Adwatch of the Year: Adwatch stars of 2006

by Gail Kemp, Marketing 13-Dec-06

Tesco's change of agency didn't stop its ads becoming the most-recalled over the year, while a freshly groomed canine struck gold for Churchill.

TESCO

A year ago, Tesco stunned the ad world by shifting its business from
Lowe to Sir Frank Lowe's fledgling agency The Red Brick Road. But
continuity was ensured as the entire Tesco team moved to the start-up,

and there were few changes in the advertising, which takes top honours

in Adwatch of the Year.

The 'Every little helps' line, launched in 1992, underpins the current
activity, which broke in 2004, using short ads with voiceovers from
celebrities including Martin Clunes and Caroline Quentin.

Each ad focuses on one way Tesco can make life easier for its customers,
allowing the store to promote its entire offering, including telecoms
and finance.

The 75 executions aired this year continue to emphasise price, although
there is an increased focus on quality - particularly of food - and
environmental issues, with the 40-second 'No bags' spot scoring Tesco's
highest Adwatch recall figure.

As Tesco begins to address the image problems resulting from its
perception as the dominant retail force, a focus on social
responsibility is a logical step. 2007 will doubtless see more of the
same.

MARKS & SPENCER

In a year in which marketers have become preoccupied with digital, M&S
proved that traditional methods can still be hugely effective.

The chain increased its ad investment by 44%, and RKCR/Y&R's 'Your M&S'
ads became a key element in its recovery, picking up the IPA
Effectiveness Grand Prix and earning M&S marketing director Steven Sharp
the Marketing Society's Marketer of the Year accolade.

In its Adwatch of the Year debut, M&S is ranked second for highest
recall across the year. It was included in 19 weekly Adwatch tables,
including five number-one and six number-two slots.

M&S has aired about 30 ads over the past year, including last year's
Moulin Rouge Christmas spectacular and this year's fashion ads featuring
models Twiggy and Lizzie Jagger. This autumn the 'Your M&S' theme was
extended to childrenswear and M&S Money, and each month RKCR has created
two Dervla Kirwan-voiced food ads.

Clothing sales increased by 10% and food sales by 10.5%, while the
advertising became one of the best-loved and most-parodied campaigns on
TV.

BRITISH GAS

British Gas' advertising has re-entered Adwatch of the Year for the
first time since 1999, despite an 11% drop in TV spend compared with
2005.

Clemmow Hornby Inge's animated flames began as sponsorship break bumpers
two years ago and replaced Ricky Tomlinson as the main TV vehicle in
June 2005. Over the past year, CHI has made 10 ads, giving people
reasons to stay with or move to British Gas, featuring incentives such
as price-protection promises and advice on energy efficiency. A February
testimonial, 'Archie', gave British Gas its highest recall of the year,
at 74%.

The flames, which are loved by some but have an undeniable irritation
factor, have succeeded in giving the brand a memorability level of which
other utility companies can only dream.

ICELAND

Shortly after its launch, Iceland's 'Kerry Katona' activity was voted
2005's sixth-most irritating campaign - a fact that did not bother Tom
Reddy, founder of the Salford agency behind the ads.

Regaining the business last year was a tribute to his relationship with
Iceland which, after two stints with London shops, has returned to the
agency that created the 'Mum's gone to Iceland' line in the late-80s.
The decision has paid off, with Iceland entering the table for highest
recall in a single week.

Over the past year, Reddy has made 25 Kerry-fronted 'That's why mums go
to Iceland' ads, and one of last Christmas' ads scored 75% recall.

Reddy admits Kerry is seen as high-risk, but despite her problems,
people identify with her, and unlike Asda's flirtation with Sharon
Osbourne, Katona is a perfect fit with the brand. Her image is as a
woman of the people, who might, unlike Osbourne, actually shop in the
store she is promoting.

Though it increased its ad budget by 40%, Iceland still spends far less
than the big supermarkets. With recall bolstered by radio work as well
as its sponsorship of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, the
advertising has punched above its weight.

CHURCHILL

When Churchill reviewed its advertising early this year, there was no
danger its dog would be ditched, and the winning agency - WCRS - was
briefed to develop the Bob Mortimer-voiced character.

Since his debut in 1994, Churchill has become one of Britain's
best-loved advertising icons but, in a competitive marketplace, he
needed a more dynamic image. WCRS revamped the character, making him
bigger with more sophisticated facial expressions, and moved him off the
parcel shelf to call people to action with his rallying 'Challenge
Churchill' cry.

The resulting 'Challenge Churchill' work captured the public
imagination, with the summer launch ad scoring Adwatch's highest recall
figure of the year.

Five months in, Churchill claims to have experienced significant
increases in spontaneous brand awareness and growth in quote volumes on
both motor and home insurance.



HIGHEST RECALL ACROSS THE YEAR



06 05 Brand Agency/TV buyer Ment- Points TV spend Total

ions (pounds adspend

m)* (pounds

m)*



1 (4) Tesco Lowe London, The Red 32 399 37.25 65.07

Brick Road/Initiative

2 (-) Marks & RKCR Y&R/Walker Media 19 318 32.70 64.21

Spencer

3 (-) PC World M&C Saatchi/ 18 274 15.41 34.30

Walker Media

4 (3) McDonald's Leo Burnett/OMD UK 20 257 21.95 30.92

5 (7) Argos Clemmow Hornby 21 246 18.90 38.42

Inge/MindShare

6 (1) Asda Publicis/Carat 16 243 21.49 44.24

7 (6) Sainsbury's Abbott Mead Vickers 15 210 19.97 46.65

BBDO/PHD

8 (2) B&Q JWT London/ 17 193 26.90 38.54

ZenithOptimedia

9 (-) British Gas Clemmow Hornby 10 176 16.01 28.56

Inge/Carat

10 (10) DFS PWLC, Uber, Mob 9 161 33.38 97.35

Films/Brilliant Media



This table scores a brand's total number of mentions across the year

ranked by a value-added point score. Every number one Adwatch position

during the year scored 20 points, a number two position scored 19, a

number three 18, down to a score of one point for a number 20 mention.

Weekly Adwatch data is compiled by TNS as part of its twice-weekly

OnlineBus omnibus among 1000 adults aged 16-64.

*Nielsen Media Research data for the period Nov 2005-Oct 2006





BEST RECALL IN ANY SINGLE WEEK



06 05 Brand Agency/TV buyer Recall Issue TV spend Total

(%) date (pounds adspend

m)* (pounds

m)*



1 3= Churchill WCRS/MediaCom 80 30.08.06 11.47 15.32

2= 8= Sainsbury's Abbott Mead Vickers 77 02.11.05 19.97 46.65

BBDO/PHD

2= - Privilege M&C Saatchi/ 77 05.04.06 8.26 10.29

MediaCom

4= - McDonald's Leo Burnett/OMD UK 75 22.02.06 21.95 30.92

4= - Iceland Tom Reddy Advertising/ 75 18.01.06 7.56 8.51

MediaCom

6 - British Gas Clemmow Hornby Inge/ 74 15.03.06 16.01 28.56

Carat

7 - Kellogg's Cheetham Bell JWT/ 73 01.02.06 12.08 14.05

Special K MindShare

8= 8= Tesco The Red Brick Road/ 72 20.09.06 37.25 65.07

Initiative

8= - Walkers Abbott Mead Vickers 72 05.04.06 8.96 14.87

BBDO/OMD UK

8= 8= Halifax DLKW/Vizeum UK 72 02.08.06 13.96 20.13

8= - DFS PWLC/Brilliant Media 72 01.02.06 33.38 97.35



*Nielsen Media Research data for the period Nov 2005-Oct 2006

NOTE: DFS repeated its score on 09.08.06, with creative by Mob Films


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