Agency name

BDB

Year established

1987

Location, country

Manchester, UK

Number of people

39

Breakdown of staff (approx.)

Creative: 7
Content: 5
Account: 16
Digital / Tech: 5
New business/marketing: 2
Admin/finance: 4

Owner/MD

Matt Smith

Best known clients

Lonza, DSM, Johnson Controls, IMCD

What we’re good at

Unlocking sales opportunities on the global stage through delivery of strategic, integrated communications campaigns.

Best piece of work done recently

IMCD – K2019 exhibition campaign (including full stand build)

Following a new business drive at In-Cosmetics expo 2019 we were invited to pitch for the IMCD K2019 exhibition stand.

Our integrated offering, championing pre, during and post event activity, objective led attendance, storytelling, user flows, digital first collateral and unique product display, coupled with a sustainably focussed build and strike-down, meant we were appointed within a matter of months. This was a major change for the client given they had been working with their existing stand provider for many years.

We hope you agree the results were spectacular.

Following on from the initial project we have now been appointed for IMCD’s global exhibition portfolio (>60 stands per annum) and are now also picking up brand, video and wider digital projects.

Average age of employees (approx.)

30 (ish)

Office personalities

Kieran Ward (AKA mini Matt) the trainee numbers guy with big aspirations and the ego to with it.

Rising stars (bright young things)

Lydia Ward – joined as an apprentice in 2016 and is now fully qualified and has embarked on a degree in digital marketing, a pocket rocket at 5ft tall with a bright future ahead of her.

Agency legends (which people have been there longest)

Celine, Dan and Zoe have all been with BDB for 20+ years. Celine is our Creative Services Director, Dan is our IT manager and Zoe is an Account Director.

Agency Motto

Extraordinary belongs to those who create it

What does everyone love about the agency?

Our culture, which focuses on freedom and responsibility.

What does everyone complain about?

Crazy deadlines.

What agency traditions do you have?

Friday drinks, Birthday club, Lottery club, Eureka Knowledge sharing, Spot Prizes.

When did you join the network?

2017

Why did you join E3?

For international Collaboration and to improve our international infrastructure / footprint.

Which other agencies have you collaborated with?

BBC, Brandigo, Oz, John Bottom, Cordovan

One thing everyone gets wrong about where we live:

We are not in London – our international clients despite having worked with us for many years still seem to think Manchester is a London suburb.

What’s the coolest thing about Manchester that no one else knows about?

Despite what you think, Manchester’s average annual rainfall is a mere 806mm compared to the UK average of 1,125mm, so we are not the wettest place in the UK.

What’s the one thing you have to do here when you visit:

Drink Champagne and dance on tables

Where we go after work:

The Hive (our office bar) and another regular spot would be Arcane, a subterranean speak easy cocktail bar in central Manchester.

Restaurant we take clients to:

Victors in Hale is always a popular choice and never lets you down when it matters.

Essential phrase in local language

“Make us a brew” – That’s not a group of people asking you to prepare some ale or beer. That is one person (because ‘us’ means me around these parts) asking you to make them a cup of tea.

Agency walkthrough