eve sleep Reinstates the UK’s Bedtime with Nostalgic ‘Switch Off’ Campaign

eve sleep, the European sleep wellness brand, will be giving TV viewers the ultimate throwback, as they remind the nation of a time when TV broadcasting came to an end, prompting bedtime each night.

In a weekly Sunday night post-peak spot on Channel 4, eve sleep is reviving the iconic Test Card F, which, until 1997, signalled the end of programming in a bid to encourage the nation to switch off their mind and bodies and start winding down for bed.

Spanning six executions, the TV ads feature a sassy main character (the young Tallulah Conabeare) as she takes on the role of sleep advisor to the masses, and friend to the iconic eve sleep sloth. Across each of the six spots, the sunny pair share tips to have you nodding off in no time, ranging from turning off sources of blue light, to listening to calming soundtracks, to tackling a whole host of sleep issues in a bid to help viewers to unwind. The TV executions extend across a variety of digital channels and are supported by digital out-of-home creative, centred around the moments where the nation should be tucked in for the night. 

And it couldn’t come at a better time. A recent survey commissioned by eve sleep revealed that, for one in four Brits, quality of sleep is worse than ever - as they are kept up by worries and the change in their life and work routine, meaning that switching off before bed is getting harder and harder. This is only exacerbated by the ‘always-on’ stream of tempting content we now face across our multiple connected devices.

Staying true to their mission of unleashing the power of sleep wellness, eve sleep sought out independent creative agency Creature to develop a strategy that would authentically optimise viewers’ bedtime habits, whilst driving brand fame. Creature reimagined Test Card F with obsessive attention to detail, and combined nostalgic elements with moments of surprise and invention to ensure the message to ‘Switch Off’ resonated across all channels

Fellow independent media & buying agency GoodStuff, who collaborated with Creature earlier in the year on the Land of Independents campaign, managed the strategic placement and timing of the campaign, at bedtime on a Sunday night. In a never-before-seen media buy, GoodStuff and C4 lined up bedtime slots every Sunday night to put the nation to bed.

Eve sleep’s retained digital marketing agency Croud led on the campaign’s digital presence extending the switch-off messaging across devices.

As well as broadcast TV, the eve test card will be expanded across Channel 4’s streaming service All 4, and the broadcaster’s social channels, encouraging users to give late-night scrolling a miss for the night.

And Eve sleep will be tackling bedtime casual gaming, by popping up on the screens of popular gaming apps including Candy Crush, Pet Rescue and Farm Heroes with a gentle reminder that it’s time to hit the hay.

Making sure the brand is truly supporting their customers when it comes to switching off, the evesleep.co.uk homepage will also be winding down for the night, encouraging visitors to swap their screens for sleep each Sunday. 

Caroline Smith, creative director, eve sleep commented: “The inability to switch off from never-ending content and news, along with the complete upheaval in our daily routines is having an ever greater impact on our sleep. Sleep is a key pillar of health and wellness. Our intention is that through resurrecting this historic British bedtime symbol, we can encourage the nation to turn off their devices to unwind, helping everybody get the sleep they need to rise and shine.”

Ben Middleton, chief creative officer at Creature, added: "The world can feel utterly relentless right now, and switching off has never been less fashionable, or more important. Fortunately, in Eve Sleep, we've found people whose creative ambition and desire to get a good night's sleep matched our own - and we bloody love the work we've made together."

Gabriela Kerezova, planning director at GoodStuff said: “As eve’s long standing media partner we’re committed to cementing eve sleep as the owners of Sunday Night Switch off. That’s why this all encompassing activity  with Channel 4 is right for this campaign. Not only will the ad feature first in break at 11pm every Sunday night, we’ll also tap into those second screening via Channel 4’s digital and social platforms.”

Max Whiting, client strategy director at Croud commented: “Eve’s reinvention of the iconic ‘Test card F’ is sure to capture the imagination of audiences, and we’re delighted to be leading on the digital roll-out of the campaign. By taking a joined-up, data-driven approach, we’ll ensure the imaginative TV ad is translated effectively for social and video channels, enabling eve to tap into additional audiences, as well as reengaging with viewers across devices and platforms.” 

Chris Braithwaite, agency and client sales leader, Channel 4 said: “We’re pleased to be the broadcast partner for this nostalgic campaign that’s all about the importance of sleep wellness and encouraging downtime from devices at bedtime, which is why we’ve amplified it across All 4 and social.”

To discover ways to help switch-off visit here.