world the Jolly Green Giant, Tony the Tiger and the Marlboro Man.

WPP Group...the Omega of Advertising

If OMINICOM is considered the "Alpha" of advertising then WPP Group is definitely it's compliment.  Currently surpassing OMNICOM as the number 1 company, with less than a billion dollars separating the two, WPP Group is a giant in the advertising world, with only 4 companies, mind you.

Ogilvy & Mather




This company is responsible for companies such as Dove, IBM, Nestle and Motorola, however the also do amazing work for others.  This Coca-cola ad is an example of that.  By using their charismatic creativity and throwing in the twist, this ad is incredibly creative and is good quality.  Also, despite that the not usual W+K or Crispin producing this ad, it follows the format.  Kudos to the Buenos Aires office for this ad!

Y&R


This ad from the New York office shows the relaxed atmosphere that this company tries to create with their commercials.  Even on their website, they want a sense of universal understanding, which is attributed to dividing each side into right and left brain, with certain topics enclosed in those areas.  This ad also does this by combining creative and analytical into one great commercial for Bacardi.

JWT

This company, considered the oldest in advertising is a marvel.  They invented just about everything and are now a worldwide empire that continues to chug out great ads.  Here they take the universal hero of martial arts, Bruce Lee, and have him play ping-pong with nunchucks.  How cool is that?  Granted it is a cell phone ad, and made in Beijing, therefore I cannot understand it, however this is excellent.  It conveys the message that the product is extreme, and though it seems ordinary (Nokia has that stereotype) it has superpowers, much like Lee seems to possess.

Grey

The hair care ad...not so original, right?  Well, considering that Grey created this idea Pantene is "for hair so healthy, it shines" for Procter and Gamble I would consider it brilliance.  It takes true talent to create the norms of the advertising business and still have great work.  With their advanced graphics and endless celebrity contacts, this seems to be a reality for this client.   Though this campaign ran worldwide, this commercial is from the London office.

A fond farewell

Advertising legend Bill Bernbach was a genius before he created his own company.  In his farewell letter to NW Ayer he expressed these concerns before germinating a new method of creative advertising.  The raw talent of this man and his philosophy is clear through this letter and dictates how he changed the industry for the world of tomorrow.

May 15, 1947

Our agency is getting big. That’s something to be happy about. But it’s something to worry about, too, and I don’t mind telling you I’m damned worried. I’m worried that we’re going to fall into the trap of bigness, that we’re going to worship techniques instead of substance, that we’re going to follow history instead of making it, that we’re going to be drowned by superficialities instead of buoyed up by solid fundamentals. I’m worried lest hardening of the creative arteries begin to set in.

There are a lot of great technicians in advertising. And unfortunately they talk the best game. They know all the rules. They can tell you that people in an ad will get you greater readership. They can tell you that a sentence should be this sort or that long. They can tell you that body copy should be broken up for easier reading. They can give you fact after fact after fact. They are the scientists of advertising. But there’s one little rub. Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion happens to be not a science, but an art.

It’s that creative spark that I’m so jealous of for our agency and that I am so desperately fearful of losing. I don’t want academicians. I don’t want scientists. I don’t want people who do the right things. I want people who do inspiring things.

In the past year I must have interviewed about 80 people – writers and artists. Many of them were from the so-called giants of the agency field. It was appalling to see how few of these people were genuinely creative. Sure, they had advertising know-how. Yes, they were up on advertising technique.

But look beneath the technique and what did you find? A sameness, a mental weariness, a mediocrity of ideas. But they could defend every ad on the basis that it obeyed the rules of advertising. It was like worshiping a ritual instead of the God.

All this is not to say that technique is unimportant. Superior technical skill will man a good man better. But the danger is a preoccupation with technical skill or the mistaking of technical skill for creative ability.

The danger lies in the temptation to buy routinized men who have a formula for advertising.  The danger lies In the natural tendency to go after tried-and-true talent that will not make us stand out in competition but rather make us look like all the others.

If we are to advance we must emerge as a distinctive personality. We must develop our own philosophy and not have the advertising philosophy of others imposed on us.

Let us blaze new trails. Let us prove to the world that good taste, good art, and good writing can be good selling.

Respectfully,
Bill Bernbach

Excerpted from “Bill Bernbach’s Book: A History of Advertising That Changed the History Advertising” © by Evelyn Bernbach and Bob Levenson.