Solution

A deceptively simple consumer insight that transformed B&Q’s approach to advertising during this key trading period. The B&Q insights team, through thorough interrogation of previous sales data, emerging consumer trend analysis and new season product stories saw the benefit of positioning the garden as a ‘room’. It suggested that people should devote as much attention, money and time to the garden as they would to any other room in the house, such as a new kitchen or bathroom. However, JWT developed the insight one stage further: not only should you see your garden as a room, but you should see it as the most flexible room in your house. At any time it can be used as a kitchen, a dining room, a chill-out room, a playroom or a nursery to different members of the family.  

The insight allowed the development of one completely integrated campaign to run over the entire key trading period. It cracked the perennial problem of how to advertise a large number of unrelated products, from different categories, under a single strategic and creative idea.

Results tracking is ongoing, but sales over key trading weeks were strong and fairly consistent despite an extremely poor British summer. Consumer perception tracking is strong overall, with intention to visit, quality and value for money measures all seeing improvement. For one TV ad in particular, consumer tracking studies show the highest level of engagement and recall for any B&Q ad since tracking began.