Walkers has welcomed in the festive season with the launch of its brand-new Christmas advert. Launching today, Tuesday 7 November, on online-video sharing platform YouTube, the Walkers Christmas ad focuses on landing an important mental wellbeing message.
The message in the ad aims to remind the nation that opening up and talking more can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing, and forms part of the snack brand’s ongoing work with Comic Relief to raise £2million for projects that support mental wellbeing within the UK by the end of 2022.
The advert, which was created by VCCP, will also air on ITV during the first break in Coronation Street on 8 November.
Set to a brand-new cover of Winter Wonderland by up-and-coming artist, Lily Oscar, the ad opens with the main character, Larry, arriving at a festive family get together. Larry is accompanied by an emoji which subconsciously displays what he’s feeling, while Larry puts on a brave face in different scenarios throughout the advert.
In the final scene, Larry finds his friend in the kitchen who asks him “how are you?”, to which Larry replies with “I’m fine”. His friend goes on to ask, “how are you really?”. To the second question, Larry opens up and the friends share a laugh together. The scene is to emphasise how it’s important to talk more and not to take “I’m fine” at face value.
The ad ends with radio presenter and mental health advocate, Roman Kemp, delivering an important message of how talking and sharing helps via a voiceover with trademark Walkers humour saying: “It’s good to share…just not your crisps”.
A multi-agency collaboration saw VCCP create the advertising, Sips & Bites and OMD handle media planning and buying, and Splendid Communications spearheading earned media for the campaign.
Josephine Taylor, Senior Marketing Manager at Walkers comments: “This Christmas, in partnership with Comic Relief we’re proud to dedicate our advert to raising awareness of mental wellbeing, and we hope that the launch will raise lots of smiles and get the nation talking this Christmas.”
Mark Orbine, Executive Creative Director at VCCP London added: “Over the last year and a half in particular, the impact of the pandemic on mental wellbeing has been a huge concern. It’s been brilliant to work with Walkers, a brand famous for its light-hearted advertising, working hard to facilitate important conversations surrounding mental wellbeing”.
In addition to the ad, Walkers is also rolling out special fundraising QR codes on every packet of Walkers crisps across the festive period. When the QR code is scanned it will take crisp fans through to a ‘smile-moji’ filter, and whenever the filter is used, Walkers will donate 10p to Comic Relief*.
The funds raised will go towards supporting mental wellbeing programmes in the UK, and form part of Walkers’ and Comic Relief’s work on The Smiles Fund. The fund, started by Walkers and Comic Relief in 2021, aims to bring about positive change for individuals and communities through the power of humour, the arts and comedy. By supporting early-intervention and community-based initiatives that start conversations, forge positive social interactions, and build resilience, it aims to reduce the stigma around mental wellbeing, and reinforce the importance of people looking after their mental wellbeing.
Earlier this year, Walkers announced its partnership with Comic Relief and has pledged to donate up to £2million by 31st December 2022, via The Smiles Fund to fund projects that aim to support and help improve people’s mental wellbeing and give people the tools to be able to tackle’s life’s everyday challenges.
Credits:
- CAMPAIGN TITLE: Walkers & Comic Relief | It Feels Good to Share
- CLIENT: Walkers
- ADVERTISING AGENCY: VCCP
- EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mark Orbine
- CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Ross Neil
- CREATIVE: Tom Lee
- BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Olivia Packshaw
- ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Thom Gilbrook
- ACCOUNT MANAGER: Amirah Hajat
- PLANNING DIRECTOR: Ross Cameron
- SENIOR PLANNER: Alex Scott-Malden
- AGENCY TV PRODUCER: Toby Clifton
- AGENCY CREATIVE PRODUCER: Anna-Marie Mennecier, Sally Greenwood
- MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: OMD and Sips & Bites
- PRODUCTION COMPANY: Tantrum
- DIRECTOR: Stephen Pipe
- SENIOR PRODUCER: Clare Smith
- EDITOR: Matt Chodan @ GORILLA
- POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Black Kite
- POST PRODUCER: Polly Durance
- COLOURIST: George Kyriacou
- AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Grand Central
- SOUND ENGINEER: Gary Turnball
- CAMPAIGN TITLE: Walkers & Comic Relief | It Feels Good to Share
- CLIENT: Walkers
- ADVERTISING AGENCY: VCCP
- EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mark Orbine
- CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Ross Neil
- CREATIVE: Tom Lee
- BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Olivia Packshaw
- ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Thom Gilbrook
- ACCOUNT MANAGER: Amirah Hajat
- PLANNING DIRECTOR: Ross Cameron
- SENIOR PLANNER: Alex Scott-Malden
- AGENCY TV PRODUCER: Toby Clifton
- AGENCY CREATIVE PRODUCER: Anna-Marie Mennecier, Sally Greenwood
- MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: OMD and Sips & Bites
- PRODUCTION COMPANY: Tantrum
- DIRECTOR: Stephen Pipe
- SENIOR PRODUCER: Clare Smith
- EDITOR: Matt Chodan @ GORILLA
- POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Black Kite
- POST PRODUCER: Polly Durance
- COLOURIST: George Kyriacou
- AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Grand Central
- SOUND ENGINEER: Gary Turnball
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