Commentary

Boring-Sounding TBWA Acquires Strange-Sounding Lucky Generals

The advertising business is pretty much the only industry where you can launch a successful business despite a stupid or silly name. The agency landscape is littered with such unprofessional sounding agencies like Barbarian Group, The Escape Pod, Moosylvania, Wexley School for Girls, Captains of Industry, Victor and Spoils, Mother, Barton F. Graf 9000 and more. Oh and if you launch one of these strangely named agencies, you might also get acquired by a big, boringly-named ad agency network.

Omnicom's TBWA Worldwide has acquired a majority stake in independent UK creative agency Lucky Generals. Yeah, Lucky Generals. What do Lucky Generals have to do with advertising? Wait, don't answer that. Then we'll have to go analyze the situation behind every single aforementioned, strangely-named ad agency . So, forget it. Let's move on!

After the acquisition, TBWA will form a new TBWA UK Group, which will consist of Lucky Generals and TBWA\London. Lucky Generals and TBWA\London will continue to operate as two separate brands within the
new group. Lucky Generals' founders, Helen Calcraft, Andy Nairn and Danny Brooke-Taylor, will remain in their existing roles at Lucky Generals and will retain a significant minority share in the company.

Of the acquisition, Troy Ruhanen, President and CEO of TBWA Worldwide said, "Lucky Generals' vision, a creative company for people on a mission, is completely aligned with our own: a radically open creative
collective. They are relentlessly creative and innovative, with a focus on disruptive work, platforms and businesses. What Helen, Andy, Danny and their teams have built in a short period of time is remarkable. I cannot think of a better addition to the family."

Calcraft, added "We have been fortunate enough to have had conversations with many international groups, but Omnicom and TBWA Worldwide were the only ones to understand our desire for autonomy — perhaps because entrepreneurialism, disruption and creativity are hardwired into their DNA. We already feel like we've established a great personal connection with the team. This deal will allow us to preserve our unique culture, build our brand and grow. Most important, with the support of Omnicom and TBWA, we will be able to better deliver on our clients' needs in the UK and around the globe.”

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Founded in 2013, Lucky Generals has been shortlisted for Campaign's Agency of the Year for the last two years. It was also named Marketing's "New Thinking Agency of the Year" and The Drum's "Ballsiest Agency of the Year." Its clients include Amazon, Paddy Power, Betfair, Hostelworld and Unilever.

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