AMV BBDO: Changing To Thrive

AMV BBDO’s year began with change. After the announcement at the end of last year that former CEO Sam Hawkins was returning to Publicis Groupe, 2024 kicked off the reign of new CEO Xavier Rees, who joined from Havas where he was group CEO.

Despite the change in leadership, the agency continued to do what it's always done best: elegant, impactful work. From winning Lions at Cannes to an IPA Effectiveness award in October, AMV has proved that class will always out.

And with Rees now properly making his mark on the shape of the agency, the business is set fair for a new lease of life in 2025.

Creative Salon on AMV BBDO's 2024

When Xavier Rees' arrived as CEO in the Spring, he brought with him a depth of experience which helped pick up the pace at the agency.

But of course AMV BBDO's work across 2024 was always going to be high in both quantity and quality. 

The campaign celebrating the RSPCA's 200th anniversary saw the charity unveil a new purpose, branding and positioning that set the charity fair for the years ahead.

Its work with Guinness of course has a rich and successful history, stemming all the way from 1998. Off the back of their ‘Singing Pints’ campaign last year, 2024 saw AMV introduce work highlighting the brand's Nitrocharge device - even going as far as remaking their iconic ‘1994’ ‘Dancing Man’ ad. Then Guinness was announced as the Premier Leagues’s official beer and non-alcoholic beer for the 2024/25 season. 

AMV's work with healthcare brand Bodyform has always brpken through conventions and hit creative highs. This year's ‘It’s Never Just A Period’ not only educated audiences but initiated another open conversation on a topic some still deem a taboo. 

AMV also created ‘Smear Campaign’ for the Government to raise awareness of the eradication of sewage from British waterways. While highlighting an important issue, the campaign humorously used hyper-realistic font from excrement and raw sewage to highlight the problem. 

The agency's long-standing creative partnership with Currys produced a range of work this year filled with humour. 'The Big Trade-In' promoted the act of recycling old electronics, 'Laptop Rage' reaffirmed the role of Currys' experts helping customers in their time of need, and 'Amazing Us' highlighted the benefits of shopping in store.

As with years previous, AMV continued its award-winning streak, which saw it scoop several accolades at Cannes: a bronze award in the Brand Experience and Activation category for its ‘The Gravy Race’ work with Sheba, and, along with LA-based Somesuch, the agency won a bronze Film Craft Lion for its ‘Respect’ campaign for the RSPCA. 

Meanwhile, amongst the changes following Rees' arrival was the appointment of the highly regarded Vicki Holgate as new strategy partner. Towards the end of the year the agency said goodbye to its COO Michael Pring and CSO Martin Weigel and there was a clear sense that Rees is making the agency his own.

Creative Salon says… AMV BBDO remains one of the industry's most respected and most creative agencies and it's testament to the business's strong foundations that across this year of change those values didn't wobble.

Rees' inimitable quiet, nurturing but determined style is already helping the agency get match-fit for a busy 2025. And we're betting on it being a bigger and better year for an agency that the industry generally wants to see do well.