Robson Brown credits 'cost-effective crews' for TV growth
Robson Brown is reporting an increase in TV production turnover for the fifth consecutive year, defying last year’s reports of a downturn in TV ad spend due to cutbacks and moves online.
With a double-figure percentage increase in its previous seven-figure TV production turnover in 2008/2009, Robson Brown puts part of the growth down to the cost-effective rates associated with film crews based outside of London.
The recent introduction of high-end editing software – such as Smoke and Flame – to regional studios and an increase in the production of TV sponsorship idents and bumpers has also seen a significant drive in TV production in the north of England, according to the firm.
The report comes on the back of the agency’s most recent national TV production campaign in which it devised and directed a TV bumper advert for bed specialist, Dreams, as well as securing its sponsorship of Channel 4’s Celebrity Big Brother.
TV producer Steve Hunneysett, who has headed up TV and Film at Robson Brown for the last decade, comments on the growth: “While the industry remains inundated with national stats on the decline of TV advertising, our experience has demonstrated a real resilience within the region.
“It’s true that the rush towards online advertising combined with the current financial climate has led to a reduction in TV budgets in real terms. However, it would seem that a number of marketing directors are countering these effects by moving production out of London.
“Our portfolio of clients has included some of retail’s biggest names – the Co-op, SCS, Electrolux, Greggs, and Procter and Gamble – and the work just continues to move up north. In the last two months, we’ve renewed TV production contracts for London-based Dreams and the Manchester Arndale Centre, while we’re currently in production with Flymo.”
The Agency, which employs 120 people across a number of disciplines, including PR, advertising, design, digital and media, has also recent launched TV campaigns for Collectables, DFDS Seaways and the Benfield Motor Group.