Populating Culture: The Power of Not Advertising

Remember Barbie The Movie? Of course you do. Even our mums were talking about it, and every bloke we know had an existential crisis about whether they were ‘Kenough.’ It wasn’t just a film - it was a cultural phenomenon. And here’s the kicker: Mattel didn’t rely on traditional ads to make it happen. Brands would kill for that kind of impact.

Because let’s be honest: people hate ads. They skip them, block them, and even pay to avoid them. There are entire industries dedicated to keeping advertising out of people’s lives. And yet, here we are, still making them. That could be a depressing thought. But actually, it’s an exciting challenge - because it forces us to rethink how brands show up in the world.

The Creative Challenge: Populating Culture

If people hate ads, how do we connect? The answer isn’t shouting louder - it’s embedding brands into the things people already care about. Music, sport, comedy, film - the stuff that feels properly human. That’s what we mean when we say we populate culture. And at VCCP, that’s exactly what we do.

It’s not about chasing fleeting attention; it’s about creating work that earns its place in the cultural conversation. Not an ad people tolerate, but an idea they actually want to engage with. And when we get it right, we see the difference.

One of the reasons we can think differently is because VCCP is different. We’re built to be an integrated partner, not just a creative agency. With specialists across every point of connection - brand, media, experience, innovation, tech and PR - we don’t just work across disciplines; we erase the old boundaries between them. We get different briefs that are more open ended, which means we can rethink where and how a brand shows up - and create new kinds of value audiences actually want. It’s how we turned a chocolate bar into a media channel, an AI granny into a national hero, and a cow on a motorbike into a cultural icon.

Take Cadbury’s 'Made to Share' bars. We didn’t just run an ad - we used the product packaging itself as a media platform, playfully dividing the bar in ways that reflected real, everyday generosity. No grandstanding, no forced sentimentality. Just a simple tweak that made something people already loved even more meaningful. And it worked - not just creatively, but commercially too.

Look at O2’s 'Daisy Vs The Scammers'. We needed to warn people about phone scams, but no one wants to sit through a dull PSA. So instead, we built an AI-powered granny who scammed the scammers back. She wasn’t just a campaign character - she became a viral sensation, turning an important message into something people actually wanted to watch and share. Another example of how we can turn brand storytelling into something people genuinely connect with.

And then there’s 'Highland Rider' for Virgin Media. A cow on a motorbike? Ridiculous. But that absurdity made it unforgettable. A nurse in a hospital once told us they’d call each other into the break room to watch it when it came on. That’s the kind of impact we strive for - not just reach, but resonance.

The New Bar for Advertising

This is the creative challenge we set ourselves: to create work that people don't just notice, but choose to engage with.

Work that doesn’t feel like advertising at all - but something worth watching, sharing, and talking about.

That’s exactly what Mattel did with Barbie. They didn’t interrupt culture; they became it. Through partnerships, events, music, and social moments, they built an ecosystem of excitement that people wanted to be part of. The film wasn’t just content; it was a cultural movement. And that’s the bar we set ourselves, too.

As creatives, we don't just add to the noise. We make the ideas people seek out, talk about, and remember.

When we get it right, our work doesn't just exist in the world - it lives in people's hearts and minds.