DIY retailer B&Q has come under fire for what the building trade is calling an ‘irresponsible’ advert which shows a woman smashing down a wall in her house with a sledgehammer.
The advert, released in February this year, was created by Uncommon Creative Studio and Dentsu as a rallying cry to nervous DIYers who are unsure about tackling their projects because they are “too big”, “too fiddly”, or simply beyond their level of ability.
The ad goes on to reassure them that they shouldn’t listen to the doubts in their head before ending with the inspiring words: “The voice is loud, but guess what – a sledgehammer is louder”.
However, professional tradesmen have criticised the do-it-yourself message, pointing out that some jobs – such as demolition – can be dangerous, as they warn of the risks of encouraging amateurs to ‘have a go’ at more complicated work.
Trade directory CheckATrade said it had received a 15% spike in emergency demolition jobs after the B&Q advert aired compared to the same period last year.
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The online platform said emergency call-outs had jumped from 16,660 to 20,000, as professionals were called in to rectify what it called a “worrying trend” of demolition jobs started by homeowners.
Grand Property Services’ Refaat Halawi told The Telegraph: “Encouraging the nation to crack on with home improvements is an admirable message, but we need to be responsible here.”
He cautioned consumers thinking of undertaking DIY to think carefully before starting a project “if you want to get through the job unscathed”.
The Advertising Standards Authority said it had received four complaints about the advert but was not planning on investigating it. Two of those said the ad encourages dangerous behaviour which could result in harm.
A spokesman for B&Q said the campaign had been designed “to help inspire confidence to those embarking on their DIY journey”, adding that, “by the sound of things it has been very successful!”
The ad marks nearly 40 years of the retailer’s famous ‘You can do it, when you B&Q it’ slogan. Although it appears that just because ‘you can do it’, doesn’t necessarily mean you should.
