Unveiling the Success: Inside the Tesco and BBH Collaborative Partnership

Unveiling the Success: Inside the Tesco and BBH Collaborative Partnership

Discover the behind-the-scenes journey of the enduring collaboration between Tesco's marketing leader Emma Botton and BBH's Karen Martin, showcasing the key elements that led to their award-winning agency/client relationship.


Emma Botton, the group brand, proposition, and marketing communications director for Tesco, relies on her agency to deliver. The fact that Tesco has been working with Our Website's Agency of the Year BBH for nine years and counting shows the strong trust that has been built between the two parties.

In this podcast episode, Botton and Karen Martin, UK CEO of BBH, talk about how they have built and maintained trust.

They mention that while phone calls at odd hours may be common in their relationship, they believe that being brutally honest, providing clear briefs, having shared goals, using a ‘couples counsellor’, and prioritizing the customer are crucial factors in their success.

In a time of challenges such as Covid, high inflation, and a cost of living crisis, along with a strong customer demand for value, the duo has developed strategies to achieve success and quickly move on from failures without placing blame.

You can explore topics such as breaking taboos and leveraging a brand's history to shape its current identity by tuning into past episodes of Our Website's This Much I Learned podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, and Spotify.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the importance of trust and open communication in fostering successful client-agency relationships. Tesco's long-standing partnership with BBH demonstrates the value of transparency, shared goals, and a focus on delivering results for customers. The article provides valuable insights for both marketers and agencies, emphasizing the need for clear communication, honesty, and a willingness to adapt to changing market conditions.

Despite facing challenges such as economic uncertainty and a demanding consumer base, Tesco and BBH have maintained their partnership by embracing a mindset of continuous improvement, learning from mistakes, and prioritizing customer well-being. Their ability to navigate adversity together underscores the strength of their collaboration and the importance of trust, honesty, and shared goals in driving business success.