Morrisons - Make Good Things Happen - Ad Analysis

Morrisons
Supermarket / Grocery Retail
Brand Building
Morrisons - Make Good Things Happen
Experimental
7/10
Promising
This is a strong, well-produced brand piece that effectively communicates a core differentiator. It strategically sacrifices a hard call to action to build a broader, values-based message about the brand's role in the community and food system. This trade-off is effective for its primary goal of long-term brand building.
Clarity Of Message
The core message, 'caring about where food comes from makes good things happen,' is repeated and clear. The visual journey from farm to fork, while fantastical, effectively reinforces this single idea.
Brand Distinctiveness
The focus on their own butchers, fishmongers, and direct relationships with British farmers is a core Morrisons differentiator. This ad leverages those 'Market Street' assets effectively, making it feel unique to the brand.
Memorability And Hook
The hook of a young boy breaking the fourth wall, followed by the surreal journey of a flying dinner table, is attention-grabbing and visually memorable.
Emotional Resonance
The ad aims for a feeling of wholesome, communal pride. It's warm and positive, but the sheer pace and spectacle prevent a deeper emotional connection with the individual suppliers.
Business Objective Fit
This is an excellent brand-building tool. It positions Morrisons on values and quality, not just price, which is a smart long-term play to build loyalty in the competitive UK grocery sector.
Call To Action
The implicit CTA is to 'shop at Morrisons because we care.' It's a soft directive, which is appropriate for a brand ad, but it lacks a concrete next step to connect the film's feeling to a shopper's action.
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AI Editor notes

Straight from the gut!!

It's a big, ambitious brand film. The 'traveling table' is a clever visual trick, but it's trying awfully hard. Is the average shopper connecting with a dinner table that flies to a fishing boat? The core message about caring for the supply chain is solid, but the execution feels a bit overproduced. It's visually interesting, but I question if the magical-realism approach lands with the intended sincerity.

Quick Summary

Morrisons connects the simple joy of a family meal to its entire supply chain, arguing that the company's commitment to farmers, fishermen, and expert staff is the crucial ingredient that makes good food possible. The ad reframes a grocery trip not just as a purchase, but as a vote for a better, more caring food system.

Executive Summary

This Morrisons campaign is a confident attempt to own the 'thoughtful grocery' space. It moves beyond the category's typical focus on price or freshness to tell a story about the entire ecosystem behind a meal. The core insight is that consumers, particularly families, want to feel good about their purchasing decisions; they want to believe their choices have a positive ripple effect. Morrisons aims to be the facilitator of that good feeling.

The execution uses a 'Hook-Value-Proof-Ask' structure wrapped in a fantastical journey. The Hook is immediate: a charming kid breaks the fourth wall, and his family's dinner table launches out of the house. It’s visually arresting and promises this isn't a standard supermarket ad. The Value proposition is that Morrisons can make good food 'even better.' The Proof is the bulk of the ad—a whirlwind tour demonstrating their key differentiators. We see them buying 'wonky' veg to reduce waste, sourcing directly from British farmers like 'Phil,' and using local fishing fleets to get products to their in-store fishmongers quickly. These vignettes serve as rapid-fire reasons to believe. The creative device of the traveling table is the workhorse here, physically connecting the final meal back to its origins. The Ask is the summary line: 'if we care as much as they do... we can make good things happen.' It’s a call to join the brand's ethos.

The debrief for the team would be positive. The ad successfully visualizes a complex supply chain in a simple, engaging way. The decision to use a child narrator makes the message feel pure and optimistic rather than preachy. The key learning is that animating a brand's purpose—literally showing how an in-store choice connects to a farmer or fisherman—is a powerful way to build brand equity beyond price. It transforms the transactional nature of grocery shopping into a values-based decision.

Theme Keywords

Food Provenance
Brand Purpose
Family
Local Sourcing
Sustainability

Brand Position

The supermarket that cares about the entire journey of your food, from the field to your family.

Brand Archetype

Caregiver

Creative Game Plan

Visually demonstrate that choosing Morrisons sets off a chain of positive events, from supporting local farmers to delivering better food to your family.

Diagnosis: Issues & Solutions

Primary Issue: Emotional Connection

The Problem:

The ad is so visually spectacular and fast-paced that the human moments with the suppliers—the farmer, the fishermen, the butcher—feel like quick cameos rather than genuine connections. We meet them, but we don't have time to feel their story or appreciate their craft before we're whisked away.

The Solution:

In a future spot, slow the pace for just a few seconds on one supplier. Allow the farmer a single, authentic line of dialogue, or hold on a character-defining portrait shot. Giving one story a little more room to breathe would ground the fantastical journey in a more potent human reality.

Secondary Issue: Clarity of "What's Next?"

The Problem:

The ad does a great job of building a positive feeling but offers no tangible bridge for the consumer to act on that feeling in-store. The campaign tagline is the endpoint, leaving the viewer with a general sense of goodwill but no specific mission for their next shop.

The Solution:

Add a simple, actionable end card. For example: 'Look for the 'Grown by Phil' sticker in our stores' or 'Ask our fishmongers for today's local catch.' This would connect the grand brand story directly to the customer's shopping experience.

Additional Notes

Credits

Title:Make Good Things Happen
Brand:Morrisons
Product Category:Supermarket / Grocery Retail
Parent Entity:WM Morrison Supermarkets plc
Campaign Category:Brand Building,Social Responsibility
Campaign Objective:Brand Awareness
Creative Format:Lifestyle/Aspirational
Visual Style:Live Action
Target Audience Primary:Multi-generational
Geographic Scope:National
Platform Focus:Connected TV/OTT
Cultural Context:Year-round/Evergreen
Market Position:Challenger
Runtime:1:00
Geography:United Kingdom
Agency:Publicis•Poke
Director:Henry Scholfield
Creative Team:ECD: Dave Monk, CD: Nick Allsop, Copywriter: Hector Dudding, Art Director: Oliver Quinn
Production Company:Academy
Sound Designer:Strings & Tins
Campaign Launch Date:2021-06-18

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