WOW! UK Advertising and Marketing Post Brexit

So, this week I have found myself in London and Paris. (Throw in Rome and Sydney and I have covered all of the locations on the original Faberge packaging of Brut 33.) But it is interesting noting the differences between when I was last in the UK in October 2019 and today.

Entering and leaving the UK is just the same. As is entering and leaving the EU. Life feels pretty much the same. But if there is a difference, it is the optimism in the UK. After more than 3 years of division and uncertainty, there is an energy in London. It is as if everyone has decided that it is better to get it done. If January 31 was Brexit Day, then it must have been anti-climactic, because much like Y2K, the world did not end. In fact, it is now more positive having survived.

But apparently it is not just my perception. Here are the articles I noticed this week from the past fortnight reflecting this observation.

GOVT UNVEILS 'READY TO TRADE' CAMPAIGN AFTER BREXIT DAY

A major global campaign aimed at wooing foreign trade partners beyond Europe has been launched by the government, a day after the UK formally left the European Union. The "Ready to trade" campaign, under the "GREAT" banner, is being led by the Department for International Trade.

The multimillion-pound campaign by M&C Saatchi has a core message that Britain is ready, willing and able to trade with foreign partners. Hopefully lucrative accounts like this will do the same for M&C Saatchi…

UK GOVERNMENT’S ￡46M BREXIT AD BLITZ HAD LITTLE IMPACT

But the success of the Brexit Ad Campaigns is not a given with the National Audit Office (NAO) reporting that the UK government’s ￡46m ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ public information campaign had little effect on the public’s level of preparedness.

This was despite the fact that the controversial taxpayer-funded campaign reached 99.8% of the population, with every member of the public having the opportunity to see the range of billboard, print, TV and online adverts an estimated 55 times - proving reach and frequency are meaningless if the message is wrong.

HSBC SAYS BOLLOCKS TO BREXIT WITH HOMAGE TO HOME

In light of the UK's long and emotionally draining departure from the European Union, HSBC has followed last year’s "We are not an island" campaign with an ad exploring the topic of national identity.

Narrated by Richard Ayoade and set to the tune of Consider Yourself from Oliver!, HSBC’s spot ponders whether home is "where your parents were born", "where you find yourself" or what's written "in your passport". The spot ends with Ayoade officiating a same-sex marriage, when he concludes that home is simply "where your heart is".

BRANDS FATTEN UP AD BUDGETS FOR ‘OVEN READY’ BORIS

Boris Johnson’s “oven ready” Brexit deal could yet prove half-baked but the advertising and marketing industry has certainly swallowed it whole, with the latest IPA Bellwether Report showing a return to ad spend growth, albeit for the seemingly unstoppable digital juggernaut.

According to the results of the Q4 study, there are “fresh signs of optimism for UK marketing expenditure”, with data showing “modest” growth for the first time since the start of 2019.

UK DEFIES BREXIT UNCERTAINTY BY LEADING EU AD-SPENDING GROWTH

The figures are in from Dentsu Aegis and they show a mixed picture. The good news is that the UK's ad spend is expected to rise 6% this year, and the slightly worse news is that this represents a 0.6% downward revision from the holding company's previous forecast.

Look to Western Europe and you see altogether less favourable news. Germany is actually forecast to see a decline of 1.2%, Italy is forecast to see a 0.6% downturn and it's bad news for Spain with a reduction of 1.6% predicted.

UK THE FIRST CHOICE FOR AGENCY ACQUIRERS DESPITE BREXIT

The annual SI Partners Global Acquirer Report and shows that Brexit uncertainty does not appear to be detracting from the allure of UK agencies as potential M&A targets. In fact, with 82% of agency buyers looking to shop there, the UK tops the list as the most popular global market for acquisitions.

The UK is still very much regarded as an ‘innovation hub’ and buyers are keen to secure the talent and the new technologies that UK agencies are able to offer. So, who are the potential buyers? Global marketing services groups and independent marketing services companies continue to look for strategic investments whilst private equity firms are increasingly drawn to agencies with high growth potential and who can marry talent with technology. 

Of course, it is not just the UK that is undergoing change. With offices in Sydney, Singapore, Zurich, London and New York, and announcing a new office in Sao Paulo (plus we have individual consultants in markets including Shanghai, Bangkok and more), TrinityP3 has a presence on all continents, except Antarctica. I often find myself describing the business as a micro-multinational with global geographic coverage in a small, highly specialised and experienced team.

As always, if any of this has piqued your curiosity or you simply want to discuss the implications and opportunities let me know.

Cheers

Darren