Omnicom agency DDB is changing its visual identity to mark its 70th birthday, harking back to its distinguished inception as New York’s most creative agency, the NYC equivalent of the UK’s Collett Dickenson Pearce, many of whom were inspired by the original DDB. As was the late David Abbott who worked there before co-founding Abbott Mead Vickers.
So here’s Mr Bernbach (there was also a Dane and a Doyle.)
The logo has gone from this.
Not before time, you might say.
To this (one of many, there are so many variants on around these days it’s hard to know what the main one is.)
But it’s certainly an improvement.
DDB the network has shown some welcome signs of life recently under former Coca-Cola marketer Wendy Clark (its UK offshoot adam&eveDDB has performed outstandingly throughout.) Can it recapture the glory days of Bernbach? Or will it be more proof that ads and agencies don’t improve with age?