2022 CB HOT LIST #2: SPECIAL
There were several agencies that were included in the final shortlist for Campaign Brief Agency of the Year. In the lead-up to the AOY announcement, we profile those that made the 2022 CB Hot List…
Special came through 2021 once again with great work on a wide range of clients.
Notable work included Uber Eats ‘Wayne’s World’, ‘Love’, ‘The Grey Wiggle’, ‘Elton and Nas’, ‘Tropical Whopper tours’, ‘Cow codes’ and ‘Japan’, Tourism NZ ‘Stop dreaming & go’, Kathmandu ‘We’re out there’, Star on Disney ‘The zombie effect’, Bonds ‘Cheer bleeders’, Rusty and Dusty’ and ‘The future is in your undies’, Weetbix ‘Feed the belief’, Winesmiths ‘Nozzeheads’ and Colorbond ‘Ripples’.
In 2021 Special won Campaign UK Global Agency of the Year and Independent AOY, won World’s Most Effective Tourism Campaign at global Effies, ranked #14 creative agency in the world and #1 in APAC by WARC, won 12 Agency of the Year titles including CB Agency of the Year and 45 awards, including Spike Asia Integrated Brand Prix for Tourism NZ.
The past year was their best yet, with nine new business wins, which led to 48 hires in Australia and 25 in LA, despite the pandemic.
8 Comments
Congratulations Special.
Hard to argue with #2, or even higher.
Special’s special success is well deserved.
Special, Thinkerbell, Deloitte Digital etc., have breathed new life into the marcomms industry.
One is 100% independent and acts like a management consultancy.
One is 100% ‘independent’ with a management consultancy holding a 10% shareholding.
One is 100% owned by a management consultancy.
Throw in The Monkeys, 100% owned by a management consultancy.
And S4Capital…………………..anyway, I think you can see where the industry is heading.
How does Special Group act like a management consultancy?
They start by not acting like an agency.
Just like Deloitte and The Monkeys and Thinkerbell do.
By the way they treat their people
shoulda been higher
That doesn’t answer my question at all.
I respect the shit out of Special. But I don’t see how they are not an advertising agency. I think you’re just using words for the sake of it.
What do they actually do that is fundamentally different to the business model or way of working of an advertising agency?
Fair comment. I agree much of what Special does is no different to any agency.
And when it comes to digital – maybe they even trail many agencies.
However, whether right, or wrong, clients ‘see’ Special as being different to the rest of us.
Just like they see The Monkeys as being different to the rest of us now they’re part of Accenture despite most of their output being nothing but ads.
And just like they now view the people at Deloittes as not being like ad people despite them all having come from traditional agencies.
‘Special’ has very publicly taken equity in a clients’ brand as management consultancies do every day.
Putting cash and resources in up front, then backing yourself to take significantly more at the back end is how many management consultancies solidify client relationships and differentiate themselves form ad agencies.
So, whilst what Special produces might look similar, how clients perceive Special and their place in the world of marcomms is something else. And as ad people understand better than most, sometimes, perception is everything.
Just o be clear, my comments aren’t criticisms of Special, Deloittes people, or The Monkeys. I think they’re great and deserve all the success that comes their way.