British Creativity Goes Global

"I am like the Champagne of UK Advertising, I think. I am half a marketing director for UK Advertising and half an official events company for UK Advertising. In one very, very busy human form. Part of my role is to show the UK Government the effect that UK Advertising has globally and what that means to the UK economy. And on the other hand, we get to go to events like Advertising Week New York and shine a spotlight on just how fantastic UK Advertising is and the impact we have on brands around the world."

Conlon's role is a hybrid of economic diplomacy, industry marketing, and event production that has no direct equivalent in other industries. She represents not a single company but an entire sector, making the commercial case for British advertising talent to international markets while simultaneously documenting the economic impact of that talent for the UK government. The role is funded by a coalition of industry bodies including the IPA, the Advertising Association, and the APA.

"Our research launched at Cannes Lions this year showed that UK Advertising exported 18 billion pounds, which is record-breaking, in 2023. 3.4 billion of that is from the US alone. The US is the biggest market to buy services from the UK."

The scale of UK advertising exports puts the industry alongside other iconic British export sectors in economic significance. The £18 billion figure represents the full breadth of the industry, from global creative agencies to production companies, ad tech businesses, and talent management. The fact that the US is the single largest buyer reflects both the shared language and cultural connections and the depth of relationships that UK advertising companies have built in the American market over decades.

"We did research with PwC on the main drivers behind the success of UK advertising globally. The first one is talent. We have a diverse talent pool from all around the world. A campaign is not going to always automatically translate. Just having that in our arsenal is fantastic. The second thing is our time zone. We can service as one side of the world is waking up while the other is coming to a close. And I think what is also becoming increasingly of interest is price point."

The three competitive advantages that PwC identified represent a distinctive combination. The talent diversity advantage is structural: the UK's position as a global city draws creative talent from everywhere, which means UK agencies genuinely understand international audiences rather than projecting British assumptions onto them. The time zone advantage is geographic: working across both the US and Asian markets from London is practically possible in a way that is much harder from New York or Singapore. The price point advantage is increasingly important as US production costs have risen.

"We hosted a VIP networking experience at the British Consulate Residence where we had over 100 guests join us. They were a mixture of UKAG members, their clients, and guests from the US. Once we announced we were going to do that, the responses from US leaders came in thick and fast. It became the hottest ticket in town. We were turning people away at the door. What made me feel so happy was hearing from everybody today as I walk around who they made friends with last night and the conversations that took place after the event."

The British Consulate Residence in New York is one of the more distinctive event venues available to a UK industry body, combining the credibility of a government connection with the prestige of a genuinely exceptional physical space. The combination of venue, curation of attendees, and the deliberate mixing of UK companies with senior US clients created the conditions for the kind of relationship building that is the stated commercial objective of the delegation. The fact that people were still talking about it the next day is the measure Conlon uses for whether a networking event has actually worked.

"No one seems to have the same model. VCCP and Coffee & TV have their US offices. But then we have other companies who are managing to work in the US but they are doing it from London. It became a lot easier since we all decided that Zoom calls and Teams calls were acceptable. And you look at people like Experience 12, an events company specialising in pop culture and gaming. They are using Advertising Week as a great opportunity to connect with brands and understand more about consumer insights in this market."

The diversity of models reflects the different economics of different types of advertising businesses. For agencies with large accounts requiring ongoing client contact, a US office is typically necessary. For production companies, ad tech businesses, and specialist services, the pandemic demonstrated that transatlantic relationships can be maintained and developed effectively from London, with periodic in-market presence at events like Advertising Week serving as the face-to-face touchpoint that keeps relationships alive.