Boase Massimi Pollitt
Encyclopedia
Boase Massimi Pollitt is an advertising agency founded in October 1968 by Martin Boase, Gabe Massimi, and Stanley Pollitt.
The three founders had previously worked at Pritchard Wood, but went their own way after failing to buy the company from its parent. Cadbury-Schweppes had been a client of Pritchard Wood, and BMP's first campaign was for Cadbury's Smash
, a powdered mashed-potato mix. Other early BMP campaigns included the Cresta bear ("it's frothy, man"), Hofmeister bear, the Humphreys, and John Smith's Arkwright - all stemming from the brain of creative director John Webster.
Stanley Pollitt is co-credited with inventing the job discipline of account planning
(in parallel with Stephen King of JWT
).
In 1977, Havas of France paid £1.5m for a 50% stake in BMP. It later sold its holding back to BMP.
In 1983, BMP floated on the London Stock Exchange
valued at £16 million. After a hostile bid by a French company, BMP was bought in 1989 for £125 million ($200 million) by DDB Worldwide
, part of Omnicom Group
, a giant American holding company controlling many agencies.
A poll in 2000 that selected the UK's top 100 television commercials found that 16 were produced by BMP DDB, of which 11 were created by John Webster. One example was the BMP advertisements for the Barclaycard credit card, featuring an accident-prone card user, later expanded into the character of Johnny English
played by Rowan Atkinson
. *http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274166/ BMP was also regularly honoured at the D&AD awards in London, Cannes awards, and Clio awards in the U.S.
The company had a strong relationship with the Labour Party, dating from the early 1970s when it placed press advertisements for the TUC
, attacking the then-Conservative government's Industrial Relations Bill. BMP created the advertising for the Labour Party in several successive general election campaigns. Chris Powell, BMP DDB Needham's chief executive until 2004, is the brother of Jonathan Powell, the Labour Party's chief of staff, and several people who served in the Labour Party's Shadow Communications Agency came from BMP.
In January 2004 the company name was officially changed to DDB London, in line with the DDB network's (belated) policy of rebranding agencies it had acquired worldwide.
The three founders had previously worked at Pritchard Wood, but went their own way after failing to buy the company from its parent. Cadbury-Schweppes had been a client of Pritchard Wood, and BMP's first campaign was for Cadbury's Smash
Smash (instant mashed potato)
Smash is a brand of instant mashed potato in the United Kingdom. The preparation of Smash is extremely simple - the granules are placed in a bowl and boiling water is added and stirred producing a mashed potato substitute....
, a powdered mashed-potato mix. Other early BMP campaigns included the Cresta bear ("it's frothy, man"), Hofmeister bear, the Humphreys, and John Smith's Arkwright - all stemming from the brain of creative director John Webster.
Stanley Pollitt is co-credited with inventing the job discipline of account planning
Account planning
Medium to large-sized advertising agencies divide their work into various departments, traditionally splitting functions into interacting with clients and looking out for their interests , buying advertising , and creating advertising...
(in parallel with Stephen King of JWT
JWT
JWT is one of the largest advertising agencies in the United States and the fourth-largest in the world. It is one of the key companies of Sir Martin Sorrell's WPP Group and is headquartered in New York. The global agency is led by Worldwide Chairman and Global CEO Bob Jeffrey who took over the...
).
In 1977, Havas of France paid £1.5m for a 50% stake in BMP. It later sold its holding back to BMP.
In 1983, BMP floated on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
valued at £16 million. After a hostile bid by a French company, BMP was bought in 1989 for £125 million ($200 million) by DDB Worldwide
DDB Worldwide
DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc., known internationally as DDB, is a worldwide marketing communications network. It is owned by Omnicom Group Inc, one of the world's largest advertising holding companies...
, part of Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group is a holding company whose agencies provide marketing and communications services in the disciplines of advertising, customer relationship management , strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and...
, a giant American holding company controlling many agencies.
A poll in 2000 that selected the UK's top 100 television commercials found that 16 were produced by BMP DDB, of which 11 were created by John Webster. One example was the BMP advertisements for the Barclaycard credit card, featuring an accident-prone card user, later expanded into the character of Johnny English
Johnny English
Johnny English is a 2003 British action comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre. The film stars Rowan Atkinson as the incompetent titular English spy, with John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia, Tim Pigott-Smith and Ben Miller in supporting roles...
played by Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
. *http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0274166/ BMP was also regularly honoured at the D&AD awards in London, Cannes awards, and Clio awards in the U.S.
The company had a strong relationship with the Labour Party, dating from the early 1970s when it placed press advertisements for the TUC
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
, attacking the then-Conservative government's Industrial Relations Bill. BMP created the advertising for the Labour Party in several successive general election campaigns. Chris Powell, BMP DDB Needham's chief executive until 2004, is the brother of Jonathan Powell, the Labour Party's chief of staff, and several people who served in the Labour Party's Shadow Communications Agency came from BMP.
In January 2004 the company name was officially changed to DDB London, in line with the DDB network's (belated) policy of rebranding agencies it had acquired worldwide.
