Space city and the evolution of TV commercials

There are several examples of how the world has seen technology evolving and improving lives—for instance, the evolution of gadgets. Back in the time, almost every gadget was either large in size or immobile, but today all those gadgets have shrunk into mobile phones. Similar is the case with TV advertisements. In the pre-internet days' TV advertisements were carried out via fuzzy old televisions, cheesy infomercials on radio, and billboards – this was the golden era of advertising. But as technology evolved and enhanced human lives, TV commercials also saw a shift. And when talking about evolution in TV commercials, one name appears at the top - ‘Space City.’ It is a UK based renowned advertising agency that helped revolutionize TV commercials and gave it a new vision.

In earlier times, ‘selling’ was the sole purpose of broadcasting TV advertisements. Cartoon characters such as Tony the Tiger for Frosted Flakes and Snap, Crackle, and Pop for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies were introduced only because the brands wanted to attract their target audience and wanted to sell their products at all costs. There was no brainstorming or a clear idea as to what the mascots were purposed to do. TV campaigns that were sole-less and lacked morality had become a trend, and somebody had to put a stop to it. Space City righteously did so.

Founded by Victor van Amerongen and Amanda Alexander in 1992, Space City was formed with an aim to ‘create advertisements that have an impact.’ They were the torchbearers for introducing the concept of creative advertisements with a message. Victor and Amanda both had profound knowledge and experience of working in this domain. The pair knew exactly what was missing and filled the communication gap between the audience and the brands with their thoughtful concepts and professional approach towards ad creation.

Within a very short span, Space City had established itself as a well-reputed and trustable brand. They were popular for their out of the box approaches and creative ideas that presented the gist of the product without sounding promotional.

TV commercials produced by the Space City received appreciation from the masses and a few of the critics. They focused on brand awareness and community building rather than having a ‘sell’ mentality. Their commercials presented a different perspective for the customer to look at the product and convinced them eventually to buy the product. The unique approach of Space City’s creative heads to not treat the product as the 'centerpiece' worked magically. The sales trajectory of the products they advertised with the same unique approach had seen a positive change. Space City’s ad campaigns were distinguished from the rest as they presented the solution to the customer's problems in the form of the product they were selling.

Space City had sensed a change in the customer's behavior and the way they consumed advertised products. Due to the fake promotional strategies that several brands opted for, TV advertising had lost its essence. A lack of trust was sensed between the consumers and the advertisements. So they decided to change their approach and present content that was not only helpful but also provided a solution to their problem without mainstreaming the product.

Due to Space City's distinctive ideas, it has managed to stand out as one of the UK's best advertising agencies. With billings of over £50 million, it is ranked at the 28th position in the Campaign Magazine Chart of UK agencies. High-quality and great concepts have made Space City top the Televisual magazine poll year after the other for producing more TV commercials than any other UK company.

Known for its expertise in the production of Direct Response (DRTV) commercials, Space City is popular for its catchy jingles that stick into the customer's head for a long time and, to some extent, influences their shopping behaviors.

The company’s high-end and loyal clientele includes Alzheimer’s Society, BGL Group (Beagle Street), British Heart Foundation, British Seniors, Cadbury’s, Dairy Crest, Diet Chef, Emerald Waterways, Emma Mattress, Everyday Loans, Greater Anglia Trains, and Nestle. Space City has been nominated and won several notable business awards such as the Hammersmith & Fulham ‘Employer of the Year’ and ‘Best Creative Business’ accolades, and the SME News ‘Best Commercial Advertising Agency 2020.'

With original and visionary concepts, Space City is surely headed on the right track to stir a change in the traditional advertising campaigns and kill ad-skipping and dreading culture.

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