Uncommon Creative Studio Takes Over Aer Lingus' Global Account: What This Means for Irish Agencies

Uncommon Creative Studio Lands Aer Lingus Account

The London-based Uncommon Creative Studio has successfully acquired the global creative account for Aer Lingus after a competitive pitch process that included several Irish creative agencies.

Uncommon, which is 51% owned by Havas, also manages the global creative responsibilities for British Airways, both of which fall under the umbrella of the International Airline Group (IAG).

Other Notable Accounts

In addition to Aer Lingus, Uncommon's portfolio boasts clients such as Ocado Retail, Monzo, Hiscock, and Sirius XM. Recently, they also secured the creative account for Guinness in the USA, although AMV BBDO continues to handle the brand's creative work in the UK and Ireland.

Transition from Droga5 Dublin

The previous agency handling Aer Lingus' account was Droga5 Dublin, a part of Accenture Song, which had previously launched a brand platform for the airline titled “You’re Very Welcome.” Notably, Droga5 did not re-pitch for the account this time around.

Concerns Over Irish Agencies Losing Ground

This marks a recurring trend as Aer Lingus has previously awarded its creative account to non-Irish agencies, raising concerns in the advertising community. In 2015, the account was given to the Amsterdam-based KesselsKramer, following a pitch against Krow Communications and the now-defunct DDFH&B. Subsequently, Rothco (now Droga5 Dublin) won the account in 2018.

An anonymous agency CEO expressed concern over this trend, stating, “It is a worrying trend that Irish agencies are losing business to agencies overseas.” Many significant accounts, including those of Bank of Ireland, Vodafone, and now Aer Lingus, have shifted to London-based agencies. The industry is urged to strengthen efforts to retain these accounts within Ireland.