In August 1986, WPP acquired Mando, marking the beginning of a 40 year relationship that has made Mando WPP’s longest-owned company
As I look back on that history, it’s incredible to think just how much Mando has changed. I’ve been part of the business for almost 30 years, so I’ve had the privilege of seeing a huge amount of that evolution first hand.
What began as a photographic company has transformed into a promotional marketing agency specialising in sales promotions, loyalty, partnerships and rewards. Our team has changed and grown considerably too, but one thing has remained constant throughout: the people behind Mando.
I wanted to take a look back at where we came from, some of the moments that have shaped us and, most importantly, the people who continue to make Mando what it is today.
From Photographic Film to Promotional Marketing
Mando’s story actually began more than 50 years ago as a photographic company. And when I talk about that history, it’s always quite amusing to think about just how different the world was then. When I recently filmed the video to celebrate our anniversary outside our Mando offices with a piece of photographic film in my hand – I suspect many people looking at it today wouldn’t have the slightest idea what it is!
One of the early examples of Mando’s promotional thinking came through a partnership with Kellogg’s. One of our founders knew someone at Kellogg’s and managed to get the marketing director interested in putting Mando film on the outside of Kellogg’s packaging.
The idea was simple but incredibly clever for the time: collect two tokens from your Kellogg’s boxes and you could receive a free roll of photographic film.
This was long before first-party data became the hugely important part of marketing that it is today, but the principle was already there – giving consumers a reason to engage with a brand and providing an incentive to take action. But, as technology changed, so did consumer expectations, and Mando needed to change with them.
Brands such as Kellogg’s, McVitie’s and the Radio Times eventually no longer wanted to use photographic film as promotional material. They still wanted to offer something valuable to their customers, though – and they still wanted to know what that promotion was going to cost them.
That was the turning point for Mando.
The founders apparently went away, played some golf and came back with the idea of setting up a fixed fee company rather than continuing as a photographic business!
And so Mando became a fixed fee promotional marketing company, working with major blue-chip brands and taking on the risks associated with delivering promotions for a guaranteed cost.
That change in direction, combined with Mando’s strong client relationships and growth, was what attracted WPP.
40 Years as Part of WPP
When we found some paperwork confirming that WPP purchased Mando in August 1986, it was quite something to see. Forty years is a long time and to now be able to say that Mando is WPP’s longest owned company is a milestone that I think everyone at Mando can be incredibly proud of.
It’s also remarkable when you think about how much the marketing industry has changed over those four decades.
We’ve gone from photographic film and physical tokens to digital promotions, loyalty platforms, partnerships, rewards and increasingly sophisticated data-driven customer experiences. The way brands communicate with consumers has changed beyond recognition. The technology we use has changed. Consumer expectations have changed… and Mando has continually evolved alongside them.
That ability to adapt has been a huge part of our story.
The People Behind 40 years of Mando
But when I think about 40 years of Mando being part of WPP, I don’t think first about the services we offer or the technology we use. I think about the people.
Today, our team includes colleagues whose start dates span from 1997 all the way through to 2026.
We’re incredibly proud to have team members who have been with us for almost 30 years, five colleagues with more than 20 years’ service, one with over 15 years, four approaching 10 years – and so many more who bring their talent, energy and personality to Mando every day. Longevity like this is something really special, and it’s not something you see in many workplaces today.
I’ve now been at Mando for almost 30 years myself, and when people ask me why I’ve stayed for so long, I always come back to the same things: the people, the collaboration, the respect and the fun.
Those are the things that make Mando such a brilliant place to work.
Of course, the team has changed enormously since I joined, but that sense of connection and the relationships we build with one another have remained incredibly important.
Looking Back – and Looking Ahead
When I think about my own Mando journey, there are plenty of promotions that stand out to me. I was so pleased with my first promotion that I actually framed it!
It was a £20 cashback promotion for Flymo, and it taught me a lot about fixed fee promotions and the risks that come with them. The campaign started in March, and apparently 60–70% of lawnmowers are purchased when people make their first cut over the Easter bank holiday weekend. So, if you don’t get a good start to the year, things aren’t looking great.
Unfortunately, it rained all weekend!
No one cut their grass, sales were low and Mando were very happy with me – although I’d like to point out that, despite being many things, I am definitely not a weather God! It was a great early lesson that the success of a promotion can depend on so many external variables, some of which you simply can’t control.
Then there are the promotions that become personal memories.
One of my favourites will always be a Pepperami Fanimal promotion. Not necessarily because of the campaign itself, but because of the memories it created for me and my family. Thanks to that promotion, my little boys – who obviously aren’t little boys anymore – grew up thinking that a referee was another word for a Veggie!
Those are the kinds of stories that make a career in this industry so enjoyable. Behind every promotion there’s a team, a client, a challenge and, very often, a story that stays with you long after the campaign has finished.
Here’s to the next chapter
Reaching 40 years as part of WPP is an achievement I’m incredibly proud of. But what makes the milestone particularly meaningful to me is the people who have been part of the journey. From those who helped shape Mando in its early years, through to the colleagues joining us today, every person has played a part in creating the business we have now.
Four decades after WPP acquired Mando, we’re proud to be WPP’s longest owned company – and I’m even prouder of the people who continue to shape our story.
I have no doubt that our team, our clients, our capabilities and the marketing landscape will continue to evolve. If the last 40 years have taught me anything, it’s that adapting, collaborating and having the right people around you can create something that lasts.
So, here’s to our past, our present and everything still to come.
And to the amazing Mando team who continue to bring talent, energy, personality and a little bit of fun to what we do every day!
