Tech retailer Currys has taken home the top prize at Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Awards, securing £1 million-worth of advertising space across the broadcaster’s portfolio.
Currys’ winning entry, developed in partnership with creative agency AMV BBDO, will showcase the relief disabled customers feel when they have their needs immediately understood in safe spaces.
The retailer’s ‘Sigh of Relief’ creative was considered by the judges to perfectly encapsulate their call for this year’s entries to be ‘inclusive by design’, embedding inclusive practices at the heart of the work.
Channel 4 head of sales and chair of judges Victoria Appleby said: “Since its inception in 2016, our DIA initiative has produced impactful, engaging and industry changing campaigns.
“This year was no different – it was a very strong competition with each brand bringing a unique angle to the brief. However, Currys/AMV BBDO edged the rest with ‘The Sigh of Relief’. We can’t wait for audiences to see their advert, which is a wonderful example of a brand truly embracing accessibility.
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She continued: “I am also delighted to announce that we will return next year with Inclusive by Design as the theme for the Diversity in Advertising awards. Helping the industry to improve the accessibility of advertising is hugely important to us at Channel 4 and we wanted to allow brands a chance to reflect and take the positive action that is so sorely needed to ensure advertising is truly inclusive by design.”
Currys and AMV BBDO were selected from shortlist of five finalists, which also included McDonald’s/Leo Burnett, V&A/Adam & EveDDB, Open University/Havas, and Motability Operations/VCCP
Currys brand and marketing director Dan Rubel added: “In the real world, our colleagues help disabled customers every day, bringing to life how the tech we sell can make a real difference, including through the specific lens of peoples’ disabilities.
“In modern tech, there are often helpful features that are not so obvious without chatting to a real life human expert, and winning this award means we can bring that to life in the world of our ‘Beyond Techspectations’ advertising campaign, with the goal of being educational and entertaining too.”
