29.07.2009 | New business
Wieden + Kennedy London and Partners Andrews Aldridge have retained the Visit Wales creative account following a final shoot-out with Grey London and Golley Slater. The agencies will be responsible for the creation and development of the main tourism campaigns promoting Wales in the UK and key international markets.
W+K were originally appointed in 2004 following a pitch against incumbent HHCL.
In January 2009, Visit Wales launched an integrated campaign ‘Holidays Unpackaged’ which focused on a key step change in the way people approach their holidays. New communications will roll out in January 2010.
David Stephens, Marketing Manager Visit Wales said, ‘I would like to congratulate the agency team for retaining the business after a toughly fought pitch. We are looking forward to working with them to develop their exciting ideas and to build on our recent successful campaigns.’
09.07.2009 | New Work
Wieden + Kennedy London is launching a range of three new products this month, in collaboration with Worldwide Co. and Suck UK. The products will be sold globally in boutique gift shops and chain stores (including Paperchase and Urban Outfitters) and include:
• HAPPY SACKS (Inc CHRISTMAS PUDDING BAGS* and PET GOLDFISH BIN BAGS - designed by Tom Seymour and David Bruno)
• PASS THE SALT (designed by Mandy Smith and Sarah Ginn)
• DAN WIEDEN’S MUSICAL RULER
W+K creative team Tom Seymour and David Bruno worked closely with the Worldwide Co. and Suck UK to transform the concepts into fully viable commercial products. W+K then licensed the ideas to manufacturers and distributors in return for a percentage royalty.
Happy Sacks
The Christmas Pudding and Pet Goldfish bin bags were also designed by Tom Seymour and David Bruno and have been produced in collaboration with Suck UK. They have been created to make the boring chore of taking out the rubbish more artistic and fun – to bring a little happiness to the streets on collection day. The copy printed on the bin bags is as follows:
Christmas Pudding Bags:
Suggested uses (in order of ridiculousness):
1 Festive bin bags
2 Father Christmas sack for presents
3 Festive hot air balloon
4 Fake entry into giant Christmas Pudding competition
Pet Goldfish Bags:
Caution:
Ginger, the fat tabby from number 23 may become mesmerised by the giant goldfish and spend days trying to fish them from the bag. In the event of this happening shout, ‘SHOO!’
Pass The Salt
This very traditional-looking salt pot has a secret. Cunningly concealed in the base is a powerful pull-back-and-go motor. Created in collaboration with Worldwide Co. the pots are perfectly geared to deliver salt across any dining table, and can be aimed precisely to trundle over to fellow diners. Copy on the packs is as follows:
Fully functioning seasoning dispenser
Twist top to open
No batteries required
B.Y.O.S. (Bring your own salt)
Pull back in direction of dimple on base
Goes quite fast
Dan Wieden’s Musical Ruler
The brainchild of Wieden + Kennedy’s co-founder Dan Wieden, the musical rulers are sold with a ‘play in a day’ guide book: a complete beginner’s guide to ruler-playing by Dan himself and have been created in collaboration with SUCK UK.
Tom Seymour and David Bruno, Wieden + Kennedy said, ‘We liked the idea of focusing on those ordinary objects that might be overlooked and giving them a new lease of life; re-look, reinvent, re-jig them”.
Tony Davidson, Executive Creative Director, Wieden + Kennedy said, ‘Ideas are everywhere. To have Wieden + Kennedy products in the market place is one of the exciting areas we are looking at.’
03.07.2009 | New Work
Wieden + Kennedy London has created a PR and seeding campaign for Nike to support cyclist Mark Cavendish in this year’s Tour de France.
Despite still being relatively unknown in his native Britain, Cavendish is a household name on the continent having taken four stages in the Tour de France last year, four in the Giro this year, two in the recent Tour of Switzerland and a win in the Milan – San Remo classic road race.
Dave Brailsford (British Cycling’s Performance Director) has described Cav as “the new Wayne Rooney” and his team owner says “forget Armstrong, Cavendish is the big story this year”.
As UK press coverage picks up around him ahead of this year’s Tour, the debate will inevitably also pick up around his reputation for emotional post-race outbursts, for saying the wrong thing, and for having a level of ‘arrogance’ about his own abilities.
But what no one can dispute is his speed on the road and that’s what this campaign centres around. Leading with an impactful image urging his fans and critics alike to let his speed do the talking it will be supported by a series of short films released throughout the three weeks of the Tour which show a different side to the rider who has been described as the “bolshiest and most driven man in British sport”.
Solely utilising PR, blogger outreach and cycling forums this is a campaign that will begin inside the world of cycling but will follow Cavendish as his success takes him firmly into the mainstream.
01.07.2009 | New Work
Selfridges is lifting the veil on its next big centenary celebratory moment, which this time focuses on the future rather than the past fast-fowarding 100 years exactly.
Selfridges has teamed up with leading creative agency Wieden + Kennedy London to create the "2109 Future A-Z", a special window installation which looks at the life we may lead in 2109 and the objects of desire that may become commodities in the future.
The installation launches officially on Monday 29th June in Selfridges Wonder Windows situated in the storeís Wonder Room, the ultimate destination for precious and extraordinary products. The Future A-Z is part of a wider window scheme, simply called 2109, that launches on Friday 3rd July. Whereas the Future A-Z is looking at specific products that may revolutionise our current lifestyle and bring it ultimate comfort and pleasure, the main 2109 window scheme will look at more complete lifestyle scenes.
The Future A-Z will offer a unique opportunity: a competition open to the public to design a product for inclusion in the alphabet. This is the first time the world-famous Selfridges windowsí team will create and display a concept generated as a result of a public competition.
The 2109 Future A-Z installation consists of 25 fantastical new inventions designed for our life to come: from the stupidly clever A for Airbag Cycle Helmets through to the darker dimension of D for Designer Organs, and one, "T is for Timeless", will be recognised by all.
It is the letter X which the general public will be invited to pitch for, simply by sending their idea drawn on paper either by postal mail or by applying online by 6pm on 26th July (see details in editorís notes). The winning idea, as selected by a panel of creative experts: Dr Frances Corner - Professor of Art and Design Education at the London College of Fashion, Patrick Burgoyne - Editor Creative Review and Linda Hewson - Head of Creative at Selfridges, will be made to measure and exhibited from 8th August until the end of the month. The X Idea Competition winner will also win a £500 Selfridges Gift Card.
Tony Davidson, Executive Creative Director Wieden + Kennedy said, "As the industry evolves, so should opportunities to do projects beyond the normal remit of an agency. Too often we are pigeonholed by clients who believe we can only do one thing. It is a privilege to be given the chance to do a project like the 100 years of Selfridges Windows by a brave client who believed in us and consequently gave us a chance to execute ideas beyond traditional advertising."
