Accenture Song UK has created a campaign for NCS (National Citizen Service) designed to upturn and reframe the often pervasive criticism faced by teens from wider society. The campaign shows how young people engage with a wide range of passion points from gaming, to TikTok scrolling, to mental health advocacy–and that these should be respected, celebrated and nurtured, as they provide teens with the foundational skills and strengths essential as they transition into adult citizens.
NCS helps young people aged 15-17 become world and work-ready by providing a platform for personal development through a wide range of activities and experiences–including local community volunteering, online and some away from home, to build confidence, employability, life skills and mix with others.
Accenture Song’s brief was to drive brand love, interest and sign-ups by showing 15-to-17-year-olds that NCS is a time-worthy program that aligns with their core passions and provides meaningful experiences to amplify their potential.
The campaign sets out to “translate” outdated opinions about 15-17-year-olds. From TikTok scrolling to endless gaming–society tends to view teens’ passion-led pursuits as time-wasting. But the creative, collaborative and resourceful skills they are practicing through these channels are actually the skills needed for the 21st century, and skills the NCS program both nurtures and cultivates. The overarching campaign message highlights that where some see weakness, NCS sees strength.
In this 30-second hero film, “Outdated Translated,” directed by Jason Yan Francis via production company Chaos Paris, misconceptions about young people are vividly brought to life through three animated characters. Each represents the different channels through which some such views are spread: press, the internet and broadcast media. These misconceptions are then, translated and reclaimed as positives by Gen Z influencers Izzie Rodgers, Kailem Williamson and Lee Hinchcliffe.
Nik Studzinski, chief creative officer at Accenture Song Brand UK, said, “Young people have a keen sense of smell. They can sniff out anything remotely inauthentic or insincere. That’s why we’ve created a campaign with genuine empathy to the outdated way they’re sometimes spoken to and treated, by society. Using influencers that they relate to reinforces this tone and makes sure our audience feels their passions are represented in a positive light.”
Client NCS (National Citizen Service) Agency Accenture Song Brand UK Nik Studzinski, chief creative officer; Meigan Brown, Tobias Owen, creative directors; Ben Cashmore, Carys Thomas, creative team; Izzi Zacharia, sr. strategist; Carol Oakley, producer; Christina Lambrou, creative production lead; Magdalena Kozak, assistant producer; Laura Greenslade, social and influencer director; Abibat Adesanya, social & influencer executive; Mithun Sundaresan, strategist. Production Company Chaos Paris Jason Yan Francis, director; Jon Harvey, creative partner; Sam Breen, Marie Fioriti, producers; Grace Matthews, production manager; Ryan Robinson, editor; Simon Wakeman, head of design; Aisling Callaghan, Joel Brown, designer; Luke C. Harper, Charlotte Thizeau, DPs; Lucy Fewell, art director; Aartthie Mahakuperan, wardrobe stylist. Color Cheat Jonny Tully, colorist. Audio Post 750mph Giselle Hall, sound engineer. Stop Motion Patagraph, stop motion artist; Jeremy Lesquenner, stop motion DP; Alix Laine, production designer; Serge Miot, Sebastien Fillinger, motion designers. Postproduction Saint-Louis
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More