BBC Studios Campaign Is Made to Make You Think

BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC Group, today launched 'Made to make you think,' the first-ever BBC brand campaign aimed at reaching global audiences outside the UK. Developed in partnership with R/GA, the campaign represents a significant milestone in the BBC’s continued efforts to grow the recently relaunched BBC.com and BBC app throughout the world. As part of the company’s focus on investing in North America, the campaign also includes paid marketing that will see creative featured across social media, out-of-home and more.    

'Made to make you think' reintroduces the BBC and highlights its brand principles of providing impartial information, inspiration and the stories that connect us beyond borders, with the goal of inviting more audiences to engage with its platforms.

The imagery used throughout the campaign reflects the vast diversity of content that consumers rely on the BBC for - from breaking news to feature stories that delight and inspire. Ranked as the most trusted news broadcaster in the world and the most trusted major news brand in the US by the Reuters Institute, the BBC is driven by its public service mission and its commitment to pursuing truth with no agenda. Featured throughout the campaign are some of the BBC’s renowned journalists, including Jeremy Bowen, Orla Guerin, Maryam Moshiri, Clive Myrie, and Amol Rajan. 

Rebecca Glashow, chief executive officer, BBC Global Media and Streaming said, “‘Made to make you think’ is a bold, powerful campaign that underscores the BBC’s unique value proposition. It reinforces our commitment to reaching audiences around the world with the trusted news and world-renowned storytelling that has been a hallmark of the BBC for over 100 years.” 

Jennifer Ball, senior vice president of marketing, BBC Global Media and Streaming said, “The BBC brand is firmly rooted in its public service heritage- created to provide impartial news and information to help people engage with the world around them. ‘Made to make you think’ reflects this legacy and brings it to life for consumers inviting them in to experience the BBC and its mission first hand.” 

The centrepieces of the campaign, which was developed in partnership with R/GA, are two 60-second films: BBC Editorial Guidelines and BBC Made to make you think. The films will live on select BBC digital platforms, with display ads and pre-roll running on BBC.com and the BBC app outside the U.K, plus organic posts across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Alongside BBC owned and operated digital platforms,

'Made to make you think' will also target North American audiences off platform through paid media across digital, social, and audio, as well as out-of-home (OOH) advertising in New York City with video and digital ads displayed at iconic subway transportation hubs and in nearly 400 subway cars. The campaign score, created by Stewart Mitchell part of the composer collective Bleeding Fingers co-founded by Hans Zimmer, enriches the overall message with its distinctive and captivating soundscapes.

This is the first brand campaign developed for the BBC brand outside the UK. R/GA served as creative agency partner for BBC Studios and SwellShark serves as the campaign’s media strategist and buyer. 

'Made to make you think' serves in support of a wider effort by the BBC to expand outside the UK with a focus in North America, including: 

• All-new BBC.com website and BBC app experience completely redefining the way digital audiences read, watch, and find the BBC’s renowned journalism and storytelling worldwide.
• First-of-its-kind BBC News FAST channel, bringing the full live 24-7 BBC News linear channel to FAST platforms exclusively in the US, more than doubling the BBC News channel in the market. 
• Launch of 'The Global Story' daily news podcast, which is highly targeted to American listeners.
• Expanded Washington, D.C. newsroom that facilitates deeper analysis and local expertise of the regional stories affecting the US and the world. 

The expansion of the BBC’s platforms and services outside of the UK is driven by BBC Studios, the BBC Groups commercial arm, which leverages the power of the BBC to reach and engage audiences worldwide.