Crafting a Giant-Sized Christmas: The Creative Process Behind Sainsbury’s BFG Campaign
For its 2024 festive tale, Sainsbury’s has brought Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant out of our collective childhood memories with the help of New Commercial Arts, King Henry Studios and Rogue Films.
The festive ad introduces the lovable character as he embarks on his whimsical journey to experience the culinary delights of Christmas with the help of Sainsbury’s ‘big friendly grocers’, and particularly one who becomes his new sidekick.
Rich with nostalgia, fantastic food, and festive wonder, the film brings the BFG character to life for a modern, multi-generational audience while preserving the charm and warmth of Dahl’s beloved character.
NCA revealed that at the start, the creatives were tasked with a simple, but ambitious brief: “Sainsbury’s is going big this Christmas.” This led them to a whimsical, warm-hearted narrative that paired the BFG with ‘Sophie’, a real Sainsbury’s colleague. The inclusion of store employees as part of the supermarket’s ongoing ‘Good Food for All’ ethos added authenticity and reinforced the film’s theme of community.
Creative directors on the campaign, Dan Bailey and Brad Woolf, took LBB’s Zoe Antonov behind the scenes of this festive feat, explaining how they captured the magic of the original story while updating it for a contemporary audience.
From the challenges of animating a 24-foot-tall giant with the right balance of tactility and charm to the harmonious score by Alex Baranowski, recorded at Abbey Road, the team shares how they brought their festive vision to life. In their words, this campaign is a reminder that Christmas magic doesn’t require much more than good food, family, and friends.
LBB> What was the brief from the get go and was the theme always to relate the ad to a whimsical, magical story?
Dan & Brad> The brief was incredibly close to the sentiment of the film we ended up making; Sainsbury’s are going big this Christmas. We didn’t necessarily start off thinking about a magical, whimsical story but we did want to make sure our tale was warm, joyful and, like Christmas, all about the food.
LBB> What were the key themes or elements from Roald Dahl's ‘The BFG’ that inspired the visual and narrative direction of the ad?
Dan & Brad> As soon as we had the idea we pored over the book to remind ourselves of the magical world of the BFG. It remained the touchstone for every decision we made. In particular, The BFG’s ‘Gobblefunk’ is so rich and familiar, it naturally added charm and personality to all the dialogue. And then with Sam Brown, we set out to capture the homespun familiarity and personality that Quentin Blake conjured up with his iconic illustrations.
LBB> How did the idea of pairing the 'Big Friendly Giant' with the 'Big Friendly Grocer' evolve during the brainstorming process, and what were the primary goals behind this collaboration?
Dan & Brad> Having the nation’s Big Friendly Grocer working with the Big Friendly Giant felt like a bit of a no-brainer to us. We just needed to make sure that each had a natural role to play in our story. So once we arrived at the idea of Sainsbury’s helping him have something more appealing than Snozzcumbers for his Christmas dinner, and him helping the food become even more dreamy, it really felt like we had landed on a nice story.
LBB> What were some challenges and creative decisions involved in adapting such an iconic character like the BFG for a Christmas ad aimed at a modern, multi-generational audience?
Dan & Brad> Christmas felt like the perfect time to adapt a character that brings out the inner child in all of us. The BFG was written over 40 years ago, so he sparks emotions for every generation; from those who read it with their children in the ‘80s to eight-year-old kids today. So it was quite a responsibility for us and Sam to bring him to life in a way that felt recognisable to all of us. The key was starting the process by making a beautiful, fully articulated model with Andy Gent and his brilliant team. That was then handed over to the wonderfully talented guys at Electric Theatre Collective to animate in a way that still felt charming, tactile and loveable despite being 24 feet tall.
LBB> Can you tell us about the decision to use real Sainsbury’s colleagues in the ad? How did this approach enhance the campaign's message?
Dan & Brad> As part of our ‘Good food for all of us’ campaign, we’ve always used real Sainsbury’s colleagues in our films. Being ‘the good food people’ we felt there was no substitute for featuring the real colleagues you meet in store. We do appreciate how lucky we were to cast ‘Sophie’ who everyone loved the second they saw her audition. She’s so charming and likeable and is a great foil for her big friend.
LBB> The ad balances nostalgia with a fresh take for the Sainsbury’s brand. How did you ensure this balance without straying too far from Roald Dahl’s original story and themes?
Dan & Brad> Creating the right tone for the film was always going to be key. That’s why it was so helpful to work so closely with the Roald Dahl Story Company, to make sure that we never drifted too far from the original text or spirit of the character. We also knew that music would play a vital role in capturing the right blend of originality and nostalgia for such a big, festive spot. Fortunately, we had the peerless Alex Baranowski on hand to write a beautiful score, then had the joy of recording it with a live orchestra at Abbey Road.
LBB> This campaign marks New Commercial Arts’ first collaboration with Ogilvy UK for Sainsbury’s. How did your teams integrate seamlessly, and what were some of the innovative ideas that emerged from this partnership?
Dan & Brad> Fortunately, we’d already been working closely with Ogilvy to help develop the Sainsbury’s brand across all platforms. However, this was the first project where we were able to do so whilst in the same stable. In this case it was invaluable to our efforts to make sure the campaign worked seamlessly online and introduced the idea in fun and innovative ways across all social channels.
LBB> The ad’s messaging touches on family, community and magic. What additional brand values or messages were you hoping to convey through the narrative and visual style of this campaign?
Dan & Brad> Our aim was to lean into the joy that Christmas brings. Sometimes it just takes a giant helping hand to remind us that all we need is good food, good friends and family to have a wonderful time.
