2020 was an unforgettable year to say the least. As marketers navigated the challenges of the pandemic, having to execute campaigns remotely and, for quite some time, not being able to get out on shoots, all while trying to keep up to speed on rapidly changing consumer buying habits, the industry had to quickly pivot and adapt with the evolving times.
However, that being said, many brands did manage to cut through the noise with some inspiring, inventive and most-importantly creative campaigns. Here’s our top five from the unprecedented year that was 2020:
Tesco’s No Naughty List
First up, Tesco’s No Naughty List Christmas campaign. Every year consumers across the UK look forward to the Christmas ads that are going to take over our screens for the season and, as we all know, it’s essential that brands get the message right. We certainly think Tesco hit the nail on the head with its ‘No Naughty List’ campaign for 2020, given the year everyone had had. The ad reflected the mood of the nation well, contained comedic snippets of confessions from members of the public and most importantly, encouraged us not to be too hard on ourselves. The use of Britney’s well-known noughties hit added a bit of nostalgia and the festive products that were seamlessly integrated into the content left our mouths watering. Our client BBF even got in on the action, with the Finest Chocolate Orange and Maple Bauble Cake it had produced for the retailer, getting a starring role in the campaign!
The UK’s major supermarkets stand together against racism
Speaking of supermarkets, the UK’s major grocery retailers – including Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose & Partners – set rivalries aside to unite against racism. The organisations teamed up with Channel 4 to take a stance against racism, following the response to Sainsbury’s Christmas advert, which featured a black family reminiscing about their dad’s gravy and his famous gravy song. The response resulted in the retailer even having to disable comments from its social media channels. Following this, the competitors joined together for the first time to take over two Channel 4 ad breaks, featuring bespoke introductions from the broadcaster explaining to viewers that ‘Channel 4 stands up against racism’. The brands also showcased their unity on social media where the ad breaks were published simultaneously with the TV activity. The campaign certainly sparked some great conversation and really inspired the nation to come together in the fight against racism.
Burger King’s #WhopperAndFriends
Burger King’s #WhopperAndFriends campaign first caught people’s attention by promoting rivals like McDonald’s in a bid to support the hospitality industry. Whilst the campaign aimed to portray the act of coming together and supporting each other, it did receive some backlash due to its promotion of big corporations which were more likely to survive the pandemic. Burger King listened to the feedback and adapted its campaign by pivoting to promote smaller independent businesses in the industry.
2020 was an unforgettable year to say the least. As marketers navigated the challenges of the pandemic, having to execute campaigns remotely and, for quite some time, not being able to get out on shoots, all while trying to keep up to speed on rapidly changing consumer buying habits, the industry had to quickly pivot and adapt with the evolving times.
However, that being said, many brands did manage to cut through the noise with some inspiring, inventive and most-importantly creative campaigns. Here’s our top five from the unprecedented year that was 2020:
Tesco’s No Naughty List
First up, Tesco’s No Naughty List Christmas campaign. Every year consumers across the UK look forward to the Christmas ads that are going to take over our screens for the season and, as we all know, it’s essential that brands get the message right. We certainly think Tesco hit the nail on the head with its ‘No Naughty List’ campaign for 2020, given the year everyone had had. The ad reflected the mood of the nation well, contained comedic snippets of confessions from members of the public and most importantly, encouraged us not to be too hard on ourselves. The use of Britney’s well-known noughties hit added a bit of nostalgia and the festive products that were seamlessly integrated into the content left our mouths watering. Our client BBF even got in on the action, with the Finest Chocolate Orange and Maple Bauble Cake it had produced for the retailer, getting a starring role in the campaign!
The UK’s major supermarkets stand together against racism
Speaking of supermarkets, the UK’s major grocery retailers – including Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose & Partners – set rivalries aside to unite against racism. The organisations teamed up with Channel 4 to take a stance against racism, following the response to Sainsbury’s Christmas advert, which featured a black family reminiscing about their dad’s gravy and his famous gravy song. The response resulted in the retailer even having to disable comments from its social media channels. Following this, the competitors joined together for the first time to take over two Channel 4 ad breaks, featuring bespoke introductions from the broadcaster explaining to viewers that ‘Channel 4 stands up against racism’. The brands also showcased their unity on social media where the ad breaks were published simultaneously with the TV activity. The campaign certainly sparked some great conversation and really inspired the nation to come together in the fight against racism.
Burger King’s #WhopperAndFriends
Burger King’s #WhopperAndFriends campaign first caught people’s attention by promoting rivals like McDonald’s in a bid to support the hospitality industry. Whilst the campaign aimed to portray the act of coming together and supporting each other, it did receive some backlash due to its promotion of big corporations which were more likely to survive the pandemic. Burger King listened to the feedback and adapted its campaign by pivoting to promote smaller independent businesses in the industry.