Richard Ayoade Shows That Climate Change 'Doesn’t Do Borders' in HSBC UK Ad

Wunderman Thompson UK has created a new TV ad for HSBC UK highlighting the bank’s commitment to removing the barriers its customers face in achieving net zero carbon emissions.

Launched on November 1st, in line with the COP 26 climate summit in Glasgow, the ad is an extension of HSBC UK’s ‘Borders’ campaign which launched in September highlighting how physical, attitudinal, and cultural borders can act as barriers to opportunity. The new 30-second ad features comedian, Richard Ayoade, who points out that climate change “doesn’t do borders”, as global warming and the rising sea level will affect locations all around the world.

As in the previous ad, Richard wheels around a traditional white-line marker used to mark lines on sports pitches. The ad opens with a shot of an Arctic glacier, the figure of Richard and his white line marker standing on top. The camera focuses on the comedian who says the problem with climate change is that it “doesn’t do borders.” He wheels the white line marker across the snow and says: “If the sea level rises here…”, then he appears on an English beach, marking a white line in the sand with the machine and adding: “It rises around the world.”

The ad highlights HSBC’s promise to make $1 trillion available to its customers globally to help them transition to net zero and concludes with HSBC’s brand purpose statement – “Opening up a world of opportunity.”

“We have a responsibility to lead on the global fight against climate change by removing some of the barriers our customers face on their transition to net zero,” said Becky Moffat, Chief Marketing Officer for HSBC UK. “By playing our part, together we can create the opportunity to build a more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future.”

The TV ad is being supported by Digital Out of Home, OOH, print ads and social media activity.