INGO Stockholm

INGO Stockholm is a Swedish advertising agency based in Stockholm, created through the merger of the Grey and Ogilvy agencies in Stockholm. The agency is part of the WPP network, which had owned both Grey and Ogilvy globally since 2005. The merger was announced in November 2010, and the combined agency was named INGO in February 2011. Its full corporate name is Initiativ Nya Grey Ogilvy INGO AB. The agency describes itself as a boutique network agency that builds famous brands through cutting-edge creativity, combining the speed and agility of a boutique with the trusted experience of a network agency. INGO works across advertising, brand strategy, and campaign creation for a range of clients. Notable clients have included Lidl, Burger King, IKEA, Coca-Cola, Deutsche Telekom, Marabou, and Svenska Turistföreningen (STF). The agency is known for high-profile creative campaigns such as "The Swedish Number" for STF, the fictional luxury restaurant "Dill" (an anagram of Lidl) in 2013, and several Burger King campaigns including "Moldy Whopper," "All About The Whopper," and "Craft a Western Whopper." Its work has received major industry awards, including a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the "Dill" campaign. Leadership at INGO has evolved since its founding. Sten Andersen, formerly CEO of Grey Stockholm, became the first CEO of the merged agency, with Håkan Karlsvärd as deputy CEO and Björn Ståhl as executive creative director. Karlsvärd took over as CEO before the end of 2011. Ståhl left the agency in September 2022, and in 2023 Hanna Stenwall and Anna Salonen took over creative leadership. The agency continues to operate as part of the WPP network, producing campaigns for Swedish and international brands.

INGO Stockholm was formed through the merger of the Grey and Ogilvy agencies in Stockholm, both of which had long histories in Sweden. Grey Stockholm, previously known as Grey Momentum, was created in 2000 through the merger of Observera Grey and Almén Direkt. Ogilvy's Swedish operations traced back to the founding of Svenska Telegrambyrån in 1891, which was acquired by Ogilvy & Mather in the 1970s and later adopted the parent company's name. Since 2005, both the Grey and Ogilvy networks had been owned by WPP, though they continued to operate as competitors in Sweden. In November 2010, Grey Stockholm and Ogilvy Stockholm announced they would merge into a single agency. Sten Andersen, CEO of Grey, became CEO of the combined agency; Håkan Karlsvärd, acting CEO of Ogilvy, became deputy CEO; and Björn Ståhl became executive creative director. Grey also owned the Gothenburg agency SCP (later Grey Gothenburg), but it was not part of the merger. In February 2011, the merged agency's name was presented as INGO, with the full corporate name Initiativ Nya Grey Ogilvy INGO AB. Sten Andersen left before the end of 2011, and Håkan Karlsvärd became CEO. INGO continued Grey's work for Lidl and created several campaigns aimed at showing that Lidl's food could not be distinguished in quality from that sold in other stores. One notable example was the fictional luxury restaurant Dill (an anagram of Lidl) in 2013. The "Dill" campaign won multiple awards, including a Gold Lion at Cannes. Ogilvy had created an advertising concept for Delicato that played on health messages, launched in autumn 2006; INGO further developed this until 2015, when Delicato changed agencies. INGO also created "The Swedish Number," a campaign for the Swedish Tourist Association (Svenska turistföreningen) featuring a phone number that connects callers to a randomly selected Swede. Other clients have included Löfbergs Lila and Burger King. In September 2022, it was announced that Björn Ståhl would leave the agency. Creative leadership was taken over in 2023 by Hanna Stenwall and Anna Salonen. The agency continues to operate as part of the WPP network, producing campaigns for a range of Swedish and international brands.

• 2023

  Hanna Stenwall and Anna Salonen take over creative leadership.

• 2022

  Björn Ståhl announces departure in September.

• 2015

  Delicato changes agency after INGO's work since 2006.

• 2013

  Fictional luxury restaurant Dill campaign for Lidl wins Gold Lion at Cannes.

• 2011

  Merged agency named INGO in February; full name Initiativ Nya Grey Ogilvy INGO AB.

• 2011

  Sten Andersen leaves; Håkan Karlsvärd becomes CEO.

• 2010

  Grey Stockholm and Ogilvy Stockholm announce merger in November.

• 2005

  WPP acquires both Grey and Ogilvy networks globally.

• 2000

  Grey Momentum formed through merger of Observera Grey and Almén Direkt.

• 1891

  Svenska Telegrambyrån founded, later acquired by Ogilvy & Mather and renamed Ogilvy.

Boutique network agency combining cutting-edge creativity with the scale and trust of a global network, focused on building famous brands and delivering lasting business impact.

• The Swedish Number

  Campaign featuring a phone number connecting callers to a random Swede.

• Dill

  Fictional luxury restaurant campaign (anagram of Lidl) launched in 2013, awarded Gold Lion at Cannes.

• Moldy Whopper

  Campaign for Burger King.

• All About The Whopper

  Campaign for Burger King.

• Craft a Western Whopper

  Campaign for Burger King.

• Delicato health-message concept

  Advertising concept playing on health messages, launched autumn 2006, developed by INGO until 2015.

• 2013Dill
• 2006Delicato health-message concept
• The Swedish Number
• Moldy Whopper
• All About The Whopper
• Craft a Western Whopper

1. 1INGO Stockholm official websiteingostockholm.se
2. 2Ingo Stockholm – Wikipedia (Swedish)sv.wikipedia.org
3. 3INGO Stockholm – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4INGOingostockholm.se