Score: 5
Last year: 5
How the agency rates itself: 7
In case there was any doubt among readers, Elvis the agency is named after Elvis the legendary, thrusting and flamboyant star who redefined pop music. While the agency strives to "take passive audiences and make them into passionate fans", one wonders if Malcolm might be a more appropriate name for this shop nowadays – a name that suggests a steady pair of hands who doesn’t cause a fuss.
Steady is the watchword as Elvis reports the same income as last year – just under £6m – with no change in staff and one more client on its books. Its biggest win was the Jacobs Douwe Egberts social and digital account, while the agency was pleased to expand its long-standing Cadbury’s digital business globally. The relationship with Cadbury, Elvis’ biggest client, would certainly not have been harmed by the successful London launch of the Creme Egg Café in January 2016, which is being taken on a nationwide tour this year.
There was a restructure in senior management, with chief executive and co-founder Martin Semmens becoming Elvis’ chairman to pave the way for a comparatively flatter hierarchy. Managing director Tanya Brookfield now leads the agency alongside planning director David Yates and creative director Neale Horrigan.
The agency admits 2016 may have seemed a quiet year for Elvis, a tacit recognition of the scarcity of big brands that might keep its name in lights. However, Elvis promises to reveal some long-term creative opportunities later this year. Perhaps Malcolm will turn back into the king in 2017.
How the agency describes its year in a tweet
The calm before the storm.
Score key: 9 Outstanding 8 Excellent 7 Good 6 Satisfactory 5 Adequate 4 Below average 3 Poor 2 A year to forget 1 Survival in question