With borders closed and travel restrictions coming into force, it was clear that the seasonal workforce that Britain relies on for its food supply wasn’t going to make it. With Waitrose & Partners, adam&eveDDB, and MG OMD, we built an emotive partnership that called on the public to ‘Pick for Britain’ to ensure the country’s food stocks could keep up with demand. 

The insight

According to YouGov, the number of people willing to donate their time or money between March and April 2020 doubled. However, this was new territory and many didn’t know to play their part. 

The challenge

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) was tasked with recruiting the biggest land army since the Second World War. 70,000 pairs of hands were needed to ensure Britain’s food supplies would not be disrupted. How could we mobilise a group of people who may not have considered picking crops before? We’d need to use the power of TV to inspire entirely new behaviours. 

The idea

We created a campaign that would encourage the UK to ‘Pick for Britain’ when the country needed it most. We knew we needed to go further than a classic recruitment campaign when there were so many issues dominating the public agenda—we had to prove that this really mattered. And so, we lent into the broader influence of ITV and harnessed editorial, commercial, and programming to ensure this vital call to action stood out amongst the noise and cemented itself into the public consciousness. 

• We launched a powerful three-week campaign in May 2020 when the UK was still in the throws of the first national lockdown. The poetic creative was shown in black and white, harking back to the national effort required during the world wars. 

• The campaign was shown across ITV, ITV Hub, social, and CRM and drove applicants to the pickforbritain.org.uk website, where they could search for vacancies in their local area. 

• The need for volunteers was covered across ITV daytime television too, which emphasised that this campaign was a public issue and lived beyond the TV ad. 

• In November, the partnership reached its end with a special broadcast, called Summer on the Farm: An Extraordinary Year. The documentaries, created by ITV and Waitrose & Partners, raised awareness of the journey from farm to fork. Presenters Alan Titchmarsh and Angellica Bell and shepherdess Amanda Owen joined farmers in the challenging yet fascinating task of getting fruit and veg to British supermarkets. 

• The show followed the stories of six fruits and vegetables. Each episode delved into the detail of the intricate processes, amazing technologies, and the dedication of farmers required to feed the country. The shows proved Waitrose & Partners’ commitment to supporting British farming, especially during a challenging time. 

By building authentic partnerships, TV has the power to ‘go beyond’ advertising and get the nation to act. By utilising our broader offering, including social and ITV Hub, it’s possible to broaden reach even further and ensure the UK sees—and reacts to—your message. Finally, by building relevant, creative campaigns, advertising with us can change perceptions and grow the public’s connection with your brand.

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.