When Toolstation approached krow to review its brand positioning, they certainly weren't expecting to see the unexpected turned into a TV spot.
According to research and insight from krow, nine times out of 10 something unexpected will happen when tradespeople turn up to any job. By putting a creative and humorous twist into this interesting piece of research, krow was able to create the brilliant ad you can see below, brimming with identity and uniqueness.
Today we are getting Behind the Idea to learn more about what brought this lovely spot to life.
What was the brief?
To review the current brand positioning and develop a brand campaign that set Toolstation apart from its competitors.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
We didn’t just want to win the business. We wanted to win it with work that really stood out from the tool shed crowd. So, we spent a lot of time looking at the category norms and finding ways to break them, before sense-checking with their marketing team to see how far we could go.
We presented the final idea in the pitch along with a ton of ways to execute it – thankfully they were bold enough to buy into it.
Tell us more about the concept. How did it come to life, and why was it the right choice?
Insight drives everything we do. At the heart of the idea is a simple truth that we uncovered when chatting to tradespeople – nine times out of 10, something unexpected will happen when they turn up to any job. We took this idea and ran with it, showing how Toolstation could help them be prepared for the most unexpected hiccups imaginable.
What was the production process like? What was the biggest challenge?
It was a really smooth creative process. As you can imagine, the biggest challenge we faced was shooting during COVID, not to mention wrangling a great white shark.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during the production of the campaign?
Casting the shark. No really. We looked at footage over around 30 before settling on the particular great white in the film.
What’s the main message of the campaign and why does it matter?
At Toolstation, you’ll find what you need for any situation no matter how unexpected it is.
Tradespeople have skills and know-how that they have perfected over many years; they are valued, entrepreneurial, skilled professionals.
Toolstation understands that tradespeople should be celebrated, and they have the right tools and supplies to make anything possible.
So, when tradespeople partner with Toolstation there’s no job, no matter how unexpected, they can’t tackle.
What is one unique aspect of the campaign?
A campaign aimed at tradespeople with no laddy bants or scenes of hands rubbing freshly painted surfaces? That’s a first!
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
We presented initial ideas in May 2020 and were lucky enough to wrap the shoot in the middle of October, just before the country was thrown into another lockdown. We appreciate the reasons clients need us to create work at the last minute but it’s lovely knowing the two key moments in the calendar for DIY retailers (March and September) so we can get a really good lead time.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
We hope that the campaign drives fame for the brand and has a positive impact on the way tradespeople are viewed.
Credit list for the campaign?
Agency: krow
Deputy ECD: Darryl George
Creative Director: Darryl George
Group Head of Planning: Matt Watts
Business Director: Emma Christmas
Senior Account Manager: Shelby Whyatt
Agency Producer: Sushi Tester
Director/Production Co: Guy Manwaring/Merman
Producer: Jess Ensor
Editor: Mark Edinoff
Post Production: Freefolk
Sound Design: Anthony Moore and Josh Campbell
Media planning/buying: The Specialist Works
PR: ZPR, A Finn Partners Company
