Belly laughs at HHCL’s new venture

Do you remember when ad agencies insisted on being called boutiques? It conjured up images of George Best in silver flares and platforms.

Well, now that HHCL & Partners has entered the world of catering – sorry TV production – with its new venture HHCL Brasserie, the Diary’s fevered imagination started to consider what might be appropriate for other agencies to add to their businesses. There could be the KHBB Burger Bar, for instance, while its sister agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, might find a mini bar more appropriate.

“Brasserie is designed to act as an analogy for clients,” gushes the agency’s business development director, Mischa Alexander. “They have the option of the full restaurant – that is, HHCL & Partners – or they can go for the brasserie option, which has the same quality food but provides a faster service.”

The Diary feels somewhat nauseous – and it isn’t at the prospect of all that metaphorical food.