SHOCK ADVERTISING.

ABC’s Nightline invited our agency President Bob Molineaux onto their program about shock advertising and featured our work for the Meth Project. In the debate over the effectiveness of using graphic ads, we’re proud to say our work for the Meth Project is winning. In the five years since they’ve been running, teen meth use is down by 63% and adult use by 72% in the state of Montana. Watch the show here.

THE SF EGOTISTS ASKS. PAUL ANSWERS.

This week, the San Francisco Egotist featured Paul in a Q&A. Read here about the best advice he ever received, why the world doesn’t need another ad agency, and why he thinks San Francisco trumps New York.

HE CAN’T TYPE.

But boy can he run an ad agency. Listen to this BrandTrackers podcast and hear how Paul Venables rose from receptionist to advertising entrepreneur without ever passing a typing test.

VB&P UNPLUGGED.

Last month, advertising blog I Have An Idea came into VB&P to find out what’s in our secret sauce. After sitting down with Partners Paul Venables and Lucy Farey-Jones to learn about our agency’s culture, work and philosophy, author Maya Zaremba concluded, VB&P’s “very unique culture and creative approach will have us banging at their door and begging to be let in for as long as we work in advertising.” Read about what makes us so unique here.

THE OLD WORLD MEETS THE NEW.

Want to know what the New York Times said about the meteoric rise of the automobile circa 1914? Or when astronauts landed on the moon in 1969? Then check out our expandable takeover of the New York Times homepage that celebrates the century’s great achievements via a virtual museum of original New York Times articles. This Intel-sponsored tour begins right here.

INSPIRATION, VB&P STYLE.

Paul Venables was recently asked by Fast Company’s 30 Second MBA how he inspires employees. Instead of using the allotted 30 seconds, Paul provided a three word answer. See it here.

AND THE GOLD GOES TO…..

In an article on the best of this year’s Olympics advertising, New York Times Advertising Columnist Stuart Elliott gave our Audi spot “Spell” a gold medal, praising it for the fact that it “cleverly spoofed status-seeking.” Watch it here.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON VIZIO.

Sands Research, a leading neuromarketing firm, measured brain activity in correlation with synchronized eye-tracking of all sixty-three Super Bowl commercials to determine actual viewer engagement. VB&P’s VIZIO “Forge” spot was named the second most effective commercial. You can even see the ad alongside a brain scan to see how the content of the commercial affects the central nervous system. Check it out. Your brain will love it.

WE’RE CRACK DEALERS.

In a post about our new Intel “Generations” TV spot, popular ad blog, Agency Spy writes, “This ad makes two campaigns from Venables Bell & Partners that I like. They’re crack dealers over there. The first campaign was a pair of Audi-is-better-than-everyone ads which we showed you last week. By the way those spots have a combined total 70,000+ views on YouTube and a lot of commentary. Who says TV is dead?”

Thanks, Agency Spy. We’re blushing over here.

I’M STILL GROWING.

This week the San Francisco Business Times profiled VB&P’s growth in a terrible recession as its cover story. Paul Venables told the paper, “I’m still hiring. I’m still growing.” Pretty sure he wasn’t referring to his expanding waistline, but rather the agency’s new biz roll. Venables credits the Intel and ConocoPhillips wins, as well as additional assignments from Audi and Coke, for the agency’s impressive revenue and staff growth in 2009. Read more about it here.