TBWA Worldwide
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Parent Omnicom Group | | |
Website | www |
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TBWA Worldwide is an international advertising agency whose main headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.[1]
Since 1993, the agency has been a unit of Omnicom Group, the world's second largest advertising agency holding company.
History
TBWA was founded in 1970 in Paris, France, by William G. Tragos (Greek-American, Management), Claude Bonnange (French, Marketing), Uli Wiesendanger (Swiss, Creation), and Paolo Ajroldi (Italian, Client Services).[2] The first letter of each founder's name provided the initials for the new organization. They were purchased by the Omnicom Group in 1993.[3]
In the mid-1990s TBWA began expanding globally spreading rapidly. It began acquiring global accounts such as Master Foods that helped strengthen the breadth and depth of its offering, so much so that in 2004 it was named by
In 2010, it was named by Advertising Agency as one of the top ten agencies of the Decade.[4]
TBWA\Worldwide has been named Adweek's Global Agency of the Year for 2018, 2018, 2021, and 2022.[5] TBWA\Worldwide was added to Fast Company's list of the World's Most Innovative Companies in 2019.[citation needed]
International operations
In the United States, TBWA operates through
Within Omnicom Group
Within the Omnicom Group of Companies, TBWA is generally partnered with OMD and PHD for Media solutions,[clarification needed] TEQUILA for below the line marketing communications, Ketchum and Gavin Anderson for Public Relations and Investor Relations, and Agency.com for interactive. That said, in specific markets it partners or works with other Diversified Agency Services (DAS) agencies within Omnicom's portfolio.
Disruption and Media Arts
TBWA has a philosophy called the disruption and Media Arts[8] created by Jean-Marie Dru when he was in BDDP (French advertising agency now called BDDP&Fils) the May 1st of 1992.
This philosophy is outlined in several books by Jean-Marie Dru, such as "Disruption", "How Disruption Brought Order", and "Beyond Disruption: Changing the Rules in the Marketplace."[9]
Controversies
Absolut Vodka controversy
In April 2008, Teran/TBWA of Mexico released a controversial advertisement for Absolut Vodka depicting a tongue-in-cheek fictional "perfect world" dubbed "absolut world" depicting the larger Mexico as it existed before the 19th century Mexican–American War, which includes areas now part of the United States (including California and Texas). Some time after the billboard was taken down in Mexico City, a photo of it surfaced on a right-wing blog in the US, sparking a short uproar among elements of the media.
Pincha la Rueda de Hamilton
Pincha la Rueda de Hamilton (Burst Hamilton's tires), a Spanish website run by TBWA, was set up in October 2008. It hosted a game where users could leave objects on a race track to stop the then
Taco Bell Chihuahua
In 1997 TBWA developed the
Häagen-Dazs India
In December 2009, TBWA developed the campaign for Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream in India. Several banners were put up that said, "Exclusive Preview for International Travelers - Access restricted only to holders of international passports". Instead of portraying exclusivity, this was perceived negatively due to India's long history of colonialism where access to certain areas was restricted to the white colonizers from Britain. Häagen-Dazs cut ties with TBWA after the negative publicity generated due to that incident.[12]
See also
References
- ^ "Contact Us Archived 2010-07-22 at the Wayback Machine." TBWA Worldwide. Retrieved on July 8, 2010. "488 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022 United States"
- ^ TBWA history - Funding Universe
- ^ AdWeek - March 29, 1993
- ^ "Book of Tens: Agencies of the Decade". Ad Age. AdAge. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ "TBWA Is Adweek's 2021 Global Agency of the Year". Ad Age. AdAge. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "TBWA moves Asia HQ from Hong Kong to Singapore". marketing-interactive.com. March 28, 2015.
- ^ "TBWA | Brands&People". Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Disruption". TBWA. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ISBN 9780471218999.
- ^ Kevin Dowling. Website at the centre of racist attacks on Lewis Hamilton is owned by the world's biggest advertising agency. Telegraph. November 1, 2008.
- ^ Taco Bell Loses Chihuahua Case--Again Amlaw Daily - January 26, 2009
- ^ Economic Times