2013 Wishes – BBDO France 2013 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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2013 - | Clapboard Ad Archive

NEW BBDO’s 2013 WISHES campaign is a distilled expression of agency self-promotion shaped through an optimistic montage, embodying the perennial hope and creative vitality marking a new year in the media and entertainment market category. Conceived and launched in France in 2013, the film leverages symbolic imagery and a dynamic visual tempo to communicate renewal and collective aspiration, aligning BBDO’s agency identity with the emotional tenor of January’s annual reset. In the absence of product demonstration, storyline, or recurring characters, the campaign opts for a montage of visuals that serve as energetic proxies for progress and possibility, a tactic that sits squarely within Clapboard’s FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit taxonomy, where visual metaphors amplify brand promise without recourse to literal messaging or testimonial narrative. Executed entirely in English, the spot reaches beyond national borders, using universally relatable imagery to extend BBDO’s goodwill to an international client and peer audience, thus reinforcing inclusivity as a foundational tenet of the agency’s creative and commercial posture. The 2013 WISHES campaign makes the seasonal greeting an act of branding, with the montage functioning not merely as an aesthetic device but a coded statement about BBDO’s collaborative spirit and its relevance as a European leader in imaginative advertising solutions. By embracing a tone of warmth and positivity, the agency signals both accessibility and authority, an essential tactic in a competitive communications landscape where self-promotion must balance creative credibility and brand approachability. The choice to forgo narrative and overt self-congratulation, relying instead on carefully curated visual symbols of optimism, positions BBDO as a lively, forward-looking partner for clients entering a new business cycle. The campaign earns 55/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. For agencies considering how to leverage seasonal occasions in brand-building, 2013 WISHES demonstrates that creative self-promotion is most effective when it transforms a universal message into a signature aesthetic.

Credits

Agency

NEW BBDO, Paris, France

Creative Director

Bruno Léna, Stéphanie Bergues

Conception

Jean-Romain Sparano

Art Director

Pierre Massé

Post Production

Delapost

Category Mind Map

48%

The 2013 campaign from NEW BBDO, launched in France, serves as a professional self-promotion within the agency sector, utilizing a montage-style film to convey its message. The campaign’s core proposition centers on positioning NEW BBDO as an innovative and forward-looking creative force, implicitly promising clients a partnership grounded in fresh ideas and a dynamic approach. By extending new year wishes, the campaign subtly reinforces the agency’s relevance and vitality at the start of a new business cycle, aligning its brand identity with optimism and renewal. Strategically, the campaign leverages the timely moment of New Year's greetings to capture attention without overt selling, thereby cultivating goodwill and positive brand association among industry peers and potential clients. The choice of a montage genre suggests a diverse and broad creative capacity, reflecting the agency's versatility. Targeting a professional audience within the media and entertainment domain, the campaign uses a concise film format suitable for digital sharing, maximizing visibility with modest but engaged viewership. The multilingual setup—English language in a French market—indicates an intention to reach an international or globally minded audience within the agency ecosystem. Overall, the campaign’s strategy hinges on subtle self-promotion through seasonal relevance, creative presentation, and targeted outreach, aimed at reinforcing NEW BBDO’s standing as a contemporary, capable, and client-aligned agency at the dawn of a new year.

FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact. This campaign—"NEW BBDO - 2013 WISHES"—is a montage genre agency self-promo published for the new year, only bearing a festive message ("wishes you a happy 2013"). There is no narrative arc, no explicit problem or product demonstration, nor testimonials or ongoing characters; rather, agency self-promo campaigns for new year greetings often use dynamic montages, stylized visuals, or symbolic imagery to associate creative energy and optimism with the agency. The use of montage implies a collection of evocative, upbeat visuals symbolizing positive change, progress, or creativity BBDO wishes to represent. This matches the SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT format, where visual metaphors or symbols are the core device for expressing the brand’s positivity and dynamism, rather than a literal demonstration or narrative. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. BETC – Known for its creativity and storytelling excellence, BETC positions itself as a cutting-edge agency that blends emotional resonance with strong cultural insights, making it a leader in both local and global campaigns within the media and entertainment sector. 2. DDB Paris – DDB Paris leverages innovation and digital integration to create compelling narratives, focusing on combining traditional advertising craftsmanship with emerging technologies to engage diverse audiences in impactful ways. 3. Marcel Worldwide – Marcel emphasizes bold, original content and a collaborative approach that challenges industry norms, positioning itself as an agency that drives cultural relevance and disruptive creativity in the media and entertainment landscape. 4. Fred & Farid – This agency differentiates with its dynamic, youthful energy and transmedia storytelling, targeting a global audience by fusing French creative sensibilities with digital-first strategies and influencer engagement. 5. Romance – Romance stands out through highly visual and artistic campaigns, often employing montage and poetic narratives that emphasize emotional depth and brand immersion, appealing strongly to premium media and entertainment clients.

Q: What is 2013 about? A: 2013 is a professional self-promotion campaign created by BBDO and launched in France in 2013. Designed as a film for the agency self-promo sector, the campaign features a montage-style greeting that wishes viewers a happy and prosperous new year. With a single media asset, it leverages visual storytelling to reinforce BBDO’s brand identity and foster a sense of optimism and renewal. Communicated in English to reach a broader international audience, the campaign positions BBDO as both a creative leader and an approachable partner, capturing the spirit of the season and engaging the marketing community. Q: What creative device does 2013 use? A: 2013 employs the creative technique classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy as FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT. This approach centers on using symbolic or exaggerated visuals to represent the positive impact of the brand, rather than relying on narrative, testimonials, or product demonstrations. In this campaign, BBDO utilizes a dynamic montage of evocative, upbeat imagery to embody themes of creativity, progress, and optimism, aligning the agency’s identity with the spirit of renewal that marks the new year. Q: What is the campaign proposition for 2013? A: The campaign proposition for 2013 positions NEW BBDO as an innovative and forward-looking creative force within the agency sector. By delivering a timely new year greeting through a visually engaging montage film, the agency communicates its commitment to fresh ideas and a dynamic approach, implicitly promising clients a partnership rooted in creativity and adaptability. The campaign targets a professional audience in the media and entertainment category, using seasonal relevance and a concise film format to cultivate goodwill and reinforce BBDO’s relevance at the start of a new business cycle. Q: How does 2013 rank in Clapboard's archive? A: 2013 holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 55/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and its resonance within the industry as a self-promotion effort that leverages seasonal messaging and symbolic visuals to reinforce brand identity. Q: Who are the competitors in BBDO's category? A: In the agency self-promotion and media/entertainment space, BBDO competes with several leading agencies. BETC is recognized for its blend of emotional storytelling and cultural insight, establishing itself as a creative powerhouse. DDB Paris is known for integrating innovation and digital craftsmanship to create compelling narratives. Marcel Worldwide emphasizes bold, original content and a collaborative spirit that challenges industry conventions. Fred & Farid stands out with its youthful energy and transmedia strategies aimed at a global audience, while Romance is distinguished by its highly visual, poetic campaigns that appeal to premium clients seeking artistic brand immersion.