• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, December 27, 2005

The stars were aligned in the online stratosphere for AKQA in 2005. The San Francisco-based shop boasts heavy-hitting clients including Nike, Gap, Visa, ESPN, and Microsoft's Xbox, and late last year added global interactive responsibilities for Coca-Cola to its portfolio. The 2004 hiring of Kate Everett-Thorp has begun to pay dividends; as the agency's president of interactive advertising, Everett-Thorp hit the ground running, finessing new business and presiding over a variety of strategic initiatives. As if that weren't enough, AKQA opened a New York office, hired several talented creative powerhouses, and earned a slew of awards. For all these reasons, OMMA gives AKQA the nod as its 2005 Agency of the Year Silver award winner.

The honor comes as AKQA continues to deepen and broaden its capabilities. While it's known predominantly for stellar Web site development and design services and award-winning, breakthrough creative (in fact, OMMA honored AKQA in 2004 for its creative prowess and this year gives it a hearty nod for compelling Web design), the agency is eager to position itself as a full-service shop. It is increasingly handling a diverse range of interactive services, including mobile, e-mail, and search marketing programs, and a variety of online and offline integrated media planning and buying programs.

Visa has depended on AKQA to devise highly sophisticated online marketing and media programs that integrate offline media elements as well. AKQA created a rich media and online video banner campaign promoting the Visa Signature card. "I wish we could relive the night we met," intones the voiceover for the black-and-white ad, which shows a couple sharing a romantic dinner on a city rooftop. Users can apply for the card by clicking through the ad, and may go on to research the card's added perks, from snaring reservations at upscale restaurants to concierge services.

"Visa and AKQA have been working together for the past four-plus years, testing new strategies with new technologies as interactive [media and marketing] comes into its own," says Jon Raj, vice president of interactive and emerging media platforms at Visa USA. "I am continually impressed with AKQA's creative and technical virtuosity, which helps Visa use online as both a branding and a direct-response vehicle."

In 2005, AKQA launched memorable Web sites and media programs for Nike, Xbox, and Gap, while at the same time adding unique interactive components to these campaigns. The agency used online advertising, e-mail, and mobile marketing to promote PerfectDarkZero.com, based on the eponymous Xbox 360 video game. The site revolves around the game's character, bounty hunter Joanna Dark, and encourages visitors to send their friends a mysterious e-mail showing a dead body with a toe tag bearing their friend's name. Soon after, senders receive a terse phone call stating, "This is Joanna Dark. The job is done. Check your e-mail." A "proof of death" image of their friend appears in the sender's inbox.

AKQA collaborated with Nike's offline agencies Wieden + Kennedy London and MindShare to tie in additional online features and customer relationship functions for Run London, an annual 10K race sponsored by Nike. RunLondon.com allowed the 45,000 London-based registrants to create their own pledge microsite, where runners could upload photos of themselves, encourage friends to sponsor them, and send animated versions to their friends via the site's "Pledge Maker" function.

"RunLondon is [one of the] better examples of branded content that I've seen recently," says David Berkowitz, director of marketing for Viewpoint Corp. The site used Google Maps to route the best course to NikeTown for runners to pick up their race pack. AKQA concluded the campaign by adding a layer that would truly link the runner with the race, not to mention the Nike brand: Runners were supplied with 3G mobile phones, enabling them to see themselves cross the finish line in the palm of their hands.

"The site does a great job at targeting both beginning and experienced runners," Berkowitz adds. "The tag line is strong upfront -- 'I Will Run a Year' -- making the site extremely personal to runners, while the entire time you know that you're on a Nike-branded site."

The impressive work aligns with Everett-Thorp's mission of establishing the agency as a full-service, one-stop shop. Last year, her new-business savvy helped land ESPN, Unilever's Axe, and new responsibilities for Microsoft's Xbox. AKQA executives also successfully lured creative talent, including P.J. Pereira, Lars Bastholm, Rei Inamoto, and Mauro Alencar from the competition.

AKQA's New York office opened last February with Bastholm as executive creative director heading its creative department. The office recently hired Gary Krivin from the acclaimed R/GA to serve as its director of client services. Krivin offers strong experience within the sports and entertainment segments to Gotham-based clients including Clinique, Sirius Satellite Radio, and Coke. The New York office was awarded interactive creative duties for Coke's Zero last June, constituting the first win for the new office. The agency created a Web site and handled online work for the newly launched beverage.

Fast-forward eight months, and AKQA was named the soft drink giant's global lead interactive agency, with the New York office spearheading the account. No ordinary account win, it validates AKQA's metamorphosis into a full-service agency and further raises the company's profile.

The bottom line: AKQA is an agency on its way up, up, up. This is an agency that knows how to create and implement branded interactive experiences. We're expecting big things from AKQA in 2006. Keep your eye on the heavens.