Unilever

In 2008, Unilever was unhappy with the standard of work DDB was producing across its food and drinks businesses.

DDB approached me and asked me to oversee all of its Unilever business worldwide.

As Global Creative Director, I was asked specifically to work closely with Asit Mehra, a high-ranking Omnicom executive and strategist, to try to improve the standard of the agency’s output.

When I had been at DDB just three weeks I was invited to a meeting with Unilever’s senior marketeers, a meeting also attended by Omnicom Head John Wren and Worldwide DDB CEO, Chuck Brymer.

On the face of it, as the new boy not a lot was expected of me at this meeting but Vindi Banga, Unilever’s Worldwide Head of Marketing, put me on the spot.

‘Why do you think our work from DDB is not good enough, Nick?’ he asked me. ‘Is it our fault or DDB’s?’

I told Vindi that at this early stage I didn’t know whether it was DDB’s fault, Unilever’s fault or, as I suspected, a bit of both but that I would find out and that I would improve the work.

Within a year DDB had won the Grand Prix at the Unilever Marketing Awards and, as a result of the improved work we created across our Unilever brands, we went on to be awarded the global Flora/Becel business, to win back the Lipton business for the whole of North America and to win the pitch for the launch of a premium tea in the Russian market.

Knorr ‘Salty’

An early challenge was to communicate that in North America, like many food companies, Knorr was putting its house in order by reducing the salt content of its products.

Not, on the face of it, the most promising creative opportunity but David Ross and Paul Wallace in our Toronto office quite brilliantly created the story of a sad and disenfranchised little saltshaker.

I felt ‘Salty’ was a much bigger idea and opportunity for Knorr than the TVC they had asked for and Thom Braun, our senior Knorr client, agreed.

‘Salty’ not only significantly improved Knorr’s business, seeing its ‘Sidekicks’ range replace Uncle Ben’s at No 1, but also became a national treasure and internet sensation.

And, bless him, he also ensured that after I had been with the agency just one year DDB won the Grand Prix at the annual Unilever Marketing Awards.

Lipton Ice Tea ‘Slap’ and ‘Fan’

Lipton had signed the film actor Hugh Jackman to be the face of its Ice Tea brand, believing his sunny and positive personality to be a perfect fit.

On the Lipton business, I worked with DDB’s Paris office, spending a lot of time there working closely with my business partner Philippe Berthelot and creative directors Matthieu Elkaim and Pierrette Diaz.

To dramatise Lipton Ice Tea’s refreshing qualities we created the idea that with Lipton Ice Tea you ‘Never lose your cool’.

The campaign ran globally and was regarded by Unilever as the best work it had produced for the Lipton Ice Tea brand.

Pierre-Antoine Dupin and Frederic Lahache wrote ‘Slap’ and Nicolas Berthier and Francois Guyomard wrote ‘Fan’. Stacy Wall directed and Hugh Jackman, who represented the brand for three years, was a complete pleasure to work with throughout.

LIPTON YELLOW LABEL 'ORCHESTRA'

Lipton Yellow Label is a huge global tea brand.

Historically, it had made quite light work around the idea that tea clears the mind.

We wanted to go deeper and make more inspiring and important the properties of theanine, a key ingredient of tea, and how it helps bring mental clarity and focus.

A young creative team from DDB Paris, Benjamin Marchal and Olivier Lefevbre, wrote the conceit that various notable creative and artistic people through history had been inspired to create great work whilst drinking tea.

Asit and I took the idea to Lipton Marketing Director, Etienne Sacilotto, and Unilever category head Didier Dallemagne who both loved it.

This film was directed by Noam Murro through Biscuit.