B&Q x Uncommon Continue ‘You Can Do It’

The powerful integrated campaign aims to silence doubt and inspire action – encouraging people that they can do it no matter how big or small.

BACKGROUND

Leading DIY retailer, B&Q, has unveiled its latest campaign which spotlights the business’ iconic ‘You Can Do It’ slogan which has been an integral part in the brand’s heritage for nearly 40 years. In a world that holds people back from believing ‘they can’ — B&Q wants to silence this doubt and inspire action — encouraging people that they can do it — no matter how big or small.

IDEA

Since its inception, B&Q has been a brand that believes you can do it. B&Q’s Slice of Home Life report revealed that 80% of people want to make changes in their homes, but only 36% feel like they can actually do it. With people having less time, less money, less motivation and more worry about what could go wrong, these iconic words play an important role in empowering those embarking on their home improvement journeys, giving them the confidence to tackle their DIY projects.

EXECUTION

The new film opens with a woman holding a sledgehammer facing an old wall in her home, acting metaphorically as her doubt, her fear and her can’t — picking up the sledgehammer, she is ready to face the task in front of her — but it becomes heavy in her hand and the uncertainty wins again.

Taking a gear shift, the characters then realise the tools in their hands are louder than the voices of doubt in their heads. Home improvements begin throughout each scene – doubt is ignored, and action has been taken because. ‘You Can Do It’ when you B&Q it.

The integrated campaign includes a bold outdoor suite that is confident in its design – stripped back using the brand’s iconic orange against dramatised images of B&Q’s products paired with witty copy and clever art direction. The work features close ups of everyday DIY items photographed as large eerie objects, acting metaphorically as people’s DIY doubts and fears. The tools are styled and shot to be perceived as heavy and intimidating – but the hopeful copy juxtaposes this reality.

The images were shot by returning and renowned photographer James Day. Day is best known for his brand and editorial work that has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker Magazine and Wallpaper.

OUTCOME

The campaign launched early in 2024 and there have been some really positive early indicators that the work is achieving what the work set out to do. The work has been widely celebrated on social media, and positively received by B&Q customers & colleagues. The spot proved to be so popular that it was shared organically across design blogs and forums such as reddit.