Agencies to brave 'dragon's den' to prove their best business building ideas 

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Come and watch as six agencies brave the heat of the dragon’s den to compete for the title of ‘Creator of best business idea’, a place on a top training course and a luxury holiday, at the IPA Strategy Conference, sponsored by Times Media, at the Mayfair Hotel on 21st May.

The following agencies will have 15 minutes each to present their idea and the impact it has had on their client’s business to a panel of senior clients who, moderated by Evan Davis, presenter of BBC2’s Dragon’s Den and BBC Economics Editor, will decide on the winner:

• Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO on Sainsbury’s - Try something new today

• DDB London/ Tribal DDB on Monopoly – Turning London into a live Monopoly board

• Clemmow Hornby Inge on The One Account - The mortgage shrinker

• M&C Saatchi on Police Reform – Reaching rank and file police officers

• M&C Saatchi’s Division ‘Is’, on SilverJet – Defining a new class in air travel

• MindShare on HSBC - Green marketing: opportunity for innovation

• JWT on Diamond Trading Company – The development of the ‘Right Hand Ring’

You, the audience will also be able to vote on who you think has the best business building idea, resulting in a case of champagne for the winner.

As well as enjoying watching the agencies battle it out, you will be able to hear about the best business building ideas from around the world, through a series of presentations from leading industry figures including:

Jon Steel, WPP and author of ‘Truth, Lies, and Advertising: The Art of Account Planning’

Axel Chaldecott, Global Creative Director, JWT

Adam Morgan, Founder of eatbigfish and author of ‘Eating the Big Fish’

George Bryant, Head of Planning, Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO

Says Guy Murphy, Chair of the IPA Strategy Group and Worldwide Planning Director, JWT, “Agencies which attend this conference will have a unique opportunity to hear some of the best strategists in the industry outline their cutting edge business building ideas.’’

So come along on 21st May and see what ideas are out there, which have been most successful and which have melted in the heat.  Learn about the best ideas from industry greats and get your imagination fired up.

Summaries of short-listed best building ideas:

Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO on Sainsbury’s - Try something new today

Their idea to boost sales was to encourage new and existing customers to try one more thing.  They did this via simple food ideas, inspiring people to try something new such as combining a familiar item with something new, like carrots with fresh thyme, or nutmeg on bolognaise.  Ideas were delivered on cards in-store and through advertising.

DDB London and Tribal DDB on Monopoly - Turning London into a live Monopoly board

To make Monopoly relevant to people and get them playing it more in a way which felt more fresh and modern i.e online, they turned London into a life-size Monopoly board and created a real-life interactive version of Monopoly. 18 black cabs, fitted with GPS transmitters acted as the real-life playing pieces.

Clemmow Hornby Inge on The One Account - The mortgage shrinker

The One Account, which combines a consumer’s mortgage with their current account and savings, developed a calculator which showed how much consumers save in interest and in years off their mortgage. Their business building idea was to harness the power of this tool by redesigning it, naming it ‘The Mortgage Shrinker’ and putting it at the heart of their communications.

M&C Saatchi on Police Reform - Reaching rank and file police officers

The Police Reform Act covers issues from more visible policing, intelligence sharing and employment of the latest science & technology, to leadership development, pay and conditions.  In order to improve the understanding of the Act by police officers, M&C Saatchi produced a magazine, The Sharp End, written exclusively for, and with the involvement of, front-line officers. The magazine was distributed in canteens and merchandised on mugs, napkins and post-it notes.

M&C Saatchi’s division ‘Is’ on SilverJet - Defining a new class in air travel

SilverJet wanted to launch a new airline targeting the newly emerging all-business class airline sector. By defining a new class of air travel, ‘Silver Class,’ they were able to subvert the norms of premium (expensive perks for business travellers) and low cost (the cheap and not-so-cheerful option for leisure travellers) in a way that would give passengers the benefits of both. They then applied “Silver” across everything; from aircraft livery to website; from DM to ads build to build the brand and generate sales.

MindShare on HSBC - Green marketing: Opportunity for innovation

HSBC has long been committed to interlinking business success with good corporate responsibility, hence their position as the first carbon neutral bank. The team therefore created a simple mechanic which meant that for every product purchased the bank would pledge £2 to pre-arranged environmental charities.  The Green Sale was positioned in communications as an opportunity to “Save more than money”.  It was communicated internally as well as on TV, print, DM and point of sale material.

JWT on Diamond Trading Company – The development of the ‘Right Hand Ring’

In order to increase the sale of non-engagement diamond rings, JWT developed the idea of a ‘right hand ring’ , a diamond ring that a woman would buy for herself and wear as a symbol of her own unique sense of self, style, and spirit. They then persuaded designers and manufacturers to create rings with radically different design parameters; retailers to stock and promote them; and stylists and fashion editors to believe this constituted a major new trend.

The IPA with Times Media Strategy Conference will be held on the 21st May, 2007 at the Mayfair Hotel, London.

Tickets cost £150 +VAT and are available by phoning 020 7201 8224 or by downloading a booking form from www.ipa.co.uk/strategy.

The winning agency’s prize includes the title of ‘Creator of best business building idea’, a place on IPA Stage 5 (worth £3,595) and five Club Med holidays for two to Marrakesh. 

London, 16th June 2007

The plan is to have all sorts of speakers speak about all sorts of stuff. Not brands, advertising, blogging and twitter but interesting, unexpected, original things. I'm hoping to find fascinating people and to just ask them to speak about something they care about. I want to replicate the experience of clicking from one really good blog to another, ranging across sciences, arts, musics, jokes and whatever. There will be 20 minute slots and 3 minute slots. Some people will play music or sing. And some people who can't be there will be asked to send three minute videos. Perhaps. I reckon we can squeeze a lot of interestingness into a day. And then have a party afterwards.

website: www.interesting2007.com

more info at www.russelldavies.com

Is Blogging Killing planning?

London 29th March 2007

The IPA are holding a live version of the adliterate hosted debate on the effect of blogging on planning.

Head to head will be John Grant and John Lowery, and we will be baying for blood.

Full details at the IPA Strategy Group's blog.