Purpose Disruptors Reclaims the Commercial Break During Channel 4’s Change Climate Programming

Advertising reformer Purpose Disruptors is launching a provocative TV spot subverting the purpose of advertising in the latest iteration of its ‘Reclaiming the Commercial Break’ campaign as part of its Good Life 2030 project, developed in partnership with Iris, the global creative network.

The 30-second film features comedian and writer Simon Amstell playing the part of ‘the advert’ with his trademark wit and irreverence. The ad begins with a glitching test card followed by a blacked-out screen. Filling the blank void we hear the conscience of ‘the ad’ reflect awkwardly on how adverts usually encourage people to spend more, before asking viewers to instead, spend more time 'getting out there in nature'. The ad ends with the line ‘The future is ours to create’.

'The Good Advert' is the latest execution of Purpose Disruptors’ ‘Reclaiming the Commercial Break’ multichannel campaign, created with Iris, supported with media strategy by MG OMD, which launched on Earth Day. The campaign saw traditional advertising spaces in the UK - including the cinema screens and the iconic Piccadilly Lights - subvert traditional advertising messages to bring home the reality that advertising and consumption of material things distract from what’s important in life.

‘The Good Advert’ will break during Channel 4’s Change Climate programming tonight during the ad break of ‘The Great Climate Fight’, a three-part series on Channel 4 featuring Mary Portas, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, Oobah Butler and Kevin McCloud. The season is timed in line with the UN climate conference COP28. 

This campaign is the latest of a series of interventions from Purpose Disruptors that invite the advertising industry to reflect on its role in society and recognise its enormous potential to help bring about the transformational cultural and behavioural shifts required to halve emissions by 2030 and secure a livable future for humanity. 

Lisa Merrick-Lawless, co-founder, Purpose Disruptors, said, “’The Good Advert’ is the latest chapter in our efforts to reclaim the commercial break with an important message from Purpose Disruptors. It’s a TV ad that on reflection has realised that instead of spending more we are all better off spending more time out there in nature. It's an ad with a conscience.”

Grant Hunter, global executive creative director, Iris, said, "We’ve created ‘The Good Advert’ to create space for reflection in the Change Climate programming on Channel 4. It asks us all to do our bit in response to the climate emergency. Even adverts have a part to play, even though that may seem a little out of character. The future is ours to create."

Ewan Douglas, head of sales nations and regions, and business development, Channel 4, said, “This clever campaign from Purpose Disruptors subverts the conventions of traditional advertising to draw attention to the issue of the climate emergency and the part that the ad industry plays in it.”