TBWA Worldwide
{{short description|American international advertising agency}}
{{about|the advertising agency|the talk show that is also called TWBA|Tonight with Boy Abunda}}
{{Infobox company
| name = TBWA Worldwide
| former_name =
| logo = TBWA New Branding Logo.svg
| type = Subsidiary
| founded = February 13, 1970 in Paris, France
| founder =
| hq_location = 220 E 42nd Street, New York City, U.S.
| industry = Advertising
| parent = Omnicom Group
| website = {{URL|http://www.tbwa.com/}}
| areas_served = 307 offices in 114 countries
}}
File:Look-building.jpg, TBWA Worldwide]]
TBWA Worldwide is an international advertising agency whose main headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States."[http://www.tbwa.com/index.php/contactus Contact Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722100210/http://www.tbwa.com/index.php/contactus |date=2010-07-22 }}." TBWA Worldwide. Retrieved on July 8, 2010. "488 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022 United States"
Since 1993, the agency has been a unit of Omnicom Group, the world's second largest advertising agency holding company.
History
TBWA was founded in 1970 in Paris, France, by William G. Tragos (Greek-American, Management), Claude Bonnange (French, Marketing), Uli Wiesendanger (Swiss, Creation), and Paolo Ajroldi (Italian, Client Services).[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/TBWA-ADVERTISING-INC-Company-History.html TBWA history] - Funding Universe The first letter of each founder's name provided the initials for the new organization. They were purchased by the Omnicom Group in 1993.[http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=523635 AdWeek] - March 29, 1993
In the mid-1990s TBWA began expanding globally spreading rapidly. It began acquiring global accounts such as Master Foods that helped strengthen the breadth and depth of its offering, so much so that in 2004 it was named by Advertising Age as Global Agency Network of the Year. {{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}
In 2010, it was named by Advertising Agency as one of the top ten agencies of the Decade.{{cite web|title=Book of Tens: Agencies of the Decade|url=http://adage.com/article/print-edition/book-tens-agencies-decade/141055/|website=Ad Age|publisher=AdAge|access-date=8 February 2016}}
TBWA\Worldwide has been named Adweek's Global Agency of the Year for 2018, 2018, 2021, and 2022.{{cite web|title=TBWA Is Adweek's 2021 Global Agency of the Year|url=https://www.adweek.com/agencies/tbwa-is-adweeks-2021-global-agency-of-the-year/|website=Ad Age|date=6 December 2021 |publisher=AdAge|access-date=18 December 2021}} TBWA\Worldwide was added to Fast Company's list of the World's Most Innovative Companies in 2019.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}
=International operations=
In the United States, TBWA operates through TBWA\Chiat\Day, with offices in Los Angeles, New York City and Nashville. In other parts of the world the company also operates under a mixed brand name such as TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, a highly awarded agency based in South Africa, TBWA\CONCEPT UNIT, West Africa's most awarded creative agency based in Nigeria, TBWA\HAKUHODO, the second largest creative agency in Japan after Dentsu, TBWA\RAAD an emerging operation that spans the Middle East and North Africa. The Asia Pacific regional operations was split into three regions – Asia, Oceania and Greater China – and headquarters moved from Hong Kong to Singapore.{{cite news|title=TBWA moves Asia HQ from Hong Kong to Singapore|url=http://www.marketing-interactive.com/tbwa-moves-asia-hq-hong-kongsingapore/|publisher=marketing-interactive.com|date=March 28, 2015}} Its network also expands throughout Latin America. An example of one of its prominent links is Brands&People,{{cite web|title=TBWA {{!}} Brands&People|url= https://www.brands.mx/project/696-brands-tbwa|access-date=21 May 2021}} a design and advertising agency in Monterrey.
===Within Omnicom Group===
Within the Omnicom Group of Companies, TBWA is generally partnered with OMD and PHD for Media solutions,{{Clarify|date=October 2018}} TEQUILA for below the line marketing communications, Ketchum and Gavin Anderson for Public Relations and Investor Relations, and Agency.com for interactive. That said, in specific markets it partners or works with other Diversified Agency Services (DAS) agencies within Omnicom's portfolio.
Disruption and Media Arts
TBWA has a philosophy called the disruption and Media Arts{{cite web|title=Disruption|url=http://www.tbwa.com/disruption|publisher=TBWA|access-date=7 August 2013}} created by Jean-Marie Dru when he was in BDDP (French advertising agency now called BDDP&Fils) on May 1, 1992.
This philosophy is outlined in several books by Jean-Marie Dru, such as "Disruption", "How Disruption Brought Order", and "Beyond Disruption: Changing the Rules in the Marketplace."{{cite book|last=Dru|first=Jean-Marie|title=Beyond Disruption: changing the rules in the marketplace|year=2002|publisher=Wiley|page=304|isbn=9780471218999|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=17VWAAAAYAAJ}}
Controversies
=Absolut Vodka controversy=
In April 2008, Teran/TBWA of Mexico released a controversial advertisement for Absolut Vodka depicting a tongue-in-cheek fictional "perfect world" dubbed "absolut world" depicting the larger Mexico as it existed before the 19th century Mexican–American War, which includes areas now part of the United States (including California and Texas). Some time after the billboard was taken down in Mexico City, a photo of it surfaced on a right-wing blog in the US, sparking a short uproar among elements of the media.
=Pincha la Rueda de Hamilton=
Pincha la Rueda de Hamilton (Burst Hamilton's tires), a Spanish website run by TBWA, was set up in October 2008. It hosted a game where users could leave objects on a race track to stop the then Formula One leader, Lewis Hamilton, from winning the last grand prix of the year in Brazil. It became controversial when users began to leave racist comments (such as "half-breed") aimed at the mixed-race Hamilton and was shut down in November. The FIA, the sport's governing body, and Hamilton's team, McLaren, condemned the comments as "abusive and hateful".Kevin Dowling. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/3362526/Website-at-the-centre-of-racist-attacks-on-Lewis-Hamilton-is-owned-by-the-worlds-biggest-advertising-agency.html Website at the centre of racist attacks on Lewis Hamilton is owned by the world's biggest advertising agency]. Telegraph. November 1, 2008.
=Taco Bell Chihuahua=
In 1997 TBWA developed the Chihuahua campaign for Taco Bell. Two Michigan men, represented by Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, who had earlier pitched the concept to Taco Bell sued and in 2003 a jury awarded them US$30 million in damages and a judge tacked on US$12 million in interest. Taco Bell in turn sued TBWA saying it should have been aware of the conflicts. In 2009 a three-judge federal appeals panel ruled against Taco Bell.[http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2009/01/taco-bell-loses-chihuahua-caseagain.html Taco Bell Loses Chihuahua Case--Again Amlaw Daily - January 26, 2009]
=Häagen-Dazs India=
In December 2009, TBWA developed the campaign for Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream in India. Several banners were put up that said, "Exclusive Preview for International Travelers - Access restricted only to holders of international passports". Instead of portraying exclusivity, this was perceived negatively due to India's long history of colonialism where access to certain areas was restricted to the white colonizers from Britain. Häagen-Dazs cut ties with TBWA after the negative publicity generated due to that incident.[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/advertising/TBWAs-Haagen-Dazs-India-a/c-hopes-melt-away/articleshow/5363867.cms Economic Times]
See also
{{Portal|New York City|Companies}}