While 2024 has certainly been a challenge for many, marketers have shown huge resilience despite being forced to do more with less. And, as ever, many campaigns fell well short while others excelled, and here we detail those that hit top marks on the Decision Marketing Adometer – and one that hit rock bottom.
Amnesty ‘Before our Eyes’: This is 21st century Britain
Devised by agency Shape History, “Before Our Eyes” challenged viewers to reconsider their perspectives on human rights violations, highlighting that they are not only a distant problem but a reality throughout the UK today.
At the heart of the campaign, Amnesty elevated the role of celebrities beyond spokespeople for a cause, integrating them into a dramatised narrative based on real situations that embraced their storytelling.
Our verdict: Over 31,000 children aged four and under are admitted to hospitals in England each year with respiratory conditions caused or exacerbated by damp and mould; 34 kids died between 2019 and 2022 with homelessness and temporary accommodation factors contributing to their vulnerability, ill health or death; 29% of children in the UK are living in poverty. Watch it. Take it in. Act. This is not a drama. This is the reality of 21st century Britain.
IWD 2024 Scottish Widows Beat the Gap: Time to act
Designed to coincide with International Women’s Day, this campaign from Scottish Widows highlighted the major issue of the pension gap, which, despite being more than double the size of the gender pay gap, goes virtually unreported.
The activity saw Scottish Widows launch a TikTok takeover to drive impact and awareness to a younger audience, with content creators demonstrated how to use a pension gap tool and learn how their individual experience affected their pension pot.
It was supported by tactical OOH activity placed at high-dwell sites to give audiences time to process the message and act, driving action from women and male allies and traffic to beatthegap.com.
Our verdict: In the depressing absence of state help, young women will be forced to sort out this issue for themselves; the first step is raising awareness and hopefully this activity will get the message across. If not, the younger generation, who are already facing years in rental properties, will endure a miserable retirement too.
Prost8 UK ‘The Other Prostate Check’: No ifs, no butts
While prostate cancer is one of highest cancer risks for men – one man dies from prostate cancer every 45 minutes and it is forecast that there will be 500,000 new diagnoses in the next decade – it is treatable when found in time. But what puts people many off being tested is the myth that it can only be done through a finger up the bum.
Enter this campaign from Prost8 UK, featuring a series of “eye-catching” posters, devised by agency TBWA\MCR, which show there is another way.
At first sight they seemingly depicted bums of all shapes, sizes and colours. But they actually showed arms all shapes, sizes and colours to depict how the test can be done with a simple blood test.
Our verdict: Oh how we winced as the posters emerged with seemingly more hairy arses than at the annual Print Week Awards. But no, dear readers, it is not a bum campaign, this is a genius use of photography to highlight a very serious issue. And if it gets even a few fellas to go for a blood test it will have done its job…
Central Office of Public Interest: Kicking up a stink
With figures from the Environment Agency showing sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled last year, from 1.75 million hours in 2022 to 3.6 million hours of spills in 2023, this is quite literally a stinking issue.
Developed by agency AMV BBDO, the “Smear Campaign” was designed to flag up the problem by using a hyper-realistic font made from excrement and other raw sewage products to call out the perpetrators. By using live sewage dump data, COPI and AMV BBDO projected their message on top landmarks near sewage outlets, alongside live billboards outside Parliament and in affected boroughs.
The campaign also highlighted how sewage dumps are negatively impacting the public’s daily lives, with statements such as: “Your dog is drinking this”, “Your MPs voted for this”, and “You’re swimming in this”.
Our verdict: Let’s be honest, the Government and its ministers have been turning a blind eye to this issue for far too long. While, we rarely venture into the English Channel, and our local river, the Adur, is far too treacherous due to its tidal pull, for once, it is not just about us, it is about all the animals – and the watersports enthusiasts, the swimmers and the paddlers – that are affected. Unleash hell.
KFC Ultimate BBQ Burger: Reigning supreme in the rain
This summer campaign introduced KFC’s Ultimate BBQ Burger with a film in which the archetypal images of perfect BBQ conditions were flipped to be something that is actually more and more likely, rain, rain and more rain.
Devised by Mother, it focused on scenes that showcase a more common reality of summertime Britain, at a time of the year when most brands are portraying idyllic blue skies and endless sunny weather.
Our verdict: This is in a different league to the Twister Wrap push, which tried to convince consumers that you could have a KFC for lunch and still get on with your work. The soundtrack helps, of course, but this ad is a far more classy affair and a classic twist on the traditional “let’s have fun because summer is here” nonsense…
Cadbury Dairy Milk &More: More, more, more, please
To back the launch of its latest “indulgent creation”, the Cadbury Dairy Milk &More bar, with bigger chunks and more combinations of flavours than ever before, VCCP London celebrated the bar’s depth by showcasing the distracting power of its fillings, declaring that “there’s a lot to take in”.
Central to the campaign was an out of home activation: a series of “distracted” ads. Within the poster, the eye-catching Dairy Milk &More bar grabbed the attention of neighbouring ads, and the people featured within them couldn’t help but stare. It was backed by two 20” films, crafted to be amusing, sharp and for the message to land in a short space of time.
Our verdict: Like most offices, we love chocolate; then again, what’s not to like? We also love a distraction; then again, if you worked here, you would, too. As for the ads, they’re classic VCCP London, and as on-brand as you could get.
Movember Missing Father’s Day Cards: Speak up dads
Mental health charity Movember honoured those dads who have lost their lives to health conditions, including prostate cancer, or to suicide, with a set of cards as artwork. Illustrated by Andrew Rae, each one featured a short poem and drawing based on families’ favourite memories and stories of their fathers.
Movember CEO Michelle Terry said: “At a time when men’s health is taking a worrying dip against a backdrop of economic and social unrest, urgent collective action is needed to make men’s health a national priority, and for the next government to put this issue front and centre of their plans if we are to holt the unacceptable decline.”
Our verdict: Naturally, dads can be annoying; for many it’s their raison d’être, but for those people whose dads are no longer around this can be a tough time of year. So, come on, let’s take the message of this campaign further to ensure all dads are around for as long as possible. Even so, you dads also have a role to play in making sure you are there for your kids, too. Just get help when you need it and stop being so bloody stubborn.
Refugease ‘The Unsafest Journey’: Time to turn the tide
Based on the simple but sobering message of “Some journeys cost everything. Help refugees avoid this journey by donating the cost of yours”, this activity contrasted commuters’ experiences with those of refugees and called on travellers to help the displaced avoid this journey by donating the cost of theirs to Refugease.
Devised by creative agency Havas London, “The Unsafest Journey” was inspired by a creative ‘Look Ahead’ competition, launched by Contagious, Global and Transport for London, which invited entrants to submit eye-catching, sharable, experiential OOH campaigns that would take tube passengers on an unforgettable journey.
Our verdict: For too long Brits have been caught up in the “Stop the Boats” rhetoric when we should be actually helping refugees. And, let’s face it, everyone in the UK’s life is touched and improved by immigration. The people who argue against immigration are the very same people who no doubt love nothing more than an Indian on a Friday night… Many refugees are desperate; they need our help. You can either turn the tide or turn the other cheek. Which will choose?
2024 Paralympics Legacy Initiative: If not now, when?
The Paralympics Legacy Initiative from Channel 4 Sales, Bupa and Purple Goat was led by a 50-second spot which aimed to highlight the disparity between the size of the UK’s disabled population and the level of advertising which features disabled people.
It first aired during this week’s opening ceremony and ran during three key programming spots of the Games.
Our verdict: Adland has at least tackled some of its “male, pale and stale” issues, with more and more ads representative of the nation’s different cultures, so why disabled people are still getting the cold shoulder is anyone’s guess.
And while this may not be the most creative of campaigns, hopefully it will make clients and their agencies wake up to the facts. After all, a barrage of ads every four years when the Paralympics is on TV is simply not good enough.
Greenpeace ‘Dove Real Beauty’: The ugly side of Unilever
While the marketing plaudits continue to roll in for Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ strategy, it is Unilever’s environmental record which continues to irk many. None more so than Greenpeace, which timed this film to mark the 20th anniversary of the launch campaign.
Mirroring the original, it featured pairs of mothers and daughters in conversation. The pairs begin by discussing their positive reactions to Dove’s marketing, before the true scale of the brand’s plastic waste and its devastating impacts were revealed – bringing with it strong feelings of shock and revulsion.
Our verdict: Long gone are the days when groups like Greenpeace were seen as cranks and their environmental concerns viewed as hippy nonsense. This is a powerful yet subtle film which is a much needed reminder that, behind all the great marketing and advertising, there must be action to not harm the planet. So, what’s your excuse Unilever?
Ikea and Shelter Unwelcome Home: Time for action
Ikea and Shelter joined forces to raise awareness of the fact that there are 151,630 homeless children living in temporary accommodation, with many suffering mouldy walls, rats, dangerous wiring, cramped spaces and mattresses on the floor.
It was backed by an installation which saw the retailer convert its Flisat Doll’s Houses into “Unwelcome Homes” on display in London Wembley, Manchester (Ashton-under-Lyne) and Birmingham (Wednesbury) stores.
The initiative urged people to take a closer look at the scale of the problem and to sign an open letter calling on the Government to commit to building 90,000 social rent homes each year for ten years.
Our verdict: If that doesn’t move you, you need help. It is a shame this initiative is not being rolled out to the entire Ikea store network as this is a nationwide crisis. All we can do is urge everyone to sign the open letter, calling on the Government to commit to building genuinely affordable social rent homes.
Co-op Live ‘Proper Sound’: A blend of rhyme and reason
Who better than to wax lyrical about the Co-op Live venue than legendary Mancunian poet John Cooper Clarke with a self-penned poem, ‘Proper Sound’, highlighting the enduring connection between Co-op and Manchester, emphasising the impact of Co-op’s presence in the community over the years?
The poem was written in Clarke’s signature punk style, and brought to life by agency Lucky Generals and ad production company Iconoclast.
He opened with the line: “Through pea soup fog on clickety clogs, back in the days of outdoor bogs, where to go for your Sunday togs, when it’s raining cats and dogs…Why shop around when you could pop around to shop in a shop that’s proper sound since a pound note was a proper pound. A town is not a town without the old Co-op around. Proper sound.”
Our verdict: At last, a brand endorsement that is truly genuine and with John Cooper Clarke you have Manchester – and the Co-op – on a plate, so what’s not to love?
Salford Lads’ & Girls’ Club: Who is rich and who is poor?
Established in 1904, the Salford Lads’ & Girls’ Club is said to be way more than just a community centre, it is a cornerstone of Salford’s cultural heritage and a cradle of British musical history, thanks in no small way to featuring on the cover of The Smiths’ third studio album, The Queen Is Dead,
However, the club has suffered a drop in grant income in an increasingly competitive field. Last year its annual income was £160,000, while its outgoings came to £394,700.
To help drum up vital fundraising support, Dentsu joined forces with the North West’s media community for the campaign, with 140 out-of-home billboards and digital advertising sites donated by Clear Channel, JCDecaux, and Ocean Outdoor.
It was further supported by a broader media push, with charitably donated advertising space from Spotify, Blis and LadBible, with cinema and radio to follow from Home and Global, amplifying the campaign’s reach.
Our verdict: Naturally, this campaign is a great collaboration. But what about the hundreds of other such institutions which are under threat? For some inexplicable reason, people seem more concerned with the plight of a few privileged multi-millionaire farmers than they are with millions of underprivileged British youngsters. To channel The Smiths for a moment, “please, please, please let them get what they want this time”…
Verisure home security: Is this what sells these days?
And, finally to Verisure, whose first campaign by Brothers & Sisters was fronted by Strictly Come Dancing, One Show and Your Home Made Perfect star Angela Scanlon.
It opened with the Irish presenter sitting opposite a rather sad, nerdy looking bloke, who quite possibly is supposed to have special needs but most definitely has just been burgled.
As Scanlon sups on her cuppa, she said something along the lines of: “If burglars are after even this bloke’s stuff, we should all be worried. Get a Verisure alarm now.” (We admit, this is only an approximation as we have only seen this ad once and it has received no PR and is not even available on YouTube, so you will have to take our word for it.)
Our verdict: Taking the piss out of people with special needs might have been a Little Britain speciality but is this really acceptable in advertising? (Hence no pic.) Naturally, we would not expect anything different from Verisure but, come on Brothers & Sisters, is this the best you can do? Interestingly, it has never aired again…
