The power to connect families has been the focus of Facebook’s video calling device “Portal” since the early days of the pandemic in 2020. It’s one of the many tech platforms that has been helping people overcome the enforced physical restrictions experienced the world over.

That focus continues in AMV BBDO’s integrated campaign to promote Facebook’s new devices “Portal Go” and “Portal+” as it highlights the anticipation and preparation that one grandfather puts into getting ready to make a Portal call to his granddaughter.

Brand platform positions Mars pet food brand as the source of happier – purring – cats.

Bafta-winning animator and director Nina Gantz has teamed up with National Symphony cellist David Teie for the latest spot from the Whiskas stable. The result is an ad by Abbot Mead Vickers BBDO, created by Jack Smedley and George Hackforth-Jones, taking the viewer inside a cat’s imagination to better understand what happens when they purr.

After coming out on top at Cannes Lions, The One Show and D&AD, AMV BBDO’s CCO Alex Grieve tells LBB’s Alex Reeves about the factors that contributed to the London agency’s current dominance

“I can’t quite believe it, you have to pinch yourself,” says Alex Grieve in a style parodying the most inane kind of post-win sporting interview. Of course, advertising isn’t exactly the Olympics or the World Cup, but wins don’t get much bigger for an agency like AMV BBDO than what they’ve achieved in 2021: Agency of the Year at three of the biggest industry award shows - The One Show, D&AD and Cannes Lions.

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO has appointed Sam Hawkey, chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi London, as its new CEO. In his new role, Hawkey will run the 300-strong agency, creating work for clients including Essity, Ford and Mars.

He will have full responsibility for all departments across the Omnicom shop and report to Jim Moser, chairman of BBDO in Europe. Alex Grieve, chief creative officer at AMV BBDO, chief strategy officer Tom White and chief customer officer David Edwards will report to Hawkey and work alongside him to rejuvenate the agency, which was previously the biggest ad shop in the country by billings. AMV BBDO and Saatchi & Saatchi are currently negotiating Hawkey's start date.

As indoor pubs, bars and restaurants reopened in England after months of Covid- 19-related lockdown, beer brand Guinness launched a Welcome Back to the on-trade campaign, designed to increase footfall to the sector and capture the anticipation many were feeling for the landmark event.