Leo Burnett

Case Analysis

Leo Burnett Company

The Leo Burnett Company is an advertising agency that was founded in Chicago, IL in 1935. It has created a number of well-recognized brand icons such as “The Marlboro Man” and Kellogg’s “Tony the Tiger.” In 1952, the company founded its Toronto office in order to better service arms of its Chicago clients. By 2001, the Toronto office employed 200 people. The Leo Burnett London office was acquired in the mid 1970’s as part of an expansion into the European continent. By 2001, this office employed over 350 people.

           Otann Beauty Care was a manufacturer of health and beauty products. This company was also founded in Chicago and was one of LB’s original clients and therefore, proved to be a very important relationship to LB. In 1998, OBC announced a new product line called “Forever Young.” This brand was going to be used to target a new segment for OBC and so it was very important that it succeeded. For LB, the success of the “Forever Young” brand would mean more revenue and the potential for more global business from OBC.

           The teams for the campaign were assembled in 1999, with the London office leading the campaign, and with satellite teams in Toronto and Taipei that were in charge of their local markets. Janet Carmichael, a Canadian working in the London office, was appointed team leader for the product line.  The leader formed the Toronto office, Geoff Davis, and the Taipei office, Cathy Lee, were going to be the main links to the London office. All work produced by the Taipei and Toronto office required approval from London.

London was in charge of coming up with a creative template and passing it along to Toronto and Taipei. Traditionally, each team would then adapt the template into their own market. The Taiwanese team was allowed to do this. They would re-film the TV ad to star an Asian actress and retake the photos to show how the product benefits Asian skin. The message conveyed in these ads would...