T&P's Role In Helping Hawkstone Farmer's Choir Win Britain's Got Talent

Not many brand ambassadors (in fact none) enter and then win televised talent competitions, so for beer brand Hawkstone’s Farmer’s Choir to be victorious on Britain’s Got Talent is a momentous moment for all involved. And those involved include co-founders Jeremy Clarkson and ad luminary Johnny Hornby.

The choir was initially brought together for a deliberately provocative ad campaign that ran online in March. T&P, Hawkstone's creative agency, auditioned over 500 singing farmers and cast a choir of 40 of them. From there they produced a series of ads using humour and unsavoury language, knowing it would never run on TV.

From there, the choir has gone from strength to strength, with their victory, as voted for by the general public, watched live by 4.1 million people. Their victory even left Clarkson a little misty eyed with pride following a performance of an original song called 'This Is Home'.

Discussing the experience and the work the agency team at T&P put into supporting the win and the impact on the Hawkstone brand are T&P global chief creative officer André Moreira, and senior producer Alfie Glover-Short.

Creative Salon: What is the role the choir plays for Hawkstone and what do they represent for the brand? 

André Moreira: The choir represents the heart and soul of Hawkstone. Our brand is all about celebrating British farmers – the real, unsung heroes behind our beer – and the choir gives that community an authentic, powerful voice.

They embody the grit, humour, and determination of British farming. In a market full of bland, foreign-owned beers, the choir is a genuine expression of who we are: proudly British, down-to-earth, and the product of incredible hard work. They aren't actors; they're real farmers, and their success is a testament to that.

Whose idea was it to enter? How did that come about? 

AM: The choir was originally formed for a Hawkstone TV ad which was made to purposefully get banned. What followed got a huge response across the nation. The producers from Britain's Got Talent saw it, recognised the choir's talent and authentic story, and invited them to audition.

The offer was on the table, and it was the perfect stage to take this incredible story from the farm gate to the entire nation.

How involved was the agency in campaigning for the choir during the series and what impact did that have in the win? 

AM: Our role was simply to support the choir and help share their story. We knew our community of over a million Hawkstone fans were as passionate about British farming as we are, so we did everything we could to get them behind the choir.

This included a huge push on social media, as well as organising viewing parties, handing out thousands of bumper stickers, and even placing an insert in Farmers Weekly to rally the wider farming community.

Ultimately, our job was to get the message out; the choir's incredible talent and the public's overwhelming support did the rest.

Were producers at all concerned by the relationship with the lager brand? 

AM: No, the producers understood from day one that this was a story about people, not a product. The focus was always on giving a voice to British farmers, a community that's often overlooked. The choir was made up of real farmers, so their story was completely genuine.

The purpose of the project went even deeper. The choir's performance was released as a charity single to raise funds for SHOUT, providing vital mental health support for farmers. This showed it was much more than a simple branding exercise. Hawkstone was the enabler, but the farmers were, and always will be, the stars.

Alfie - what was the experience of the final like? You sat next to Jeremy — how did that go? 

Alfie Glover-Short: The final was utterly surreal. The atmosphere in the studio was electric. Watching the choir on stage, you just felt this immense sense of pride for these incredible people. For us as an agency, it was the culmination of a huge journey, so the tension was through the roof.

Sitting next to Jeremy was exactly as you'd imagine. There was a constant, hilarious, and often unrepeatable running commentary, but underneath it, he was just as invested and nervous as the rest of us. When they announced the win, the place just erupted. For a moment, all the strategy fell away, and it was just pure joy. It was a victory for them – for the farmers. A truly unforgettable night.

What opportunity does the attention of the victory afford Hawkstone and how does the agency plan to help capitalise on the moment?

AM: The great thing (amongst many) with this project is that it’s the perfect encapsulation of T&P’s belief that true integration leads to better ideas — it just wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. So, yes… expect us to be sharing not just the work, but how we got there, with anyone who’s willing to listen. From intermediaries to clients, current and prospective.

Regarding Hawkstone, it further reinforced everyone’s conviction in its core principles ‘Hard to Make, Easy to Drink’. Above all, that’s what the brand is about and that’s what we’ll continue to focus on in the future — hopefully with even harder to make, yet easy to enjoy, creative ideas and the consequent business success that usually follows.