Droga5 London Is Adweek's 2020 International Agency of the Year

Super Bowl ads tend to be the domain of American agencies. Yet, Droga5 London, a relative interloper from across the Atlantic, crashed the party in 2020, proving that great creativity for a uniquely American experience can come from anywhere. The agency’s Amazon ad, "Before Alexa," starring Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, was a hit with audiences, landing No. 3 on Adweek's list of 2020's best Super Bowl ads and No. 7 in the USA Today Ad Meter. The spot also stole some thunder from fellow London agency Lucky Generals, which had created Amazon ads for the 2018 and 2019 Super Bowls. "Before Alexa" owed its existence to Droga5 London's excellent campaigns for Amazon Prime Video in recent years, inspiring the client to give the agency "a bite at the Super Bowl apple" and further opportunities, according to chief creative officer David Kolbusz. “I love being in the trenches with them, from concept to execution,” says Simon Morris, Amazon global ecd. “They are nonstop, super talented, multiskilled, great human beings. You have to invest in creative relationships, and doing so with these guys is easy, a privilege and a pleasure." To be sure, Amazon is a highlight, but it's only part of the Droga5 London success story. With a strong portfolio of brands like Barclaycard, frozen burger maker Rustlers, tech company Setapp and more clients on the way, Adweek’s 2020 International Agency of the Year stayed true to its creative ethos, even during a pandemic. Most impressively, though, the Accenture Interactive-owned shop managed 15% revenue growth, 60% of which came from new business across a range of territories. Its new international assignments include Coca-Cola for Coke Energy; the European launch of VW’s new sports car, the Cupra, in Europe; and Kimberly-Clark’s baby and childcare business in the EMEA, Latam and U.S. regions. (Droga5 London won the latter from incumbent WPP.) “You don’t want to be reliant on one client,” says Droga5 London CEO Bill Scott. “I think that we have a big shop window, if you will. It’s a broader aperture on more of a global scale.” Work that resonates Creatively, Droga5 London has a consistent sensibility that often keeps humor at the fore. But with an increasingly global assignment list, Kolbusz notes that universal themes need to come through in a way that is appealing, stands out and is rooted in behavioral truths. “We always try to make sure that the work is witty rather than necessarily funny,” Kolbusz says. “Intelligent humor resonates more, and I think that just telling a dumb joke for the sake of it doesn’t resonate or have richer meaning in the human experience.” Indeed, Droga5's Amazon canon is filled with pleasant gems, and Setapp borders on the absurd, with everyone in on the joke. In the U.K., the agency’s work for Rustlers could be considered classically British, with bizarre twists and turns that land on a satisfying payoff, revealing that the brand's microwaveable hamburgers are “better than you think.” “[The platform] was validated in research, and already after the first wave, our brand equity scores have increased,” says Adrian Lawlor, commercial and marketing director of the foods division at Rustlers parent company Kepak. “Droga5's team genuinely cares about getting the best outcome for our team, our brand and our business." Perhaps most notable in terms of reflecting the realities of 2020 was Droga5 London’s work for Barclaycard, a three-year client of the agency, mainly focused on coaching consumers on better financial habits, especially the use of credit cards. The work pivoted due to the pandemic without losing its edge, enlisting actor Stephen Graham to show the benefits of the financial company’s app. And armed with research that showed Britons were paying off billions in debt during the pandemic, Droga5 created the "Sidekicks" campaign with comedian Nick Frost, which included advice on paying down debt and managing liquidity in unpredictable times. "It all comes down to the work you put into the world," notes Sarah Thompson, Droga5's global CEO. “If it’s strong and good and affects a brand’s business, then growth tends to come. [Droga5 London] has focused on some key, blue-chip clients. They have ambition and their confidence has grown.” The Stats Key Wins:Amazon (Alexa and brand), Amazon Studios, Coca-Cola, Kimberly-Clark, VW Losses:Mini (Electric Vehicles) Revenue:Droga5 London grew 15% in fiscal year 2020. Strategic Moves:Promoted Shelley Smoler (joined Droga5 London in 2017) from group creative director to executive creative director; promoted Damien Le Castrec (joined Droga5 London in 2018 as strategy director) to head of strategy. Diversity:"In London, we are blessed to have a melting pot of cultures," says Droga5 London CEO Bill Scott. "We have to broaden our scope in terms of how we’re finding that talent. We recognize that we’ve not done enough. But we’re supported by New York, and [global head of D&I] Tiffany Edwards to take meaningful steps forward." Pandemic + Accenture The pandemic forced all manner of change at Droga5 London, as it did at almost every agency, but Kolbusz was surprised by how quickly the agency adapted, without a drop in quality, and even saw plusses in the cavalcade of video calls. “If anything, it helped our productivity and efficiency,” he says. “It cut out a lot of the bullshit and got us to faster, better decisions.” Scott says he was “struck by the generosity in our own business in New York and America, and a real sense of coming together.” The Work Amazon: "Before Alexa" This Super Bowl favorite starring Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi entertained the 150-million-strong audience by asking what life was like before Alexa came along. Using historical scenes, it looked pretty grim. With over 60 million YouTube views, it was nominated for an Emmy. Setapp: “Don’t Get Sidetracked. Get Setapp” A Grand Prix winner at the Irish creative show Kinsale Sharks, this absurdist campaign for Ukrainian tech company Setapp showed what happens to people when tasks go unfinished. Droga5 London also worked on a new visual identity for the brand. Amazon Alexa: “A Voice Is All You Need” Another sweeping campaign for Amazon that had people on the edge of their seats, this global work showed how people could feel epic, even in the most mundane, everyday situations. A man ironing his clothes while rewinding a Game of Thrones-like show is a classic. Rustlers: “Better Than You Think” To overcome the negative perception of quality when it comes to frozen burgers and sandwiches, Droga5 went into self-deprecation mode for Rustlers, subverting the expectations of bad situations and flipping them around. The element of surprise, with a heavy dose of entertainment, anchored the creative. The elephant in the room for Droga5, in general, is how it has performed, especially in terms of creative output, since Accenture Interactive acquired the agency in 2019. Long heralded as one of the world’s great independent agency leaders, David Droga, founder and creative chairman, heard the armchair critics. “People said that we’d lose the thing we’re known for: creativity,” he says. “We said, sincerely, that was not going to happen. But [our success] should make the industry optimistic that creativity and data can be complementary.” In the end, Scott says, Accenture has respected Droga’s creative culture while affording the opportunity to learn and expand the business. He also believes that in the past 18 months, the agency has done its best work ever. “Being acquired isn’t a death knell for creativity,” says Kolbusz. “That’s why this honor makes me so happy, because it proves that’s not always the case.” Check out all of Adweek’s 2020 Agency of the Year honorees here: FCB Is Adweek’s Global Agency of the YearThe Martin Agency Is Adweek’s 2020 U.S. Agency of the YearHighdive Is Adweek’s 2020 Breakthrough Agency of the Year