5 Biscuit
Biscuit started 2018 on the front foot with Aaron Stoller’s hilarious Anthony Joshua-fronted "Dominate life" films for Bulk Powders, which nabbed a ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 Pick of the Week. Swedish director Andreas Nilsson created arguably its two highest-profile ads of the year: Snickers’ "Rap battle" starring Elton John and Ovo’s sustainable energy rallying cry, "It’s time to power your life differently".
4 Stink
Stink’s acquisition of directing powerhouse Traktor (of "It’s a Tide ad" fame) from Rattling Stick made for one of the year’s biggest stories. Yet great work could also be found coming from the company’s existing roster of talent, from Tom Green’s stirring "Long live the local" film in praise of the great British boozer, to Salomon Ligthelm’s psychedelic "Depart the everyday" spot for Virgin Atlantic.
3 Somesuch
±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s 2017 Production Company of the Year maintained its momentum with another sparkling array of films. Lurpak’s "Smooth", shot by Kim Gehrig, was one of 2018’s most stylish ads. Director Dan Emmerson showed a flair for connecting with British youth with fashion label Collusion’s "For the coming age", while Steve Rogers’ inspired "Great shows stay with you" series for Amazon Prime Video capped off a fine year.
2 Academy Films
Academy Films enjoyed a stellar year, starting with the promotion of Medb Riordan to joint managing director alongside Simon Cooper in January. Director Frédéric Planchon created a succession of hits for brands including BT, the British Army and – most notably – Cadbury Dairy Milk. "Pride matters", Billy Boyd Cape’s tearjerker for Pride in London, was another success, and 2018 was topped off with Seb Edwards’ John Lewis Christmas ad "The boy and the piano".
1 Riff Raff
Riff Raff began and ended a brilliant year with two standout moments by French directing collective Megaforce; first Nike’s seminal "Nothing beats a Londoner" and last "Listen without limits" to launch the BBC Sounds app. Triumphs elsewhere included becoming the second-most-awarded production company at the 2018 D&AD Awards, as well as the "Liquid tumble" film for Guinness, directed by in/out.
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