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It was a year in which George & Dragon provided further evidence of its ability to slay some decent opposition in the battle for new business.

Its fellow government roster agencies Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and Kindred were put to the sword in the fight for the Highways England brief to make motorways safer, while 101 (now part of MullenLowe) was seen off in the pitch for NFU Mutual, the rural insurer.

The wins came during a period when the agency began defining its offering and how it might operate effectively as an independent within a consolidating communications market. Most significant was its decision to become a founding member of Harbour. This is a collective of independent agencies established by Paul Hammersley, Cheil’s former chief executive, whose declared aim is to "level the playing field" between independents and the holding companies. It remains a work in progress.

Meanwhile, Shield Films, the agency’s in-house production company, reported a busy first full year. A further dimension was added to its activities with a key role in the launch of Craft. Headed by Sally Weavers, Initiative’s former UK managing director, the venture pledges to return "media craft" to the heart of communication plans.

Creatively, the agency acquitted itself well with a couple of nice TV spots. One was its debut work for the Pork Marketing Board featuring a man in a chicken suit crushed to find a couple eating pork for dinner. The other was for Highways England, asking people who don’t check their vehicles before a long journey whether they’d be prepared to fly on a plane if the pilot hadn’t made the pre-take-off checks.