Creative Direction | Full Rebrand | On-set Art Direction A Little Joy Goes A Long Way
A little bit of happiness goes a long way in this colourful spot for Gala Bingo that aims to bring back the joy of the game to Britain.
The spot follows a group of five friends (plus Kodie the dog) traveling the country in their yellow van in search of the perfect view of five hot air balloons, creating an epic ‘bingo’ in the sky.
Mission: "Put the Brilliant Back into Bingo Britain."
Proposition:
"A Little Joy Goes a Long Way at Gala Bingo."
Challenge:
Once the UK’s top High Street bingo brand, Gala had lost its spark after going digital, struggling to connect with younger audiences.
Brief:
Lead a full rebrand of Gala Bingo, from ATL to BTL injecting it with extra hustle and a side of joy.
Results:
As Creative Lead, I spearheaded an integrated campaign that brought the proposition "A little joy goes a long way" to life, ensuring it radiated across every touchpoint. Matching the energy from the 60-second TV spot ‘Look Up’, to PR events, each piece of work embodied Gala's joyful and distinctly British spirit. Every creative output, from digital platforms to live events, was guided by two key questions: "Does it spark joy? Is it uniquely Gala?"
The Campaign:
‘Look Up’ TV Spot:
A 60-second hero ad, directed by Noah Harris (Agile Films), followed five friends—and Kodie the dog—on a journey from the bottom to the top of Britain in their yellow van, chasing the spectacle of five hot air balloons spelling out ‘bingo’ in the sky.
Featuring Todd Rundgren’s track ‘I Saw the Light,’ the film was packed with hidden gems for avid bingo fans, including 11 iconic bingo calls for viewers to discover.
Roaming Joy:
Coordinated a 10 day photoshoot and adshoot across North West England to introduce the ‘Gala Gang’ to Britain. A custom five-tandem bike and a refurbished yellow van brought nostalgic British holiday vibes to life, creating a bold and memorable brand story adding to the campaign's charm and eccentricity.
Supporting Elements:
Digital, OOH & Social: Eye-catching bus and taxi wraps, alongside engaging social and digital content.
Product Launch Films: Three supporting ads introduced new games, while a Responsible Gambling message encouraged players to ‘pause.’
PR Activation: Working closely with Neverland and Capture Communications, events kept the momentum alive throughout the summer such as ‘A Cup of Tea’ a hot air balloon tea rooms experience, where guests could enjoy tea, cake, and bingo while overlooking the Thames. As part of Gala’s partnership with The Chase, visitors also had the chance to share afternoon tea with one of ITV’s famous chasers. Plus inspired by the iconic bingo call 33, fish, chips and peas the world’s first pop up ‘Fish & Chip Hotel’, The Jolly Good Fish and Chip Hotel pop-up in Blackpool was ‘five in a row’ themed, combining two of the nation’s favourite things: bingo, and fish and chips.
Creative Cohesion and Custom Magic:
Directed the creation of a bespoke library of retouched colour-graded photography, branded 3D assets and a full suite of visual assets, including bingo room designs, hot air balloons, and reels.
Foundations of Joy: Developed robust brand guidelines, a detailed brand book, and a distinctly British tone of voice to anchor the refresh.
Smile Test: Ensured every piece of creative sparked joy and reflected Gala’s unique character.
Fun Fact:
England’s infamous grey skies? Not in Galaland! Nearly every image was meticulously edited in post to create the cheerful, blue-sky world of Gala Bingo.
