UK ad industry touts global credentials with sector-wide campaign

The UK Advertising Export Group (UKAEG), a partnership between the ad industry and the UK government, is to profile Britain’s leading advertising and marketing service companies at industry events including Advertising Week 2020, The Drum’s Agencies4Growth Festival and the British Council Virtual Festival in the UK and China.

What does the campaign aim to do?

• The ‘Made Global’ campaign was produced by The Mill with strategy by adam&eveDDB.

• Led by a two-minute film, the campaign features work by UK firms for global brands. The promotional push seeks to demonstrate that the UK advertising market is open for business.

• Supported by a B2B social media campaign coordinated with the Department for International Trade, the campaign is geared toward international buyers seeking advertising and marketing services.

• Designed to show how Britain’s advertising market serves as a gateway to global markets the campaign drive is supported by the Advertising Association, the IPA, the APA, the DMA, London & Partners and the Creative Industries Council in support of over 50 members of the export group.

• Backed by the GREAT campaign team, the work follows on from the UKAEG Summer Showcase which generated 146,000 opportunities for potential clients in key markets such as the US, China, Europe and South Korea, to meet and hear from members.

• KAEG launched its first virtual trade mission during Lions Live, which included 19 presentations and hosted networking events with businesses from China and South Korea.

Why does it matter?

• ONS figures show UK advertising exports hit £7.9bn in 2018, a 15% increase over the year before.

• A geographical breakdown of export strength shows the EU market was worth £3.7bn of the total, equivalent to 53% of all exports. This rises to 55% when factoring in both EU and non-EU countries across the continent.

• The USA is the single largest national export market, with trade valued at £1.1bn, followed by Germany (£1bn), France (£733m), Switzerland (£661m), and Ireland (£640m).

• Advertising is now the UK's second-largest service sector export behind computer services, having overtaken telecommunications and engineering in 2018.

• Commenting on the genesis of the latest export initiative Janet Hull, chair of UKAEG, said: “We wanted to find a way of expressing how UK advertising is uniquely positioned to support companies around the world with their growth ambitions.“

• Hull continued: “At a time when businesses all around the world face into the challenge of the coronavirus crisis, we want them to know that the UK advertising and marketing services sector is here and ready to help them with any challenge they face.”