Celebrating 20 Years of Grey London Under WPP

It’s officially two decades since WPP bought Grey Global Inc for around £845 million.

At that moment, the agency was seen by its new parent company as bringing in new clients, and strengthening its activities in advertising, media investment management, public relations, healthcare, direct and interactive. Additionally, its broad geographic spread further enhanced WPP's market position.

Commenting at the time, Ed Meyer, Grey’s Chairman, President and CEO, said: "Grey's greatest asset is its people, and while the ownership structure will change, our day-today business relationship with our clients will remain unchanged and our commitment to do great work will continue to be our passion. By agreeing to combine with WPP, our clients will be able to access a broader array of global services and tools, and our employees can expand their careers in exciting directions."

Twenty years on, Grey's UK president Conrad Persons said that it remains an agency brand whose clients value its talent and scale. and commitment to creativity. "20 years later the coming together of WPP and Grey feels like it’s achieved that balance – Grey’s retained its unique DNA, but become part of something bigger," Persons says, acknowledging that a lot had changed over the two decades.

Change has included uniting Grey with sister digital innovation business AKQA in March 2024. “Our clients want outstanding creativity, powered by technology expertise and delivered at a global scale,” said WPP CEO Mark Read at the time. “This new company is designed precisely to meet those needs and is another important step forward in building our future-facing offer for clients.”

But Persons, who joined in the autumn of 2023, says that what has not changed over the years is Grey's hunger for making famously effective work.

"There’s a dance – between independence and integration, between being an agency and being part of a group – and I think Grey and WPP have been successful at it and I’d judge that success not only by revenue and growth, but also by a history of making great creative work," adds Persons.

In that spirit, here is a look back at 20 campaigns created by Grey London during the last two decades that hold true to that original commitment to creativity.

AOL - Black/White, 2005

Two ads for the price of one here. This campaign from the online service provider offered the good and bad perspectives on what the internet could provide, with fantastic narration provided by the late, great John Hurt.

Country Life Butter, 2008

Featuring Sex Pistol and hell raiser extraordinaire John Lydon, this shows that he's mellowed in age with the first of a series of ads that was so against the grain of his image that he ultimately had to defend.

Toshiba - Time Sculpture, 2008

An experimental approach was adopted to promote Toshiba's high definition TVs, featuring a collection of interacting loops all collated within one moving shot. It proved to be an award winner across the industry that year, such was the positive response.

Toshiba - Space Chair, 2009

The follow-up to Time Sculpture, this campaign launched to promote its Regza SD LCD televisions. It followed the journey of four armchairs as they entered orbit attached to weather balloons which wuld eventually burst. An accompanying website was launched allowing consumers to guess where the chairs would land. The winner would then receive a 46-inch TV as a prize.

Lucozade - The Wild Ones, 2011

Featuring three very different subjects - Tinie Tempah, Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, and World Champion boxer Katie Taylor - it's an intense 90 seconds played out to a remix of 'Simply Unstoppable'.

Fairy Liquid - Heritage, 2012

Released around the time of the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, this spot for the P&G washing up brand celebrated decades of ads by recreating the formula established in partnership with the agency.

British Heart Foundation - Hands Only CPR, 2012

Perhaps one of the most enduring ad campaigns made for years, the concept took hard man Vinnie Jones, who was establishing himself as an actor, and applied some Bee Gees to help offer practical advice to saving a life.

Women’s Aid - Cut, 2012

Even a dozen years later this two-minute spot featuring Keira Knightly is still able to shock through its build-up and eventual brutality.

Vodafone - The Kiss, 2012

A love story told over several years from the first kiss in childhood through to adult life together, this is a purposefully emotive ad that states ''good things should last forever" before describing Vodafone as "a good thing". Not subtle in any way whatsoever though.

Vodafone Ireland - Fitting Room, 2014

A very funny 30-second ad about how a woman calls for help when trapped inside a tight dress, but finds her phone out of credit. Vodafone Ireland steps in with its credit offer for customers when they find themselves a bit stuck.

The Sun - We Feel Football, 2014

Ahead of a new season of coverage for The Sun, this ad shows the heartbreak of various football fans after defeats while badly singing along to 'Love Hurts'.

McVities - Sweeet, 2015

Everyone loves something sweet. This campaign for the British biscuit maker compares the reaction people have on eating its range of brands to the cooing reaction people also have when they are greeted by a cute furry creature. Aaaaaw.

Volvo - Life Paint, 2015

The daily commute for millions of cyclists in cities around the world can be precarious. Volvo's safety campaign highlighted the issue with the development of a reflective spray that is luminous at night and could be applied to trainers, helmets, and bikes.

The People’s Seat, 2019

A campaign created to represent the people during a United Nations summit on climate change, led by Sir David Attenborough.

The chair was placed at COP24 while members of the public were given the opportunity to address decision-makers during the summit as well.

Goodfellas - The Godmother, 2019

This fun spot only partially plays against stereotype -as frozen pizza brand Goodfellas introduces its imposing new boss… The Godmother, or La Madrina.

She is the respected arbiter of quality that accepts nothing less than the best when it comes to how her pizza is made.

M&S - Paddington and the Christmas Visitor, 2019

Everyone knows that Paddington 2 is one of the greatest movies ever made, and two years after its release the lovable bear fronted the Marks & Spencer's Christmas ad campaign, once again featuring the voice of actor Ben Wishaw.

Pringles - Mind Popping, 2022

With the brand moving away from its long-running 'Once You Pop, You Can't Stop' brand platform, the new visually electric direction focused on blowing people's minds instead.

Peta - Beware The Octocurse, 2023

No Peta campaign has ever been accused of lacking impact and this spottelling humans to stop eating Octopuses is in keeping with that trend. It alludes to changes appearing in the people who consume the creatures, such as crying black ink and growing a head similar to theirs, creating some visually memorable sights in the process.

Sky Bet - AccaFreeze, 2023

A montage of training moments that would make even Rocky feel exhausted, this spot showcased the hardships that the modern footballer endures every day to become the best and to score that important equalising goal. However, before he does, Sky Bet customers can cash out if they choose to through the new Accafreeze option.

Sky Bet – Tournament Turmoil – 2024

United fans supporting players from City? Well that's what happens during international football tournaments, and an issue that doesn't sit easily with one England fan during the 2024 European Championships. Except she cannot help it.