Worldwide Partners: New Day, New Way

"Can you be an independent agency and still be able to deliver on a worldwide level?" This was the question posed by Rick Milenthal, chairman of Ten United and a twenty year member of Worldwide Partners. Fortunately, it's not a question that applies to Worldwide Partners. In describing Worldwide Partners' broad network of international agencies, Al Moffatt, president and CEO, commented: "We don't own the agencies, they own us."

Moffatt identified trust and reciprocity as two of many unique and integral components in Worldwide's constitution. The inter-agency relationships allow Worldwide Partners to function as a true network, not as an association. "We depend on each other," added Milenthal.

There were fresh examples of campaigns by Worldwide Parnters: a campaign for the launching of Tab - reborn as a sexy, pink energy drink for women; a Bacardi-enlisted television program synthesizing motorsport and the Martini brand; a case study for Fresh Look color contact lenses, which identified "visual language" as a global medium; and various spots for the Seychelles Tourism Board.

BBDO: Total Work

"Let's try something new," projected CEO, Andrew Robertson, in the agency's opening remarks. "That's always been the DNA of BBDO." In addition to fresh, new creative, Robertson and Dave Lubars, Chairman/CCO, outlined the agency's commitment to totality, a concept the agency titles, "Total Work" - compelling work that consumers choose to participate in. BBDO presented numerous and varied examples of Total Work, including a slide show specially featured via TiVo, and produced for GE, which enabled TiVo viewers to rewind and watch a series of one second spots, across a medium where normal ads are most often skipped. For BBC World, BBDO created interactive billboards, such that motorists could text votes on controversial social issues, and the results were tallied and reflected in real time.

BBDO also orchestrated a Black Friday event for Target, commissioning the stunts of David Blaine to help publicize the nation's busiest shopping day. For all their compelling examples, Robertson and Lubars were careful to point out that even big ideas should be communicable in a single text message. An uncomplicated premise, they explained, precipitates work that can be well-crafted and executed.