System1 & Advertising Association’s September Ads of the Month
Once again we’re looking at three of the best and most interesting ads this month and drawing out lessons for brands who want to promote sustainability, whether that’s in messaging or behaviour. This time we’ve got a pair of ads that use celebrities and brand ambassadors in interesting ways – as our The Greenprint report on sustainability describes, who is delivering a message is often as important and persuasive as what that message actually is.
M&S – “Farm To Foodhall With Tom Kerridge”
M&S have brought back their highly successful series of ads starring chef Tom Kerridge as he goes on the road in search of the real producers behind favourite M&S ingredients and recipes. In the past he’s visited British farmers but in this ad he’s paying a visit to an Italian family firm that’s been working with M&S for decades producing their tomato and basil pasta sauce.
These are unusual ads, swapping the frenetic marketing and information barrages of other supermarket spots for a much more relaxed pace and the chilled sounds of Fleetwood Mac’s “Albatross” (a sonic cue for the series by now). Authenticity is the vibe: Kerridge’s enthusiasm is obvious and so is his real interest in the process by which the food is sourced and made. Each ad is a miniature documentary, a really distinctive approach which stands out in the crowded supermarket field.
Viewers respond really well to these ads – a 4.1-Star Rating puts this in the top 11% of Supermarket commercials, and there’s an exceptional short-term Spike Rating too. In all the Farm To Foodhall series M&S likes to stress its use of sustainable, long-term producers and for a brand interested in sustainability this naturalistic, down-to-earth approach is well worth noting. In The Greenprint we talk about the “Messenger Effect”, with both Kerridge and his interviewers coming across as honest, passionate spokespeople for the brand.
HOVIS – “Strength Baked In”
Authenticity and roots are also a vital part of Hovis’ current “Strength Based In” brand platform, launched last year with agency VCCP. The campaign’s hero ad is back on screens after its successful debut last May, so we tested it again and found it’s held up very well, getting strong or exceptional scores in all our key metrics (long-term Star Rating, short-term Spike Rating, and rapid-recognition Brand Fluency).
The concept of the campaign is to spotlight how Hovis is a brand with such strong heritage it’s literally become part of the British landscape, with ads from the early 20th century still showing up, faded but proud, on the walls of old buildings. Hovis has always been part of British communities, is the message, and it still is, with an ad that ends with one of those painted ads restored to new, modern glory.
Heritage and community activity are important parts of sustainability communications. Sustainable behaviour change can seem difficult or even scary, so a lot of the power of successful sustainable ads comes from making it feel easy and natural. Being able to show your brand with a strong heritage, particularly a strong community heritage, can go a long way to doing that. Of course, Hovis are also showing sustainable behaviour themselves, saving money and resources by repeating an ad rather than making a new iteration of the campaign.
LIBERTY – “The Beauty Advent Calendar 2026”
Finally this month it’s our first Christmas ad. Yes, you read that right. Seasonal ads have been releasing sooner each year but premium beauty brand Liberty has set a release date record that might stand for a while. It’s another ad that makes great use of a brand ambassador, a lengthy comic video where Helena Bonham-Carter wrestles control of the company’s advent calendar in the search for something truly “extraordinary”.
Despite the length, viewers loved the ad, with an Exceptional short-term Spike Rating and a brand-building Star Rating of 4.5, in the top 5% for non-supermarket retail. The ad wisely doesn’t overdo the Christmas elements but still makes the case that the results really will be something special.
There’s a big focus on quality and sourcing in the ad, as you’d expect both from Liberty’s premium positioning and its commitment to sustainability. But it’s smart of the brand to keep that in the background and aim for entertainment first. Helena Bonham-Carter is a great ambassador for them and a more overt focus on sustainable fashion and accessories would have been a far less effective use of her talents. As we talk about in The Greenprint, if you can entertain your audience while subtly emphasising sustainability, that’s often a more effective approach than simply telling them what you’re doing.
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