McCann London launches its latest creative for Mastercard–the headline sponsor of The BRIT Awards 2018 honoring the best in U.K. music. The campaign “Start Something Priceless” highlights the important role music can play in people’s lives.
After many years of successful Priceless Surprises in Music at The BRIT Awards, Mastercard uses this year’s sponsorship to launch its new global brand platform ‘Start Something Priceless’ in the UK where they move from observing Priceless moments, to empowering people to create them. As such, McCann collaborated with award-winning composer and 2012 Olympic music director, David Arnold, and 24-piece orchestra to create a piece of music that could break down the walls between people and bring them together.
People were sought out, whose relationships had fallen apart, some of whom had not seen or spoken to one another in years. They were then placed in a specially constructed Listening Room, designed to separate them by a single sheet of glass whilst bringing them face to face without distractions. Asked to simply sit and look at each other, the specially composed track was then played to them through headphones.
Slowly but surely the emotionally driven music unraveled each couple as they quickly relinquished any feelings of resentment. The dividing plate of glass was then removed–bringing the couples back together, embracing each other and starting a conversation.
Chad Warner, creative director at McCann London, said, “Our aim was to give these relationships a chance to completely start again. To strip away all the junk that’s getting in the way – pride, history, even words – and let music do its magic.”
Mastercard’s global music strategy–to demonstrate the effect music has on people physically, emotionally and culturally–underpins this activity. McCann London’s work includes the creation of this hero film, The Listening Room–directed by Blake Claridge via CRAFT–which will run for three weeks in the U.K. and Ireland.
