National Grid Connects the UK to Clean Energy with Humorous Film Starring a Giant Power Plug

National Grid has today unveiled a major new campaign to drive awareness of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the UK electricity grid in generations. The campaign, which includes a new 40-second film, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.

This latest campaign burst aims to drive greater awareness of The Great Grid Upgrade and the benefits it will bring to the whole country, as well as showcase National Grid’s commitment to enabling a clean and affordable energy future, as it decarbonises the UK grid.

The Great Grid Upgrade will carry more clean, secure energy from where it’s generated – like out in the North Sea by wind turbines – to where its needed most by UK homes and businesses, boosting energy security, affordability and helping the nation become more self-sufficient.

It seeks to engage with a broad audience, creating a national conversation around the need to upgrade the grid, inviting viewers to visit NationalGrid.com to find out more about The Great Grid Upgrade and the positive impact it will have.

A humorous film sees a giant power plug being transported across the country on a lorry, with a series of people looking on at the strange sight in amazement before it arrives at the coast where an offshore windfarm can be seen in the distance. When the plug is pushed into a huge power socket, we cut to a pylon and get the sense of the newly connected clean energy powering up towns and villages as far as the eye can see, symbolising how National Grid is connecting the whole country to cleaner, more affordable sources of energy.

The ad was directed by Tony Barry at Knucklehead, selected by M&C Saatchi because of his ability to get believable comic performances from actors. 

The burst is running across TV, social, digital and audio channels. Media buying is by AMS Media Group and Mower.

Molly Neal, director of corporate communications and brand at National Grid, said, "Our vision is a clean, fair and affordable energy future for the UK, and The Great Grid Upgrade is central to this. We are undertaking the most significant overhaul of the country’s electricity grid in decades and this campaign, with its striking giant power plug, vividly illustrates the vital changes we're making to enable the energy transition while also showcasing the essential role the upgrade will play in transforming the energy we all use in our everyday lives.” 

Jo Bacon, group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, added, “It’s incredible to have the opportunity to raise awareness that National Grid is connecting the UK to clean energy, through the most significant upgrade in decades. This memorable campaign is designed to grab the attention of the nation, with striking icons at its core that really bring the message to life."

Guy Bradbury, creative partner, M&C Saatchi UK, concluded, “This work is all about getting the nation behind The Great Grid Upgrade, and inviting those who are interested to find out more about it. 

“Everyone takes electricity for granted, so we wanted to create a distinctive campaign that put energy at its heart. What better way to do that than to use a ubiquitous, everyday object like a plug – but on a much bigger scale?”