Agency: OMD UK
Category: Ad of the year
Challenge
In 2024, British Gas began sponsoring Team GB and ParalympicsGB in a five-year partnership stretching over major events from Paris 2024 to Los Angeles 2028. To mark this, the brand launched a new summer campaign that showcased how British Gas powers people’s enjoyment of the sporting action. As part of the campaign, the energy provider partnered with some key Team GB athletes, including Tom Daley, who made a comeback in Paris. British Gas wanted to leverage this unique opportunity.
Approach
After winning a silver medal in Paris, Tom announced his retirement soon afterwards — immediately, British Gas decided it wanted to honour his career. With the opportunity to react quickly and contextually, British Gas knew that news brands were the ideal platform to express their gratitude for his illustrious career and demonstrate national support.
The swift turnaround time of news brands allowed British Gas to publish their ‘Trunks Hung Up’ ad just a day after the announcement, ensuring the message was both timely and relevant. Additionally, placing the ad in a contextually appropriate environment alongside relevant editorial content maximised its impact.
Results
The tactical campaign was recognised by Newsworks as a contender for ‘ad of the summer’, where the industry vote for their favourite ad from June and July. ‘Trunks Hung Up’ went on to be crowned the winner – the perfect example of how news brands can take advantage of a key moment in time!
