The Sunday roast in the U.K. remains one of the most important meals in the week. It is when the family all comes together, and the perfect Yorkshire pudding is its crowning glory. In that context, Grey London created this “Caring is the Hardest Thing We do” campaign for Aunt Bessie’s (Yorkshire Puddings). Directed by Tom Green of Stink Films, the campaign’s flagship spot is inspired by a true story–that of June, the much-loved nan of Grey London creative director Chris Clarke. June was certified blind at 16 and yet cared for her entire family, always providing a stand-out Sunday roast without missing a beat.
The film shows multiple generations enjoying time together, playing games, talking, laughing, and squabbling before they sit down together for a family meal cooked by a proud, blind nan–just as Chris’s grandmother would do.
Both agency and client were passionate about delivering a truly authentic film and retaining the integrity of what was so special about Chris’s nan. For this reason, Julie Bennett, a genuinely blind grandma, with no prior acting experience, was cast in the lead role. Bennett spent just half a day on set familiarizing herself with it before the shoot itself.
Clarke shared, “We all know someone who cares, no matter what. For me, it was my Nanna June. A legend in every sense of the word. This platform celebrates her, and all those other wonderful people who simply can’t help but care. Those people who bring the family together every Sunday, with roast beef and Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshires.
Sarah Koppens, marketing director at Birds Eye UK said: “We had a sense of how special this story was from the moment Chris and Matt presented it in mid-February. Given everything that has happened since that time, the sentiment captured within the ad couldn’t be more relevant. Caring for others is a fundamental way in which we connect and demonstrate our love – but that’s not to say it’s always easy to do. We were thrilled that Tom (Green) wanted to work with us, celebrating the human truth in the story and doing such a beautiful of shining a light on it.”
Aunt Bessie’s was bought by Nomad Foods in July 2018, adding to a frozen foods portfolio that includes Birds Eye, Goodfella’s, Findus and Iglo.
CreditsClient Aunt Bessie’s (Nomad Foods) Agency Grey London Javier Campopiano, creative chairman; Laura Jordan Bambach, chief creative officer; Matt Moreland, creative director, copywriter, art director; Chris Clarke, creative director, copywriter; Jesse Little, copywriter; Bhavin Pabari, Daniel Sherrard, Gilliam Caldwell-Dunn, strategic planners. Agency Production Hogarth Worldwide Eira Ellis, Greg Smyth, producers. Production Stink Films Tom Green, director; Molly Pope, producer; James Laxton, DP; Catrin Meredydd, production designer. Editorial James Forbes-Robertson, editor; Noreen Khan, offline producer. Postproduction/VFX Ben Rogers, colorist; Claire Lifford, post producer; Owen Maiden, VFX artist. Music Samuel Karl Bohn, composer; Jeremy Newton, music supervisor; Hummingbird Music, artist management. Audio Zak Kurtha, lead sound engineer/sound mixer; Claire Lifford, post sound producer.
The Best Work You May Never See: C3P, No Fixed Address Show Us There Are No “Safe Spaces” In Canada When Kids Are Online
Creative agency No Fixed Address has partnered with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) to raise awareness about the alarming increase in online child sexual exploitation in Canada. The “Safe Spaces” campaign alerts parents to the fact that nowhere is currently safe for a Canadian child--not their school, not their playground, not even their own bedroom--as soon as they’re online.
This “Safe Spaces” public service film--directed by Amélie Hardy via production company Carton Rouge--features the mothers of six victims of online sexual exploitation, telling their kid’s stories from the same places they assumed their child would be safe. These courageous moms have not only suffered the nightmare of what happened to their children, they’ve suffered under the assumption by many Canadians that it is somehow their fault for not keeping their children safe. This is the preconception the “Safe Spaces” campaign seeks to change. This can happen to anyone. Predators are everywhere online. And they’re targeting everyone. The campaign is urging Canadians to support the federal government’s Online Harms Bill, which would require social media companies to provide meaningful protection to children online.
“These courageous moms chose to share their heartbreaking stories to help Canadians understand why we desperately need legislation to protect our children from dangerous spaces online, just like we do offline,” said Lianna McDonald, executive director of C3P. “This is why we need safety regulations for the platforms kids use every day, as proposed in the Online Harms Bill.”
Alexis Bronstorph, chief creative officer at No Fixed Address, said, “We were blown away by the courage of these moms for sharing their stories.... Read More