A view from Academy Member
Uche Ezugwu, creative director and partner, BBH
I’m a sucker for anything epic, and this Tesco ad delivers an incredible amount of fruit and veg in the form of a friendly giant named Plumbert. A simple story, with attention to detail so obsessive you half expect a Hollywood director to pop up in the credits. From the opening shot to the final bite, it’s a cinematic joy to watch.
Hargreaves Lansdown. A sweet idea, executed with seamless transitions. At its heart, it’s a simple story that's crafted well and got me thinking about my pension. Time to make a quick call.
The Wise ad could easily have disappeared into the black hole of financial explainers. Money transfers aren’t exactly blockbuster material. But they found a smart way through a film that lands the message. I wish my financial adviser explained things this clearly instead of sounding like they're reading terms and conditions.
TK Maxx feels like someone turned a fever dream into a campaign and somehow made it work. It’s weird. Wonderfully weird.
The Dulux dog smashed it, or splattered paint all over the walls in this case, and saved the day. An emotional film about a couple going through life's ups and downs, only for the dog to lift her spirit in the end. It brought a warm smile to my face.
And on that note, I'm going to stop there with my nice warm smile.
The Thinkboxes shortlist – March/April 2026
Dulux: "Life is what you paint it"
Dulux’s iconic old English sheepdog mascot returns in this new live action film celebrating life’s modern milestones with warmth and joy. The dog, Dorothy, first appears as a cheeky puppy spreading chaos thanks to her magical ability to shake Dulux’s paint colours from her fluffy coat. As years pass and she grows shaggier, Dorothy masters her craft and becomes able to show the power of colour transformation throughout her owner’s highs and lows.
Agency: Ogilvy UK Creative team: Jules Chalkley, chief executive creative director; Lizzie Sharma, senior art director; George Allen, senior copywriter Client: Sarah Sherry, senior brand manager, Dulux UK Production company: Academy Films Director: Si&Ad
Hargreaves Lansdown: "Helping Britain invest through it all"
Hargreaves Lansdown reminds Britons how it has helped them invest for almost half a century in this love letter to British investing. A showcase of craft, the TV ad depicts four decades of national change outside Number 10 – from the birth of the internet to the optimism of Cool Britannia, the credit crunch, Brexit and more, presenting Hargreaves Lansdown as a trusted, proud and unshakably British.
Agency: Wonderhood Studios Creative team: Aidan McClure, chief creative officer; James Rafter, creative director; Myles Vincent, creative director Client: Ciara Cox, marketing director, Hargreaves Lansdown Production company: Stink Films UK Director: Tom Green
Tesco: "The fruit giant"
Tesco launched its plan to double its provision of free fruit and veg programme for over 1,000 schools this year with this warm and playful commercial introducing a fruit giant. Made from 105,000 individual pieces of fruit and veg, Plumbert the giant was brought to life at Untold Studios over six months. In the film, set to Supertramp’s “Give a little bit”, Plumbert visits schools and gradually shrinks as he gives pieces of himself away.
Agency: BBH London Creative team: Felipe Guimaraes Serradourada, executive creative director; Holly Fallows and Charlotte Watmough, associate creative directors Client: Murray Bisschop, UK marketing director, Tesco Production company: MJZ London Director: Nick Ball
TK Maxx: "Every day can be iconic with a TK Maxx deal"
A cat wearing a red shoe on its head becomes an unlikely fashion icon in this playful commercial for TK Maxx. To demonstrate how style and value should go hand-in-hand and everyday styling can be as glam as the wearer wants to make it, the film revolves around its feline star’s accidental fashion moment with a red leather loafer. When the cat’s owner posts a snap of the moment it goes viral – setting the style world on fire.
Agency: Wieden & Kennedy London Creative team: Freddy Taylor and Philippa Beaumont, creative directors; Joaquin Aubele, art director; John Speer, copywriter; Ana Balarin and Hermeti Balarin, chief creative officers Client: Catrina Funk, marketing director, TK Maxx Production company: Biscuit Filmworks Director: Andreas Nilsson
Wise: "Settling in"
Wise, the e-money business, uses this deadpan, absurdist film to demonstrate how it helps people live like a local wherever they are by lampooning how ridiculously archaic traditional banking has become. A recent expat laments the challenges of managing life with more than one currency. As his friend sips a cup of tea, eats fish and chips and rides a penny farthing, he says Wise has helped him become a seasoned local.
Agency: Ace of Hearts Creative team: Mia Silverman, senior creative; Ben Harris, senior creative; Richard Brim, co-founder and chief creative officer Client: Matt White, head of strategy and planning, Wise Production company: Packer Productions Director: Harold Einstein
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Thinkbox is the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, in all its forms. Its shareholders are Channel 4, ITV, Sky Media and UKTV. Thinkbox works with the marketing community with a single ambition: to help advertisers get the best out of today’s TV.