BBH on Crafting Tesco's F&F Campaign and Blending Fashion with Homeware
In a world where homeware and fashion often exist as separate entities, BBH London’s creative director, Uche Ezugwu, led the charge in merging the two for Tesco's F&F clothing brand, as the supermarket launched its F&F Home range.
Uche brought together an unlikely combination of high fashion and everyday homeware items to create a striking visual campaign that celebrates craftsmanship, authenticity and creativity.
From intricate homeware-made outfits to the logistical challenges on set, Uche speaks with LBB’s Olivia Atkins to understand how BBH London crafted the campaign that’s unexpectedly elegant.
LBB> What was the brief that you received from Tesco and what was the decision-making process behind blending fashion with homeware?
Uche> The brief came with three key brand jobs to do as part of the launch: to develop brand awareness, spark imagination and underpin everything we do with quality. We knew we needed something visually-impactful that could cut through the fashion world. Homeware and fashion aren’t that different when you think about the beautiful products that exist in each sector – it’s almost a match made in heaven.
LBB> At what point did you bring artist Thomas Bird in and what led you to choose him as the right artist for the project?
Uche> We wanted to engage Thomas as early on in the process as possible. This was key to us ensuring we had enough time to design and create the garments. Thomas was perfect for this project. His wealth of experience and working with unconventional materials made working with him a super easy decision for us and the F&F Home marketing team.
LBB> The campaign's execution is heavily-rooted in craft, why did this feel like the right approach for F&F?
Uche> Design is born from craft, as were the F&F Home products, so it only felt right to reflect this in the work and make sure that we leaned into that world. It also felt right to craft something as elegant and as beautiful as the products themselves; the craft and detail in the design of the F&F Home brand needed an execution to match.
LBB> What role did the decision to avoid AI or CGI in the production of the campaign play in the overall creative process, and how did this choice impact the authenticity and visual appeal of the final outputs?
Uche> Using AI or CGI was never considered. CGI isn’t bad and certainly has its place, but it would’ve felt like cheating if we’d used it for this particular project. There are some things in the craft you can’t replicate in CGI, like imperfections. Those not so perfect edges are sometimes what makes it look special. We also wanted to show the quality and style of F&F’s new products which AI or CGI would not be able to deliver on.
LBB> How did the production team manage the logistical complexities of constructing outfits from hundreds of individual homeware pieces, and what steps were taken to ensure that these items were both wearable and durable during the shoot?
Uche> Firstly, both the plate and cutlery outfits weighed an absolute ton. So, unless you were an Olympic weightlifter, there’s no way you’d be able wear them without any support. So, with the models’ wellbeing paramount, we had to construct special struts to hold the dresses up so the models wouldn’t feel the strain. We also built the plate and cutlery dresses in two parts, so getting them on and off the models was doable.
LBB> What techniques were used in the photography and videography of the campaign to capture the intricate details and craftsmanship of the homeware-made dresses and coats, and how did the lack of CGI influence these choices?
Uche> I’m not going to lie, the lack of CGI in the film did make things more challenging, but we wouldn’t have launched a new brand and its beautiful products with AI imagery. There was lots of fiddling on set to make sure everything looked as good as possible. It was also one of the hottest days of the year, so staying cool under the pressure wasn’t easy.
LBB> How did the collaboration between Thomas Bird and BBH London influence the final creative direction of the campaign, and what aspects of their partnership were most critical in achieving the campaign's striking visual results?
Uche> Firstly, our very own producers at BBH did an incredible job orchestrating the project. Without them, I’m not sure we would’ve made it here. So, props to them. Saying that, Thomas was key to the success of this campaign. BBH and F&F followed his lead and trusted his decisions when designing the outfits. The benefit of working with someone who knows their craft is you can just let them get on with it. He’s also a friendly guy, which helps.
