Global Independent Agency of the Year: Mother (US)

Having been named 2018 Advertising Agency of the Year in Campaign UK, it was a similar story for Mother in the US, with 2019 proving to be a stellar year for the business, the workforce, the workplace and creative thinking.

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Of the agency-of-record contracts Mother pitched in during the year, 85% were successful. The shop brought in more new business than in recent years and posted its fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth. It scooped TripAdvisor’s global creative account and was named agency of record for Sonic, the US’s largest drive-in restaurant brand. Wrangler was another significant win, with Mother’s remit covering branding development and communications across print, digital, broadcast and out-of-home.

Mother's first global campaign for Wrangler, "Wear with abandon", was inspired by the brand's rich heritage and the cowboy code. For Stella Artois and the Super Bowl, the agency focused on encouraging people to change their habits and do some good. It featured two celebrities "coming out of retirement"—Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw (portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker) and The Big Lebowski's The Dude (played by Jeff Bridges)—to swap their favourite cocktails for beers. The spot also highlighted Stella Artois’ initiative aimed at clean-water access. Stella Artois was the number three most-talked-about brand on social media during the game, while purchase frequency increased by 15.1%.

The agency’s US management team looks more solid than ever, with 2019 marking the first full year for the team of Corinna Falusi, Aarti Thiagarajan and James Fraser, supported by US partners Peter Ravailhe, Paul Malmstrom and Charlie McKittrick, and Los Angeles leadership Joe Staples and Romain Naegelen.

Mother has also challenged creativity to drive change, producing a series of window and gallery installations in celebration of Pride. The agency said it wanted "to remind our community that the fight is not yet over. By supporting organisations like Audre Lorde Project and Callen Lorde this year, we helped sustain the communities that nurture our own."

It has also been active on the diversity front, continuing to invest in initiatives such as the Multicultural Advertising Intern Program and The One Club’s Here Are All The Black People.

One of the judges said: "Admire Mother for their singular focus on who they are and what they do. Translates into strong business results. Too many agencies try to be everything for everyone and lose themselves in the process. This is not the case with Mother."

Finalists

• Appsynth (Thailand)
• CJ Worx and Spore Bangkok
• Sunny Side Up (Japan)
• Tomorrow (Greater China)
• Uncommon Creative Studio (UK)