Ah the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, a time for hot-crossed buns, chocolate eggs, big roast dinners…and, er, gardening and DIY. With spring in the air and four days off, this time of year has always been when big projects come to the fore.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the busiest time of the year for the UK’s biggest DIY chain, B&Q, too and right on time here comes a new ad campaign designed to promote the retailer’s role in helping Brits make the most of their homes and gardens.
But, set against the cost of living crisis, B&Q wants to help its customers make the most of the season by nailing down hundreds of prices across spring essentials, from barbecues to lawnmowers.
The new “Prices. Nailed” campaign, created by Uncommon, takes a decidedly arty approach. The film opens to a collection of everyday items, each chosen to highlight household goods rising in price. From a carton of eggs to a bag of flour – the camera slowly pans across the inverted scene to show these inflated essentials hanging upside down against an abstract studio backdrop.
As the music builds, we begin to see certain items cut loose. A pint of milk splatters everywhere, a piggy bank smashes with the money saved now lost. According to the official blurb, “these moments were crafted to directly reflect the financial strains and struggles the UK is facing right now as we continue to face cost of living challenges”.
As the film draws to an end, we see a range of items left behind which form the shape of a hammer – which are B&Q’s nailed down priced products.
The film will be airing across TV, VOD, digital and social for one month – the integrated campaign also includes radio as well as outdoor and press executions launching later this month.
B&Q marketing director Tom Hampson said: “Spring is always an important time of year for our customers, who turn their attention to resetting their gardens and giving their inside spaces a makeover.
“With rising prices across household bills, we know the dynamics will be different this year, but we still want to help our customers make the most of spring. That’s why we’ve nailed down prices on hundreds of essential spring products. We’re so pleased to be launching our ‘Prices. Nailed’ campaign to shout about it with this beautifully crafted piece of work from our long standing partners at Uncommon.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, of course, we are no different from everyone else in the country, we love a spot of gardening and begrudgingly we even do DIY now and again. Whether this ad will get us rushing to B&Q, however, is another matter.
Yes, it’s all very clever, but in a way that’s the issue. We may be wrong – it wouldn’t be the first time – but this ad seems more designed to hammer home the point to adland creatives rather than to classic DIYers, although the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Still, Tom Hampson seems pretty chuffed with it…
Decision Marketing Adometer: A ‘little too clever for its own boots’ 7 out of 10
