Tesco airs first ad campaign for delivery service 'Whoosh'

The humorous campaign, created by BBH, celebrates the obscure obsessions that stop people popping out to the shops

By creative salon

07 November 2023

Supermarket chain Tesco has launched its first major marketing push for Whoosh, its rapid grocery delivery service, with a humorous ad campaign created by BBH aimed at those of us who sometimes just do not want to go to the shops.

While there might be a myriad of rational and relatable reasons for rapid grocery delivery - such as forgotten dinner items or emergency supplies - sometimes the truth is, people just do not feel like going out.

That applies particularly to the young urbanites featured in the campaign. With buzzing social lives and hectic careers, they do not always want to take a break from pursuing their passions because the need for groceries strikes. 'If going to the shops is not your bag, use Whoosh and stick to all the weird and wonderful things that are more your bag.'

This insight was dramatised in three films from BBH, directed by Daniel Lundh through Spindle.

‘Bootcamp’ opens to the sound of banging techno, zooming in on a fitness fanatic in the middle of an extreme home workout. The hero of ‘Watering’ maintains a lush, indoor jungle in a zen-like state, and a cephalophile indulges her eight legged obsession in ‘Octopus’ – all three protagonists remaining blissfully immersed in their happy places thanks to the speedy arrival of a Tesco Whoosh delivery.

The films tell each character’s story visually, with the only dialogue being the word ‘Whoosh’, and a simple VO: “Tesco Whoosh. Delivery from as little as 20 minutes. Because going to the shops isn’t everyone’s bag."

BBH’s Felipe Guimaraes was the campaign’s deputy executive creative director, supported by creative director Adam Newby. The ad was written by Grant Codron and art directed by Adrien Raphoz.

Felipe Serradourada Guimaraes, deputy executive creative director at BBH said: “Some people would rather do anything else but go down the shops to get what they need for dinner. Whether that is working out, watering your plants, or knitting an octopus poncho. Because going to the shops isn’t everyone's bag.”

Supporting the films is simple and impactful print and OOH which features the line ‘going to the shops isn’t everyone’s bag’ emblazoned across a brown paper grocery bag that’s synonymous with delivery. Tesco is also running a social competition in collaboration with Tiktok dancer Jay Scott, where viewers can share what they would rather do than go to the shops to be in with a chance of winning £200 worth of Whoosh vouchers. The competition video, in which Jay gets a Whoosh delivery while teaching his dad a new dance, has amassed over 28 million views to date.

The four-week campaign breaks this month, running on television, social media, OOH, digital and radio. Tesco launched Whoosh in May 2021.