Legoland owner Merlin Entertainments has chosen adam&eveDDB in a global crewtive pitch, beating BBH London and new agency Ace of Hearts. Omnicom’s TBWA will help out A&E, OMG has won media.
Merlin’s CMO is Craig Inglis, famed for his stewardship of John Lewis advertising at A&E over the years (arguably the last UK campaign to make it into wider public view) so his choice is hardly surprising, although many of the faces have changed. It’s typical of Inglis to give Richard Brim and Martin Beverley’s Ace of Hearts a chance although they would always have been outsiders for what is a pretty big international business.
Inglis says: “Omnicom demonstrated that they will be key strategic partners, bringing innovation, thought leadership and customer-centricity to support Merlin in driving business and brand growth. This partnership will be pivotal in moving our marketing and content to a much more emotional positioning, focusing on the joy our experiences bring to the lives of our customers.”
A&E CEO Miranda Hipwell, who must be relieved after some recent reverses, says: “As with any pitch process, there has been a huge spectrum of feelings and emotions as we’ve started to imagine how we could partner to drive growth for Merlin’s incredible array of global attractions. But this pitch hit different. It’s been a hugely enjoyable and exhilarating ride with the Merlin team, and the folks at Adam & Eve London, OMD and TBWA have fused in the most energising way.”
Inglis is exactly the kind of client agencies lament is missing from today’s ad scene as data and performance-driven digital types take over. It will be interesting to see if his combination with A&E can work its magic again.
