Untold Studios’ DIARMID Directs ‘Life in Neon’ for Hargreaves Lansdown

Private investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown returns to TV in a campaign which shows what can happen when you Switch Your Money ON.

Lead strategic and creative agency McCann UK worked with production studios Untold to create the campaign, which demonstrates the positive benefits of private investment through larger-than-life neon installations which represent the manifestations of Hargreaves Lansdown users and their dreams for a better financial future. The installations range from a new house extension, a child’s university education, all the way to the safari of a lifetime.

The ad is brought to life with by the track Color Decay by Júníus Meyvant, which ebbs and flows as we follow each investor on their emotional financial journey.

Simon Coomes, head of marketing and strategic planning lead from Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “We’re excited to bring our Switch your Money ON message to life through this ‘Life in neon’ campaign. We wanted a distinctive and more emotive way to communicate that life gets better when you invest with Hargreaves and Lansdown and feel this will help us achieve our goal of building awareness.

Ciara O’Meara, creative director & managing partner at McCann UK, said: “Hargreaves Lansdown has such a fantastic service that enables anyone to invest with confidence. To celebrate them being in business for over 40 years we really wanted to bring to life their ‘Switch your money ON’ line in a more tangible and epic way.”

The campaign launches on 4th February and will run until the end of April, across TV, BVOD, DOOH, Online video and social.

The campaign was directed by DIARMID, known for Money Supermarket, as well as his extensive VFX knowledge and skills for creating some of John Lewis’ iconic Christmas adverts. All postproduction and VFX to bring these fantastical neon representations of financial dreams were performed by Untold Studios.

DIARMID, director, said: “From the moment I read the script I knew this was a project I wanted to direct. It gave the opportunity to create something special and own able for Hargreaves Lansdown with a modern and fresh style. The film required an energetic and dynamic approach to our cinematography, transitions and edit to slice cleanly and effectively through our stories. It was important for me to ensure that we embraced the practical constraints, imperfections and details involved in building massive light installations regardless of whether they were in-camera or CG and I am very pleased with the results in the final film.”