National reach boosts creative agency's growth

An ambitious Exeter based creative and communications agency which can number Tesco, the BBC Global News and Rick Stein amongst its clients has now been appointed to handle the marketing portfolio for Flybe and Paignton Zoo in Torquay.

ab..the ideas agency is also the team behind the Flybe guerrilla marketing campaign to promote flights to London which made the national press when it prompted First Great Western to call the police to Exeter St David’s station last month.

Established over 30 years ago as a two-man graphic design studio, ab today employs 24 staff providing a full agency service from branding, advertising, digital, print, moving image, corporate reporting and marcomms to PR, media buying and strategic planning.

Recent growth, which has see ab surpass the £2 million turnover mark, has been boosted by the agency’s ability to attract nationally known clients which include the RAF Benevolent Fund, The Criminal Bar Association, Heineken’s ‘Use Your Local’ campaign and celebrity chef Valentine Warner for whose website the firm won the Web Marketing Association's WebAwards 2013.

The partnership’s subsidiary film-making business, AB Motion has an equally impressive client portfolio having produced over 250 films and interactive videos for Tesco, a promotional campaign for SKY Movies and the in-flight safety video for Sri Lankan Airways.

ab is managed by partners Marcus Bennett, Henry Sanford and Ed Burnand. Marcus Bennett said: “We are currently busier than ever. Over the years we have grown considerably but it’s not just our size that has changed, it’s also the range of services that we offer and the quality of the staff we have been able to attract.

“This has enabled us to have a national reach to compliment our regional portfolio of clients which includes quality businesses such as the Midas Group, Gregory Distribution and South West Water.  We were able to secure our relationship with Flybe, for instance, by demonstrating the depth of resource we have at our disposal and our ability to deliver consistency and reliability as well as quality and great ideas.”

Henry Sanford added: “We live in a digital age dependant on effective communications.  With this in mind businesses are increasingly becoming aware that you don’t have to procure your creative solutions in London and that you can find quality services at much better value if you shop in the regions.”

ab has marked the start of its fourth decade by launching a new website – www.ab-uk.com alongside www.ab-motion.com for its film-making activities.  The business has further ambitions to grow and remains on the lookout for creative talent to join the team.