Channel 4 rallies British butts to take a seat during the pandemic
Channel 4's #StayAtHome campaign has issued a seat-filling public service announcement during Easter weekend.
Channel 4 rallies British butts to take a seat during the pandemic
4Creative, Channel 4’s in-house creative agency developed a series of 10-second, fly-on-the-wall style films. These were self-shot at home by a host of well-known Channel 4 faces to drive home the public health message to 'Stay Home, Save Lives'.
The campaign features everything from Jon Snow ironing his ties, Big Narstie mowing the lawn, Scarlett Moffatt pairing her socks, Katherine Ryan ‘painting’ a self-portrait, Joe Lycett cleaning the kitchen cupboard and Krishnan Guru-Murthy sharpening pencils and more.
The idents appear around a posterior-heavy hero film, voiced by Matt Berry (above). “Britain! When was the last time you did something that really mattered, with your arse? We need your buttocks. No ifs. Just butts. Because we’ll beat this faster, clenched together, on the sofa," Berry declares.
The spots were aimed at the "particularly at hard to reach young male" audience, debuting on Friday night as Gogglebox pulled top audiences of 4.3 million viewers. The campaign will run across Channel 4’s portfolio of TV and social channels carrying the hashtag #StayAtHome.
It forms part of the broadcaster’s wider #StayAtHome activity which includes a ‘StayAtHome’ on-screen graphic across Channel 4, E4, More4 and 4Seven that has reportedly been seen by almost two-thirds of the population and a special #ClapForOurCarers ad break takeover that saw 39 advertisers join together to thank the NHS.
Zaid Al-Qassab, chief marketing officer, Channel 4 said: “TV has a hugely important role to play at this time of national crisis and we hope this campaign, starring some of our most-loved talent and with its typically irreverent Channel 4 approach will reinforce this vital public health message to stay at home and help save lives, particularly among our key young male viewers.”
Lynsey Atkin, executive creative director, 4Creative said: “There has never been a more important time to unite people by reminding everyone that we all have an arse. And what we do with it counts. So sit yours on the sofa and do not move. Your country thanks you.”
It comes as the broadcaster tightens its belt, warning that the TV ad market is halving in the next few weeks.
Vote for the campaign and watch all the films below in The Drum's creative works.
