Dulux created a vibrant, colour-based PR stunt, but why? New research has revealed that a large percentage of Brits view many of the cities in the UK as ‘dull’, with over a third describing them as colourless. It also found that colour has a positive effect on people’s mood and that colourful surroundings are particularly important to British people during the colder months.
To celebrate the power of colour and brighten the landscape as we head into winter, paint brand Dulux recently launched its emotive ‘Colour Britain’ initiative, with an eye-catching outdoor PR and experiential activation.
Dulux, who are masters of creating unique, PR stunts and experiential campaigns that reinforce their mission to ‘add colour to people’s lives,’ brought a little happiness to people in the UK, with their latest campaign.
The project saw three of the country’s finest illustrators – Annu Kilpelainen, Adrian Johnson and Emily Forgot; produce seven unique pieces of artwork on giant canvases across Britain.
Dulux interviewed residents from seven cities across the UK, to discover their favourite sights, stories from history and colours, which formed the inspiration for the giant murals. Each painting had a unique and relevant story behind its design, which the public were an integral part of.
The action of inviting the public to help create the artwork was key to its success, as it drew out positive memories and feelings from the public about the cities they live in, thereby creating an emotional connection to the Dulux brand.
The campaign was also optimised for their social media channels, with videos of the illustrators talking about the inspiration behind the murals and time-lapse videography showing the installations in progress.
Town centres in Liverpool, London, Brighton and Hove, Cardiff, Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester have been given a Dulux makeover, but an eighth city will be chosen to receive its own splash of colour by the public, via a vote on Dulux’s social media pages, using the hashtag (#colourbritain).
Dulux Marketing Manager Johnny Corbett said of the campaign; “we believe that life is a story that deserves a colourful backdrop and as such, this initiative champions use of vibrant colour in unusual locations to truly brighten people’s daily lives.”
The most popular location will be announced and the artwork erected on 31 October, just after the clocks go back.
Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442 or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.
