A view from Academy Member
Dave Billing, executive creative director, Fold7 
As the British winter enters its eighteenth month and the world outside recognises the fact that the future is far from bright, it’s orange - no wonder we want to retreat into our burrows. And stay there.
We’re looking for comfort: fluffy cushions for our anxious minds and chicken soup for our souls. And this month’s batch of creatively excellent ads either provide a good dollop of comfort or starkly remind us what happens when it’s absent.
Nothing provides a warming glow quite like a bit of national treasure, and that’s what we have in the form of Sarah Lancashire, in a tribute act to her Happy Valley role for Yorkshire Tea. In times like these, the nation needs a mum, and I can’t see a better candidate than the former Sergeant Cawood. No nonsense, tough as old boots, makes a blinding cup of tea. And advertises it too.
It turns out that sometimes even narcissistic megalomaniacs need to take a break (one hopes that the White House gets the message). Javier Bardem charms his way through this spot for Uber Eats, and shows us that after a hard day of sowing destruction and discord, there’s nothing more cosy than a takeaway and a re-run of Happy Days.
Tesco channels its inner Lurpak in an sumptuous spot that puts you in need of a good feed and a nice cuddle. It’s an ad with a big heart, broadcast right from the warm bosom of the home, and all the better for it. Full marks for tying in the clever logo trickery of their recent outdoor campaign, too.
There’s nothing more comforting than the narrative that Good People Prevail, and that’s the order of the day for Zoopla. It’s a grower, this one, and by the time you’ve reached the end you not only will have chuckled, you may feel nice and fuzzy as well. It’s harder to do ‘laugh with’ than ‘laugh at’, but this succeeds.
Lastly, the latest from CALM. There is no greater comfort than a mother’s love, and this spot is a tribute from a mum to the daughter she lost before her 16th birthday. Real, raw, heartbreaking, utterly moving. Nothing can ever make up for the loss of a child, but it’s a comfort to us all that CALM carry on their incredible work.
The Thinkboxes shortlist – Jan/Feb 2025
1. CALM: “Evelyn”
The second instalment of CALM’s “Missed birthdays” campaign is “Evelyn” – a true story about a girl that unfolds through home videos and her mum’s firsthand account of her beloved daughter’s beaming smile, kind heart and amazing hugs. The narration is an emotional letter to Evelyn ahead of her sixteenth birthday. But then the girl is revealed to have taken her own life before she reached it. Viewers are directed to CALM C.A.R.E. Kit, a resource to enable parents and trusted adults to play an active role in ending youth suicide.
Agency: Adam & Eve/DDB Creative team: Richard Brim, chief creative officer; Ant Nelson, executive creative director; Mike Sutherland, executive creative director; Forrest Clancy and Jay Parekh, creatives Client: Simon Gunning, chief executive Production company: Academy Director: Seb Edwards
2. Tesco: “It’s not a little thing. It’s everything”
This TV ad is part of a new campaign to highlight the emotional impact of food by celebrating the intricate details that make each dish and every meal special. The commercial tells the story of how the little things about food can impact every occasion, whether thatʼs a way of saying thanks, an opportunity to show you're sorry, or simply a reason to get everyone together to party. Comprising a series of vignettes, the ad brings to life how food helps us express ourselves and by doing so brings people together.
Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty Creative team: Felipe Guimaraes, executive creative director; Luke Till and Lawrence Bushell, associate creative directors Client: Murray Bisschop, UK marketing director Production company: Iconoclast Director: Nogari
3. Uber Eats: “When you’ve done enough, Uber Eats”
Actor Javier Bardem stars as an evil supervillain in need of a break in this new film for Uber Eats. The first in a new series showing how people embrace their downtime, the commercial follows on from Uber One’s “Best friends” campaign starring actors Robert de Niro and Asa Butterfield. In this new spot, the action opens with the evil mastermind plotting in his sinister lair before declaring he’s tired. He then retires to his chamber to put his feet up with an Uber Eats meal and an old episode of American sitcom Happy Days.
Agency: Mother Creative team: Felix Richter, Martin Rose, Fabio Montero, Luke Dawson Client: Maya Gallego Spiers, head of marketing Production company: O Positive Director: David Shane
4. Yorkshire Tea: “Investigation done proper”
Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire plays Yorkshire Tea’s head of security in this tongue-in-cheek and pitch-perfect ‘brewdunnit’ filmed in the brand’s home town of Harrogate and featuring colleagues from across the business. In the commercial, office worker Pat accuses one of her colleagues of stealing her “biccies”. Channelling the brisk efficiency of Catherine Cawood, the TV copper she plays, Lancashire ensures her investigation is “done proper” – echoing the brand’s eight-year-old “Where everything’s done proper” brand platform.
Agency: Lucky Generals Creative team: Nick Bird, Lee Smith, Danny Brooke Taylor Client: Lucy Hoyle, senior brand manager Production company: Stink Films Director: Traktor
5. Zoopla: “Win at moving with Zoopla”
Zoopla’s new TV ad marks the launch of a new brand platform that’s all about equipping consumers with the tools and insights they need to “win at moving”. Inspired by the idea that moving house can feel like an endurance sport, the commercial borrows heavily from the elite athletic style and emotional impact of sports advertising and its classic, instantly recognisable truisms. “What makes a winner?” narrator actor Michael Sheen begins. The ad ends in an epic crescendo as Sheen cries: "Winners seize the deeds, unlock victory, and show the world that this ... is my house!"
Agency: Lucky Generals Creative team: Gareth Morgan, Sam Beaumont, Jess Sharpe-O’Hare Client: Polly Western, brand marketing lead Production company: Curate Films Director: Barry Bangs
WANT TO SEE MORE GREAT WORK? HEAD TO THE THINKBOX HUB
Thinkbox is the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, in all its forms. Its shareholders are Channel 4, ITV, Sky Media and UKTV. Thinkbox works with the marketing community with a single ambition: to help advertisers get the best out of today’s TV.