Sainsbury's is marking 150 years in the business with a fantastical TV ad which sees the brand reflect on its heritage.
Celebrating how the grocer has been 'Proudly Doing Our Bit' over the years via the creation of a colourful cake that embodies its values, the ad kickstarts with the opening of the very first Sainsbury's store in London's Drury Lane.
The video, created by Wieden+Kennedy London, shines a spotlight on why Mary Ann and John James Sainsbury opened doors in in 1869 — to provide one of the poorest areas of the capital with good value, quality food. It then zooms right into the modern day, showing how the grocer has supported the likes of Comic Relief.
The cake in the spot has several tiers, each representing contributions from Sainsbury’s colleagues. Halfway through the ad, the screen switches from black and white to technicolour, revealing the cake as a spinning cinematic zoetrope (one of the earliest forms of animation) that tells the brand's story.
A combination of model making, 3D printing and traditional sugarcraft techniques were combined to create the cake.
Laura Boothby, head of broadcast marketing at Sainsbury’s, said: “Community has been at the heart of our business since 1869 and we are delighted to bring to life the achievements and dedication of our colleagues in our 150th campaign. Sainsbury’s has always had a focus on contributing to the communities we serve and we’re proud that this is a legacy that still stands today.”
The campaign kicks off Sainsbury’s 150 Days of Community initiative, which sees its 180,000 colleagues from across the group being invited to volunteer for a cause in their local community.
Rival grocer Tesco is celebrating its own 100th birthday this year, using a series of playful spots featuring cult characters like Mr Blobby and Morph to mark the occasion.
: 'Proudly Doing Our Bit'