Barclays Help Investors Make Good Moves

The work, by VCCP, reinforces its commitment to help more people invest and close the UK's investment gap

By Creative Salon

21 October 2026

Barclays has today unveiled its latest Barclays Direct Investing campaign, ‘Good Move’, reinforcing its commitment to help more people invest and close the UK's investment gap. The campaign showcases Barclays Direct Investing's award-winning platform, now available with no monthly fee, and highlights how Barclays is helping customers invest with confidence and take positive action towards their long-term financial goals.

Created by global agency of record VCCP, the integrated campaign focuses on what makes Barclays a compelling choice for investors through the combination of an award-winning investment platform, the backing of a trusted bank and no monthly platform fee. Recent Barclays research found that low fees and charges are the single most important factor when choosing an investment service, cited by 39% of UK adults, highlighting the important role cost plays in helping people feel ready to invest.

The creative brings the proposition to life with a confident, straightforward tone, highlighting the combination of an award-winning investment platform and no monthly fee. At the centre of the campaign sits a 60” & 30" hero film. 'Bumpers' directed by Andreas Nilsson through production company Biscuit, in collaboration with VCCP’s content creation studio Girl&Bear. It opens on a man in a bowling alley looking at an almost impossible split: two pins left on either side of the lane. He studies it for a moment as Little Green Bag by George Baker begins to play. He looks down at his phone, and logs into his account with Barclays Direct Investing, with titles and voiceover revealing that investing with Barclays Direct Investing is a ‘Good Move’. Suddenly, the bumper rails fly up before he sends the bowling ball down the lane. It expertly ricochets against one bumper. Then the other. Then back again. Every rebound exactly where he intended, carrying the ball towards the pins. The ball clips the first pin at exactly the right angle. The pin then spins across the back of the lane towards the other pin. The man sends a kiss down the lane with a confidence that he knows exactly what is coming. The spinning pin catches the second pin, sending both tumbling to the floor. He celebrates his miraculous shot as we hear the voiceover say: “Another good move.”. The voiceover continues: “An award-winning investment platform, now with no monthly fee. Barclays: backing your future.” The film was ideated by VCCP creatives Ben Evans and Adam Sears.

In addition to TV, the campaign also spans social, print, OOH, radio and digital. VCCP creatives Ted Price and Adam Jackson ideated the OOH, while Robbie Field and Ludo Thomas led on brand social and radio. VCCP’s content creation studio Girl&Bear produced radio and OOH. VCCP’s digital experience agency Bernadette created digital banners and social assets.

Another key pillar of the campaign has been the creation of a new vodcast from Barclays that explains the links between everyday analogies, behavioural psychology and investing, helping people to make more good investing moves, more often. VCCP Social Club created the vodcast which will live on Barclays website and be supported by paid social cutdowns.

Media is delivered by OMD, with Oliver producing the performance social and digital assets.

The campaign launches at a time when investing is increasingly entering the national conversation. The industry-led Invest for the Future campaign, Chaired by Sasha Wiggins, Chief Executive of Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, launched earlier this year to change how investing is understood, discussed and adopted in the UK, so that more people understand how it could benefit their financial wellbeing. The Barclays campaign builds on this momentum, helping address some of the barriers that prevent people from investing.

Simon Groves, Group MD of Brand, Creative and Media at Barclays, said: "We know that confidence remains one of the biggest barriers preventing people from investing. 'Good Move' is designed to challenge that by helping people feel more informed to consider whether investing could play a role in helping them achieve their long-term financial goals. As Barclays works to help more people invest and close the UK's investment gap, this campaign is an important part of bringing that ambition to life."

Yan Elliott, Creative Director at VCCP, said: “The investing world can feel confusing and exclusive. We worked with Barclays to create a campaign that aims to simplify the endless choices and make you feel like you've made a Good Move - by investing in an award winning platform with no monthly fee. So you can know that everything is all in hand. Including a bowling ball."

The campaign is running nationwide across TV, radio, print, social, digital and OOH.

Credits:

Campaign Title: Good Move

Client: Barclays

Advertising Agency: VCCP

Chief Creative Officers: Chris Birch and Jonny Parker

Creative Director: Yan Elliott

Business Director Kate Fitzgerald

Senior Account Director Luke Chaplin

Account Manager Takbir Rahman

Associate Creative Directors: Ben Evans & Adam Sears

Creative: Adam Jackson & Ted Price