RKCR/Y&R

=Rainy Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Young & Rubicam=

RKCR/Y&R [http://www.rkcryr.com] London is a full service, above the line advertising agency. They offer a whole range of services and capabilities enabling them to adapt to clients individual needs. Through research, strategic analysis and idea development, they develop and execute 360 degree communications plans. The agency focuses on media neutral ideas, rather than advertising execution, which results in campaigns which work across all media including; traditional media, digital platforms, staged events, content, viral marketing, internal communications programmes and CRM.

Integrated into the agency’s corporate culture is the ethos of ‘Brand Energy’. The concept has three characteristics: Vision, Dynamism and Innovation. Not everyone will share the brands point of view of the market, but they will respect them for having it. The energy of the brand is consistent only in the freshness of their ideas, and in how they are expressed. In turn this creates brands which regularly introduce new products and services that excite, reward and challenge customers.

Basically ideas create energy then energy creates ideas.

History

RKCR/Y&R London as it exists today was formed by the merger of Y&R London and RKCR in 1999. RKCR was founded in 1993 by MT Rainey, Jim Kelly, Robert Campbell and Mark Roalfe. Young & Rubicam was founded in Philadelphia in 1923 when John Orr Young, an Account Executive and Raymond Rubicam, a copywriter, formed their partnership. Today, the Young & Rubicam global network includes more than 182 offices in 82 countries. Y&R brands and in turn RKCR/Y&R [http://www.rkcryr.com] became a wholly owned subsidiary of WPP when it was bought by them in 2000. In 2007 RKCR/Y&R launched their digital arm Saint. Also, in 2007 RKCR/Y&R founded Swarm, a fully integrated communications agency which delivers all through the line media for a variety of platforms from digital, retail to more traditional advertising.

Memorable Campaigns

M&S - Their infamous food porn ads – most notable the chocolate pudding one which saw chocolate pudding sales increase 3300% - selling out of stock in 48 hours. Womanswear ads which have over time featured stars such as Shirely Bassey, Twiggy, Erin O’Connor, Gordon Ramsey and Antonia Banderas. Menswear featuring the guys from Take That.

Volvic – Tyrannosaurus Alan and Volcano George.

Virgin Atlantic – Adverts featuring Helen Mirren, Terrence Stamp and more recently John Hannah.

Virgin Mobile – The well known ‘Devil makes work for idle thumbs’ campaign featuring Wycleff Jean, Christina Aguilera and Kate Moss.

BBC – The agency was responsible for the promotion of the i-Player using an April Fools joke which showed an extraordinary colony of penguins which could fly. The advert for the Edwardians series was also the first to feature someone showing a V sign.

BT – Dragons Den star Peter Jones starred in the TV adverts featuring 1980’s horror characters from the movie Gremlins.

Land Rover – The iconic Freelander adverts include ‘Hippos’ and ‘Masi Mara’ which elevated the car to the best-selling 4x4 in the UK.

Training and Placements

The agency runs a summer school in August which aims to give prospective university graduates a sample of life in an advertising agency. Applications for graduate trainee roles open in Autumn, and successful applicants join the agency the following September. These account management trainees spend time in every department of the agency, such as planning, creative and production and then spend a week on secondment at an agency client. As a result, trainees gain exposure to the entire advertising process and insight into the workings of each department, as well as invaluable client-side experience.

Location

Although they are a top 10 agency RKCR/Y&R are based in the cosmopolitan surroundings of Camden Town.

The agency is based in Greater London House, next to Mornington Crescent tube station. Originally constructed as a cigarette factory in 1928, the art deco building had gradually fallen into a state of disrepair until its restoration into state of the art office space.

www.rkcryr.com