TBWA\MCR and Blesma Team Up for Humorous Take on Serious Need for Legacy Giving

TBWA\MCR has joined forces with limbless veteran’s charity Blesma in a humorous take on the serious business of fund-raising.

The ‘Not heroic, human’ campaign, disrupts the usual sombre and serious approach adopted by this charity sector, which historically has relied on triggering emotions around the idea of fallen heroes to provoke a response.

Instead, the creative builds on the idea that veterans are everyday people with families, futures, homes and ambitions. They may have lost limbs, but they have not lost their humour and humanity.

The opening shot echoes a traditional ‘appeal’ ad, as the camera pans out from a male head. But the mood dramatically lightens when it becomes clear that our central character has just been peed on by a baby mid-nappy change.

It’s an everyday moment but made more difficult when the protagonist is shown to be a triple amputee – in this case former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod MBE, the UK's first triple amputee to survive the Afghanistan conflict.

It is the first TV campaign on behalf of Blesma which is a charity focussed on helping ex-service people, and their families, following the loss or loss of use of limbs or sight. The advert was shot by Sting Films, the internal production agency of TBWA\MCR.

Their brief was prompted by the need to raise money for Blesma members in light of the decline in the naming of military charity beneficiaries in legacy giving. Veterans receive no Government financial support.

TBWA\MCR’s disruptive creative approach was born from multiple in-depth insight sessions with veterans.

Lisa Nichols, executive creative director, TBWA\MCR, said, “We have shed light on veterans in a way not seen before. Culture calls them ‘heroes’ but they don’t associate with that word. They believe they were doing their job; so were not heroic, but human.”

“We want people to think about veterans in a new light beyond their combat past, and into the present and future where they live and exist now. They’re everyday people just like you and me, but some of the small tasks that we take for granted, they have to deal with on a whole different level.”

Tony Bloomfield, operations director, Blesma, said, “TBWA\MCR really took the time to understand that we didn’t want to go down the tried and tested route. Our members put such extraordinary effort to lead ordinary lives and we hope it will encourage people to consider us in their charitable giving.”