Tech retailer Currys has unveiled its 2024 Diversity in Advertising Award-winning campaign, ‘Sigh of Relief’ which places inclusivity and accessibility at the heart of its narrative.
Currys’ victory in the Channel 4-run competition will see this latest campaign receive up to £1 million-worth of advertising space across the broadcaster’s portfolio.
The 80-second spot focuses on the in-store experience of three customers with accessibility needs when shopping for tech appliances, who then let out immense sighs of relief when those needs are met by both staff, and the appliance being recommended to them.
Directed by Greg Bell, through Omnicom Productions the film benefited from feedback given by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) during production.
“Sigh of relief has given us an incredible opportunity to build on all the steps forward we’re taking as a business at Currys to truly help everyone enjoy amazing technology,” said Aisling Lancaster, head of brand and advertising at Currys.
“It was really important to us that we didn’t create a totally new creative concept. Ads about accessibility don’t have to be serious. So, we’ve built on our hyperbolic ‘Beyond Techspectations’ creative platform, with our expert colleagues at the heart of the action, this time focussing on an accessibility message.”
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Crafted by the retailer’s agency of record AMV BBDO, the campaign will run exclusively on Channel 4 for its first week and will be amplified by organic social media content. Media planning and buying was handled by Spark Foundry.
‘Sigh of Relief’ was chosen from five finalists which included McDonald’s/Leo Burnett, V&A/Adam&EveDDB, Open University/Havas, and Motability Operations/VCCP. AMV BBDO is the only agency to have won the award three times.
Lauren Peters and Augustine Cerf, creatives at AMV BBDO added: “It’s been incredible to work alongside Channel 4, Open Inclusion, RNIB and RNID on a campaign that puts accessibility at its core, prioritising products, services and a communication style that cater to people with sight loss and people with hearing loss, all while staying true to the body of hilarious and insightful work Currys has produced to date.”
“We were definitely encouraged to think about the everyday tech challenges facing these communities, and we hope it encourages others to do the same because, ultimately, ads that are accessible to people with sight loss and people with hearing loss are better for everyone,” she added.
