Enterprise - Series 3 - Programme 4 - ABM Advertising

Anglia Television: programme about ABM advertising including interviews with Peter Marsh and Rod Allen.

Enterprise opening titles. Peter Marsh, Chairman of the ABM advertising company, is on stage addressing an imaginary audience. The commentator explains how Peter Marsh hired out a theatre in his advertising campaign for Woolworths. Marsh explains how the company suffers from preconceptions of not being modern. On the stage, he rips off the unfashionable brown suit to reveal a white one underneath, to demonstrate how Woolworths is modern underneath this preconception. Shot of a Woolworth’s advert for nylon sheets and pens. Interview with Peter Marsh who talks about the enjoyable aspects of his role in advertising. Clip of a Cyril Lord Carpets advertisement with Peter Marsh. Marsh talks about how Cyril Lord were their first employers and so helped the ABM business grow. The commentator states that Marsh still relishes the big performance. Clip of Peter Marsh talking on stage about his partner Rod Allen’s role in the adverts. Interview with Rod Allen who states that they do some of the happiest advertising in the industry and that the aim of their adverts is to bring out a company’s personality. Clip of a Woolworth’s advert. Interview with a man who criticizes ABM advertising by stating that it is basic and controversial. These adverts are controversial as they cost such a lot of money to make. Interview with a Woolworth’s executive who defends their decision to make these adverts and how they spent 4 million pounds on their advertising campaign this year. He explains that it is not a frightening amount of money when you relate it to the total sales they receive. Shot of Allen and Marsh on the stage doing a song and dance routine. Interview with a man criticizing the adverts by stating that they are vulgar and rely too much on song and dance routines. Shot of a factory with the sign ‘The Home of Home Pac’ above it. Shot of people in the factory packing boxes. Interview with Woolworth’s executive who says that the advertising is an effective way to make sure people remember the store. Clip of a Woolworths advert. Interview with Rod Allen who talks about the techniques they use to make an advert stick in people’s minds. Interview with a critic of ABM advertising. Interview with Woolworth’s executive who talks about the money they spend on advertising and how they have to be competitive in the high street. Shot of Marsh and Allen practising their Enterprise jingle. The commentator explains how they do lengthy market research before they create their adverts. Interview with Peter Marsh who talks about his upbringing and how that has affected his career. Another shot of Marsh and Allen singing. Interview with Peter Marsh where he talks about his image and how you can’t be in the public eye without facing criticism. An aerial shot of smoky rooftops. Interview with ABM Advertising critic. Interview with Rod Allen where he says that he doesn’t think of tunes but thinks of words. He talks about the adverts he’s created and how the commercial for Berger was his favourite. Clip of Berger advert. Shot of Marsh and Allen working on a cartoon advertising the Sealink ferry service. They discuss the cartoons with the designers. Close up of the cartoon drawings of ships. Shot of a Sealink ferry on the sea. Interview with a Sealink official on board a ferry, while Allen and Marsh stand either side of him. He talks about why he changed advertising companies and why they chose ABM Advertising. Shot of a Sealink ferry on the sea. Marsh talks about the advertising campaign. Shot of an advertising meeting about how the advert can get maximum exposure at the cheapest rate. Close ups of staff on the phone to newspapers. Camera pans over a large Woolworths store as the commentator explains that the company has been criticised for the amount of money they spend on advertising. Interview with Marsh about how much money he earns. Interview with critic of ABM Advertising. Interview with Marsh where the interviewer comments on the large amount of jewellery he wears. Close ups of his jewellery. Close up of a suit of armour in the corner of Marsh’s boardroom. Marsh addresses the board meeting. Shot of Allen and Marsh singing the Enterprise jingle.

Keywords

Advertising; Advertising Jingles; Adverts; Business; Businessmen; Entrepreneurism; Shopping; Woolworths;

Background Information

In 1965, Peter Marsh joined Rod Allen and Mike Brady to start Allen, Brady & Marsh advertising. At the time of this Anglia TV documentary in 1979, ABM had grown to become a top ten UK agency, the fastest-growing ad agency in Europe. ABM advertising stands for Allen, Brady and Marsh advertising.