The advertising agency world frequently talks about 'innovation'; however, as any member of the industry will tell you, it is often no less conservative than any other industry. So, when you come across unusual agencies and people with a genuine point of difference, they are worth checking out.

Bartle Bogle Hegarty is one of those unusual agencies. Renowned for its creativity - it has consistently outflanked its rivals at Cannes and other festivals - it has an approach to developing international campaigns that is virtually unique.

Founded in 1982, BBH has always based its structures and processes around one primary objective: to ensure the very best and strongest creative ideas for their clients.

"Advertising is the product of a great brief and a great creative team", says Chief Executive and London Chairman, Nigel Bogle. "Anything you add to that should only be there to help the development of the work; yet too often agency structures are allowed to get in the way".

It is not his view that the typical multinational network is dead; however, "it is no longer the only way".

Clients are centralising all aspects of their business to a far greater degree than in previous years, and consumers are also becoming increasingly 'global' - particularly with regard to their media consumption.

"We aren't suggesting that the French, the English and the Germans have suddenly become the same - that would be ludicrous", Bogle continues, "Their historic cultures will hopefully always preserve essential differences. However, as consumers their behaviour is rarely instructed by historic culture and is far more dictated by contemporary culture: a culture formed in no small part by common media influences.

"So, no matter how different people may be in other respects, consumers of a brand in Madrid or Moscow are far more similar to each other than they are different. We see it as our role to play to those similarities".

BBH has had considerable success with this philosophy. Many large international accounts have taken advantage of its centralised approach across Europe and, more recently, clients in Asia Pacific and the States have been able to benefit from the same unusual philosophy from BBH offices in Singapore and New York.

BBH won the Queen's Award for Export in 1996 and 1997 - the only ad agency ever to achieve this - and has continually shown to a conservative advertising world that international, unifying advertising solutions are frequently best produced in one place.

"We would never claim to be right for all client companies", Bogle concludes. "However, in a world of increasing centralisation and of increasing pressures both on time and on costs, we think BBH offers an excellent alternative approach for many."

For more information please contact Martin Smith, Deputy Chairman, on 020 7453 4109 or alternatively by e-mail: martins@bbh.co.uk.

European Client List:

Audi, Whitbread, Levi’s, Van den Bergh Foods, Swinton, Electrolux, BBC, The Mail on Sunday, Polaroid, Elida Faberge, One2One, Murphy’s Ireland, Perfetti, Selfridges & Co, Golden Wonder, Dockers, Air Miles, Time, Emap, Tag Heuer, Salvatore Ferragamo, Barnardos, Ruud & Rye, Warburtons, Scottish Power, Bank of Scotland, Babco, Early Learning Centre, Ginsters, Johnnie Walker, Nationwide