W+K London

News: W+K London and Stink Digital win gold at One Show Interactive

2013-05-14T13:22:32+00:00

Nike's global football campaign, 'My Time Is Now' launched in May 2012 and was just awarded a gold prize at the 2013 One Show.

The gold pencil was awarded to the very best of Interactive work around the world. This campaign celebrated and rewarded the hungriest of football obsessed teenagers wanting to become the best players they could be. Most interestingly, it flips the traditional AV model: rather than creating a film for TV and running a version of it online, it features a film created for the internet, a version of which ran on TV around the world. Launched online first, the film was driven by a variety of different types of content, interactions and experiences rewarding the young players on an offline, through technical, mental, stat-based and entertainment-led experiences.

W+K London partnered with Stink for the above the line TV content and Stink digital for all the online interaction. With a total of 35,433,094 views online in its first 4 weeks, the film was the most viewed on YouTube in 2012 according to maskable.

Work: Case History

2013-04-05T14:00:08+00:00

LURPAK's share had begun to shrink due to the perceived unhealthiness of butter and the option of cheaper alternatives. People had started to switch to spreads and margarines. The challenge was to grow the brand by recruiting new users and driving penetration.

News: Wieden + Kennedy joins UK top 20 with 100% rise in billings

2013-03-21T17:03:00+00:00

Latest figures released by Nielsen and reported in Campaign show that Wieden + Kennedy has climbed to 19th place in the UK’s top 30 agencies by billings, with a rise of over 100% to £121 million in 2012. This result was achieved through a series of new business wins over the year including Schweppes, Finlandia vodka, FUZE Tea, Southern Comfort and Tesco.

Work: The Pony

2013-03-01T08:05:36+00:00

Shot against the dramatic backdrop of the Shetland Islands, the TV spot follows the story of a stocky little pony. But this is no ordinary Shetland pony. With the scrape of a hoof, and a flick of his Tina Turner-esque mane, he effortlessly moonwalks along to the uplifting track ‘Everywhere’ by Fleetwood Mac.

Three want to let the world know that all the seemingly stupid, funny and downright daft stuff we look at online on a daily basis…is not silly at all. Their point of view is that this stuff connects us to one another through the simple act of sharing it. Which is why as a network they do everything they can to help you live up to their brand line ‘Keep on internetting’. The commercial ends with the line ‘Silly stuff. It matters’.

To further inspire these little acts of sharing, we’ve also created The Pony Mixer, a dancing-pony-remixing tool where you can make a pony shake it to anything from Boyband to Bollywood. The creations can be unleashed on the world via Facebook or Twitter and people who take part will be celebrated in 30-second national TV commercials.

The ad was directed by Dougal Wilson of Blink Productions.

News: W+K champions good proper food for brand new Lurpak campaign

2013-02-08T16:31:21+00:00

Lurpak®, the No.1 BSM brand by value in the UK*, is launching a new campaign to promote the importance of a good quality butter in cooking. The launch is supported by a £10M national marketing campaign spanning TV, cinema, press, OOH, digital, in-store and experiential.

Created by Wieden + Kennedy London, the campaign champions good proper food, inspiring its audience with the belief that when it comes to good food, you get out what you put in.

Amidst the recessionary maelstrom and institutional collapse it's hard to know where to turn and upon what to rely. In these circumstances, people take control where they can and reconnect with what matters most in life - they depend upon the familiar and age-old rituals. At the center of this so often sits good food. Not just any food but big, proper, hearty meals. Lurpak recognises this and through its campaign, encourages people to look again through different eyes at the dishes traditionally called ‘comfort food’. These aren’t dishes to feel guilty about tucking into; this is the stuff that's sustained us for centuries, the meals we can rely on again and again to get us through.

The 60” TV spot, directed by Vince Squibb at Gorgeous, breaks on Sunday 10th February, on ITV during Dancing on Ice. The spot is a thundering cacophony of industry – a sensory bombardment of human effort, forging three classic meals in three different kitchens; cottage pie, bread & butter pudding, macaroni cheese. This is proper food with Lurpak at the heart of each recipe. A primal drum truck accompanies the action, enforcing the strength of these dishes along with Rutger Hauer, the voice of Lurpak, lending his distinctive tones.

The print campaign, shot by Rick Guest, follows the feel of the TV spot – an industrial heat radiating out from the three hero dishes: Cottage Pie, Macaroni Cheese and Bread & Butter Pudding. Shot over 3 days, ovens on the go, each dish depicts a different sense of power. STRENGTH. MIGHT. OPTIMISM. This is a campaign to lift people’s spirits in the middle of winter. To celebrate the meals they cook at home. And inspire people to revisit some old favourites.

The 48-sheet OOH campaign, planned by Carat, goes live across the UK on the 25th February, and will also appear across premium sites such as the Holland Park Roundabout supersite in London.

Jessica Hardcastle, Senior Brand Manager for Lurpak, said:

‘‘we’re massively excited about the campaign. It aligns with our long term strategy to champion good food. It also reminds people that you get out what you put in, from the effort and endeavor to the ingredients you choose, including Lurpak of course. The campaign has also led to a really exciting integrated plan, from digital to shopper marketing, we’ll be celebrating Good Proper Food in 2013”.

Work: Decisions, decisions

2013-01-29T16:30:46+00:00

We all know that there are both rational and emotional reasons for any car purchase: you want a car that’s efficient, yet you want something that has torque when you put your foot down. You need space for bikes and the kids, but want to be able to nip in and out of traffic in town.

The creative answer to the challenge was to create a TV spot that plays out this dilemma in the form of an internal dialogue, positioning the Civic as a car that meets both the rational and emotional needs of the driver. Simon Ratigan, the film's director, brought a simple yet unique rotating technique to the TV spot, allowing us to transition seamlessly between these two worlds. Wieden + Kennedy also worked with photographer Tobias Hutzler to produce a series of graphic and visually impactful print ads that capture this balance of two contrasting worlds.

News: Honda: Decisions, decisions

2013-01-29T15:25:53+00:00

W+K created a TV spot that plays out this dilemma in the form of an internal dialogue, positioning the Civic as a car that meets both the rational and emotional needs of the driver.

We worked with photographer Tobias Hutzler who produced a series of graphic and visually impactful print ads that capture the balance of two contrasting worlds.

The TV first aired in the UK on the 18th January 2013, with the print starting w/c 7th January across Europe. Honda previewed the spot to their uk fans the day before it launched.

See all campaign assets in the Work section

News: HONDA WINS AT ONE SHOW’S BEST TOP 10 AUTOMOBILE COMMERCIALS

2013-01-16T17:44:58+00:00

Wieden + Kennedy London took the top two places in the list of the top 10 best car commercials of the past 25 years announced by The One Club at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2013.

The special presentation showcased and awarded the 10 best auto commercials, selected from over 60 award-winning entries.

The Top Ten Winners are as follows:
1. "Grrr" - Wieden+Kennedy/London and Honda - 2004
2. "Cog" - Wieden+Kennedy/London and Honda - 2003
3. "The Force" - Deutsch/Los Angeles and Volkswagen - 2011
4. "The Hire" - Fallon/Minneapolis and BMW - 2001
5. "Sheet Metal" - Goodby, Silverstein & Partners/San Francisco and Saturn - 2002
6. "Born of Fire" - Wieden+Kennedy/Portland and Chrysler - 2011
7. "Toys" - TBWA\Chiat\Day/Los Angeles and Nissan - 1997
8. "Lamp Post" - BMP DDB/London and Volkswagen - 1998
9. "Milky Way" - Arnold Worldwide/Boston and Volkswagen -1999
10. "Snow Covered" - Bozell Worldwide/Southfield and Chrysler/Jeep – 1994

Work: This Is Wales

2013-01-16T16:18:19+00:00

Wieden + Kennedy's 2013 campaign for Visit Wales features real-life couples who share their love for different places in Wales. The couples talk openly and honestly about their homeland; there are no scripts, no actors, just genuine stories.

Visit Wales is encouraging people to consider different kinds of holidays; breaks that allow you to explore, get involved and really make the most of free time. Visit Wales positions itself as the antidote to the lazy, sun-lounging holiday, it’s for those of us who look to enjoy memorable experiences rather than passively observe them from the lilo. This campaign targets people looking for interesting short breaks in the UK and reveals a less familiar aspect to Wales, one that doesn't only concentrate on the famous vistas and coastlines but also showcases Cardiff as a hub for international art. It also includes the lesser-known luxurious spas of west Wales.

The campaign was of course shot in Wales and created by a predominantly Welsh production team. The director, Siriol Bunford, originates from Wales as do Trwbador, the up-and-coming duo whose fresh, folky track accompanies the film.
We have won three consecutive gold CIMTIG Travel Marketing Awards with our work for Visit Wales.

News: COLLEEN DECOURCY JOINS W+K AS GLOBAL COEXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

2013-01-11T15:52:59+00:00

Portland, Ore., January 10, 2013 — Leading independent advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy (W+K) announced today two new additions to its global executive management team: Colleen DeCourcy and Mark Fitzloff, who will serve as global coexecutive creative directors. Along with these additions, partner and Global Chief Operating Officer Dave Luhr will assume the role of president, and Dan Wieden will become chairman of W+K’s global management team.

Also announced was the promotion of Joe Staples to executive creative director of W+K Portland. Staples will replace Fitzloff on the Portland management team, partnering with Susan Hoffman and Tom Blessington.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a chairman, but now I are one—albeit an active one,” said Wieden smiling. “Between Dave and Mark, we have 40 years of proven W+K experience, respect and leadership. This level of talent and experience gave me the confidence to search outside the agency to find a third global management team member with digital expertise. Colleen brings an energy and a knowledge base that is second to none. I am convinced that our next 30 years are going to be pretty damn exciting.”

In his role as president, Dave Luhr will continue to steward W+K’s commitment to outstanding creativity and independence. Luhr has been with the agency since 1986 and became managing director of the Portland office in 1992 and a partner shortly thereafter. During his tenure, Luhr has touched nearly every piece of agency business, but his deepest impact has been helping to expand the company from being just one office to the largest independent network in the world. Luhr has been responsible for implementing a consistent agency culture and commitment to great work across the W+K network that has allowed each office to have the autonomy to attract clients and manage its own bottom line.

W+K welcomes Colleen DeCourcy from Socialistic, a social media content and design shop she founded in 2010 as chief creative officer and CEO. While at Socialistic, she won coveted accounts Red Bull and Fast Company, two of the leading content marketers in the world, and led work for Showtime, Coke and GE. Prior to this role, DeCourcy was the first chief digital officer for TBWA Worldwide, setting the network’s global digital strategy and leading digital efforts for adidas and Pepsi. DeCourcy’s career has included the roles of chief experience officer at JWT NY and chief creative officer at Organic, where she led creative on Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge. In 2006, she was named one of Advertising Age’s “Women to Watch.” DeCourcy is an outspoken critic of discrimination in the workplace.

Mark Fitzloff brings 13 years of leadership at W+K to his new role as global coexecutive creative director. He first joined the agency in 1999 as a copywriter, working on the AltaVista, Nike and Coca-Cola accounts. As creative director on Old Spice, he helped breathe new life into the dated, iconic American brand. In 2008, Fitzloff was appointed to the Portland management team as executive creative director, and he continues to lead work that both wins awards and pushes the clients’ bottom line. In this role, working alongside Coexecutive Creative Director Susan Hoffman and Managing Director Tom Blessington, Fitzloff’s leadership has helped transform Portland both creatively and financially, pushing the office to create some of the most beautifully honest and ambitious work in W+K history. Under the leadership of this team, W+K Portland has won accolades including distinguished agency of the year honors from a number of leading industry organizations and publications. Fitzloff and Hoffman have been the most award-winning creative directors on Creativity’s Awards Report for the past three consecutive years.

Joe Staples joined the W+K network in 2004, serving as a copywriter on the 2006 Nike World Cup campaign. Following that successful execution, he moved to W+K Portland in 2006, where he worked on Nike, Starbucks and Heineken. Prior to this promotion, Staples served as the creative director on Chrysler and Dodge.

“This agency is blessed with an abundance of amazing talent,” said Luhr. “And we only add to that talent with the hiring of Colleen DeCourcy. When you combine Mark Fitzloff’s proven creative leadership and Colleen’s digital expertise, our goal of becoming the best agency of the digital age should be that much more attainable. I look forward to teaming with Mark and Colleen and continuing the culture and heritage that this agency stands for.”