VW Commercial Says ‘Bring the Shutters Down’ On Overworking

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Mental Health UK have taken their #DownTools message to the high street with a series of shutter art paintings, as part of a campaign created by BBH.

The paintings, by mural artist Peter Barber, appear on the shutters of a dry cleaners, a butcher’s shop and a bakery, sharing the message ‘Let’s bring the shutters down on overworking’ along with the hashtag #DownTools.

It is part of a wider campaign which encourages workers to recognise that everyone needs time away from the daily grind, and calls on people to call it a day when the day’s done.

Other activity includes a 30-second film running on TV and VOD, social activity and radio ads. Mental Health UK is also offering a number of resources related to the campaign, including tips on good mental health and a service offering practical advice for those with money worries.

Kate Thompson, head of marketing at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “It’s vital that we allow ourselves enough time to switch off from work. The COVID-19 pandemic has blurred the lines between work and life causing a dangerous imbalance, whether that’s struggling to log-off when working from home or battling to keep pace with increased workload. We hope by raising awareness through our #DownTools campaign, we can encourage people to make their mental health a priority, because ultimately we work better when we feel better.”

Katie Legg, director, strategy and partnerships at Mental Health UK, added: “It’s impossible to do our best work without prioritising our mental health. This campaign is a valuable reminder of the importance of taking time out to focus on our wellbeing and all the benefits that can bring. We’re proud to work with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to create this set of helpful resources and hope it will empower employees to better understand the relationship between their work and mental health, and the practical steps they can take to help regain that sense of balance.”

CREDITS

Head of Marketing, Press and Public Relations: Kate Thompson

National Communications and PR Manager: Laura Bignall

Communications Manager: Louise Willis

Communications Manager: Matthew Mann

BBH Creative Team: Luke Till and Lawrence Bushell

BBH Creative Director: Remco Graham

BBH Strategist: Thandi Mbire

BBH Strategy Director: Selina Khuu / Aparna Bangur

BBH Senior Account Director: Andrew Connolly

BBH Account Manager: Arabella Johnston / Caitlin Quigley

BBH Account Executive: Amber Sidney-Woollett

Film Credits

BBH Producer: Nikola Oksiutycz

Production Company: Spindle

Director: Spencer MacDonald

Executive Producer: Lou Gagen

Producer: Mike Carr

DoP: Jake Scott

Post Production:

Editor/Editing House: Rich Woolway at Stitch

Post House: Framestore

Post Producer: Jake Saunders

Sound: 750mph

Sound Studio Engineer: Marcin Pwalik

Print Credits

BBH Producer: Beth Mechem

Down Tools Designer: Rob Wilson

Shutters Illustrator: Toby Triumph

Shutters Photographer: Dan Sims

Shutters Install Team: Peter Barber

Media agency: PHD