There's something undeniably warm, comforting and remarkably British about the classic Hovis ads. You know the ones. A child rides a rickety old bike through an idyllic countryside as the strains of Dvorak's “New World Symphony” yawn through the speakers and a subtle camera tint lends the images a vintage charm. It's like the advertising equivalent of a cream tea or visiting nan and granddad (before the Alzheimer's kicked in). So I was quite chuffed when the news dropped that the brand were bringing back the iconic advert, but less so when it was revealed the treatment would be lent a (now standard) modern spin.
Hovis made their comeback last night (October 5) after a three year absence from TV advertising with a new spot from independent agency Mother
The iconic brand made their comeback last night (October 5) after a three year absence from TV advertising with a new spot from independent agency Mother to promote the new “Hovis Good Inside” range of products. The spot (below) draws on the brand’s iconic heritage of seeing the world through the eyes of a child and providing them with wholesome goodness. A modern audience craves something new and more relatable though, so Mother London have given it a contemporary spin by having the kids begin the spot sat in front of an Xbox, and by adding a dash of (actually rather impressive) CGI to give the concept a fresh spin. A modern soundtrack merges with the classic New World Symphony for a nostalgic reminder, but the spot really is its own beast. It's less of a remake and more of an homage, which is exactly as it should be.
A still from the original Hovis "Boy on a Bike" ad
In the action-packed spot, we see three kids doing everything they can to escape the clutches of a house that will stop at nothing to keep them inside. The basic concept behind the campaign is that kids should be outside having adventures and enjoying a healthy lifestyle instead of sitting inside playing video games. To be honest, this is a rather antiquated notion that has never sat well with me (vilifying video games as the scourge of traditional childhood values is just silly in my honest opinion). It's also ironic considering the message the ad is conveying that the footage of the children escaping their transforming homes is quite obviously inspired by the gaming world. The execution of the spot is handled so well though, that I'm willing to mark those first few seconds as a minor oversight. It’s also in many ways understandable, as Hovis are promoting this new range around its added health benefits, with the new bread containing (amongst other things) added Omega 3.
In the spot, we see three kids doing everything they can to escape the clutches of a house that will stop at nothing to keep them inside
The Hovis “Good Inside” portfolio will benefit from a £5 million integrated campaign from October, which will span across TV, video-on-demand, radio, digital, PR and in-store media. Sophie Lyons, Marketing Manager at Hovis, said: “Hovis is a much loved British brand, with this latest advert for the Hovis Good Inside range - we were keen to harness this brand love and pay homage to that rich Hovis heritage but in and new and exciting way. Positioning the brand as the provider of everyday goodness, we think that kids will love this advert as much as their parents love the original boy on a bike, demonstrating how the brand remains relevant to families today.” I honestly doubt that kids in 20 years will be remembering this particular ad with the same levels of fondness with which my generation remembers the originals, but then it’s a different world now. More’s the pity.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK. I don’t know about you, but he could really do with a sandwich right about now!
