Yeo Valley prepares X Factor campaign with 'boy band' Churned (original) (raw)

Created by BBH and airing for the first time on 8 October, the one-off, two-minute music video will feature a farming-inspired "boy band" called The Churned, singing a ballad-style track titled 'Forever'.

Shorter versions of the ad will also appear as part of the ongoing 'X Factor' run on 15 October, 5 November, 19 November and 11 December.

The integrated marketing campaign has commanded a budget of £2.5m, more than twice the spend of its previous activity last October, which resulted in a 15% sales lift.

This year’s ad is said to form a key part of the company’s long-term strategy to make organic dairy modern and accessible, and to explain the heritage and provenance behind the family-owned Yeo Valley brand.

The spot has been filmed on location in Blagdon, Somerset, where the original farm is situated and where the company is still based.

Accompanying the ad, and designed to tap into the spirit of the ITV talent show, will be the first Facebook karaoke competition of its kind, where users can sing along to the Yeo Valley ad music and will be rated on their performance.

The winner of the competition will have the opportunity to feature in a 30-second version of the TV ad, which will appear as part of the live 'The X Factor' final on 11 December.

Last year’s rapping farmers ad, Yeo Valley's first TV outing, became Twitter’s top trending topic worldwide, received 1.8 million YouTube views, inspired hundreds of spoofs and remixes, and generated more than 200 groups lobbying for a Christmas number one.

Tim Mead, managing director of Yeo Valley, said this campaign aimed to build on last year's success by creating "something different, but just as exciting".

He added: "As a family owned business, we’re here for the long term. We see a major part of our role as helping to support and grow British dairy output and to provide consumers with naturally produced, great tasting products. I’m looking forward to the reaction to this year’s campaign."

The chorus of The Churned 'Forever' lyrics includes the lines: "Yeo Valley, Naturally. We won’t change, no never. We’ll farm this way forever and ever". A single will be available to download on iTunes from tomorrow (6 October).

Follow Arif Durrani on Twitter: @DurraniMix

Creative Credits
Client name and title: Ben Cull, head of marketing
BBH Creative Team: Jonny Durgan and Martin Reed
BBH Creative Director: Rosie Arnold
BBH Producer: Sam Robinson
BBH Team Manager: Josie Robinson
BBH Team Director: Mark Whiteside

Production Company: Pulse Films
Director: Jonathan Hopkins
Producer: Shirley O’ Connor
DoP: Denzil Armour Brown
Post Production: The White House
Editor/Editing House: Absolute Post
Sound: Wave