Ad of the Day: Barnardo’s coaxes kids out of their shells in tender film
The children’s charity highlights the impact the cost of living crisis can have on children, often making them feel isolated.
According to the children’s charity Barnardo’s, more than one in four kids in the UK are now living in poverty – a situation worsened by the cost of living crisis that is gripping the nation.
This can have a deep and profound impact on young people’s lives, often causing them to experience feelings of shame, dissociation, anxiety and disconnection.
Bringing this shocking statistic to the viewers, ad agency Don’t Panic worked alongside the team at Barbardo’s to create a thought-provking film that sees a young girl struggle to fit in with her peers.
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To stress the difficulties she is facing, the schoolchild wears a giant mollusk costume that makes integrating with her class even more difficult.
“We worked closely with support workers at Barnardo’s Cost of Living Fund team,” explains Don’t Panic’s creative director George McCallum. “This team developed and delivered a cost of living response for all families supported by Barnardo’s and this was to ensure the experiences the film depicts were both widely representative and emotionally authentic.”
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The film launches Barnardo’s new three-year brand strategy, which was co-created with children and young people and emphasizes a future where children can feel safe, happy, healthy and hopeful, no matter their circumstances or background.
The 90-second spot is set to Don’t Be Scared, I Love You by Bill Ryder-Jones and will run across TV and social media.