During a challenging year, we used TV advertising to inspire the UK to get out and help each other. With The National Lottery and STV, we created the ‘Miss Out to Help Out’ campaign—a bold, creative idea that encouraged people to miss their favourite TV show so they could lend a hand in their community. 

The National Lottery was already on a mission to “make amazing happen”, and we’re always looking for ways to give back to local communities. By creating a partnership, we had the perfect opportunity to create an unforgettable campaign that would get people talking and continue to grow the nation’s emotional connection with The National Lottery. 

The insight 

Research from YouGov 2020 dug a little deeper into volunteering. We uncovered that: 

• 19m people in the UK volunteer, but wouldn’t describe themselves as ‘volunteers’

The challenge 

It quickly became clear that the language around volunteering was an issue. The word ‘volunteer’ felt official, rigid, and time-consuming. The people who help others often don’t view what they’re doing as important enough to earn the title of ‘volunteer’. 

We wanted to flip this narrative at a time when the nation needed to come together to carry out small but mighty acts—like help neighbours with weekly shops or call an elderly person who lives alone. The UK needed volunteers now more than ever. 

The idea  

And so, we launched ‘Miss Out to Help Out’, a daring campaign which called for the nation to sacrifice watching their favourite show to help someone within their community. The powerful idea challenged people’s perceptions of volunteering, showing that it can take just 30 minutes and the impact on others can be immeasurable.

• We created a 30-second TV spot telling the story of different people within the community who have missed their favourite show to help others. Of course, we reminded people that they could always catch up on anything they’ve missed by watching ITV Hub later on… 

• The campaign was culturally relevant, running in the weeks after the government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme. 

• ‘Miss Out to Help Out’ ran for three weeks on ITV and STV, airing during three primetime Saturday nights and launching during the final of The Voice. 

• It was also supported by inspiring social and digital assets—ITV talent shared the campaign and it was even picked up by local MPs!

• The spot encouraged viewers to visit a co-branded microsite on missouttohelpout.com that offered people easy-to-follow tips for helping others. It listed opportunities that people could sign up for, including virtual volunteering. 

TV advertising gets the nation talking and has the power to challenge and change behaviours. The campaign was such a success that it inspired people to make a positive impact in society, and showed the UK that ITV, STV, and The National Lottery are dedicated to good causes. It boosted the perception that The National Lottery is committed to making the world a better place by a staggering 26%. 

If you're looking to supercharge your brands growth, or revenue, then TV might be the perfect partnership. Why not partner with the UK's largest commercial broadcaster to kick start your conversation with the nation today. 

Sound like the right opportunity for you? Get in touch with itvcommercial@itv.com for more information.