VCCP and Saga release new year campaign featuring Nicholas Farrell

Saga and VCCP have devised a campaign the compares holidays from now and the 1970s, evoking fond memories of the latter.

In it, Saga — the UK's specialist in products and services for people over 50 — heroes its cruise product with the help of actor Nicholas Farrell.

The 30” film, set to be released on television on 3rd January, sees Farrell aboard Saga’s newest ocean cruise ship, the ‘Spirit of Adventure’, reminiscing about holidays past.

The work consists of remade footage from the ‘70s of children swimming in the rain, grumpy kids begrudgingly posing for family photos, car breakdowns and holiday park tribute bands.

The film then returns to the Saga cruise ship where Farrell can be seen relaxing at a table with his wife whilst tucking into some delicious canapés and soaking up the social atmosphere. “Well, those were the days…” he says before turning to his wife with a raised eyebrow, “weren’t they?”. The voiceover concludes “Boutique cruises for those who deserve a bit of luxury” with the final titles reading: ‘Saga. Experience is Everything.’

Stuart Beamish, Saga group chief customer officer, said: “We launched our new ‘Experience is Everything’ campaign in October and it couldn’t be truer when it comes to travel.

“Our customers know what they like because they’ve been there and done that, from backpacking student adventures, exotic honeymoons and holidays with a young family to modern day adventures.  To celebrate all their experiences, our ad reflects back wryly on those memorable 1970s breaks versus the luxury of our Saga boutique cruises today.”

Jim Thornton, executive creative director VCCP London noted: “We had so much fun making this, recreating classic holiday scenes from the 1970s in all their miserable detail. It’s hard for anyone under 50 to appreciate just how different the world was: cars broke down, the corners of the UK were as exotic as holidays got, and the weather was always terrible.

But for those of us who actually experienced the ‘70s, it's safe to say whilst we'll remember these holidays forever, we're also seriously glad to pack them away in our memory box. Holidays now are more on par with Saga’s brand-new luxury cruise ship, which is the perfect place to enjoy all the benefits the post-1970s world has to offer. Like great food, the internet, and staff who aren’t permanently on strike.”

CREDITS 

CAMPAIGN TITLE: Experience is Everything

CLIENT: Saga

ADVERTISING AGENCY:  VCCP London

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jim Thornton

CREATIVE: Adam Sears

CREATIVE: Ben Evans

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR: David Boscawen

BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Molly Moore-Brabazon

SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Ed Loughton

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Izi Hutchinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER: Tuesday Birmingham

GROUP HEAD OF PLANNING: Andrew Perkins

HEAD OF PLANNING: Christine Asbury

STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Matt Wiseman

HEAD OF TV: Olly Calverley

TV PRODUCER: Rosie Good

AGENCY SENIOR CREATIVE PRODUCER: Gaynor Goldring

DESIGN DIRECTOR: Adam Edwards

AGENCY POST-PRODUCER (SOCIAL MEDIA): Finn Connolly

EDITOR (SOCIAL MEDIA): Mark Singer

DESIGN DIRECTOR: Lee Bodell

AGENCY POST-PRODUCER (SOCIAL MEDIA): Amy Rasmussen

AGENCY PROJECT DIRECTOR (DIGITAL): Laura Woolger

TECHNICAL LEAD: Nate Hulley

HEAD OF DESIGN (DIGITAL): Adnan Lalani

DIGITAL DESIGNER: David Green

BROADCAST AFFAIRS MANAGER: Lucy Greenaway

MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: VCCP Media

CEO: Peter Bennett

CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER: Simon Jenkins

BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Tess Hulme

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Jess Mobbs, Tom Fox

STRATEGY DIRECTOR (MEDIA): Laura Russell

SENIOR BROADCAST MANAGER: Sam Bumford

TV PRODUCTION COMPANY: Stink Films

DIRECTOR: Ivan Zacharias

EDITOR: Filip Malasek 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Blake Powell 

PRODUCER: Nick Landon 

POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Selected Works 

POST PRODUCER: Alex Fitzgerald 

COLOURIST: Ondrej Stibingr

AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: King Lear 

SOUND ENGINEER: Jack Sedgwick 

TALENT AGENT: The Bourne Consultancy 

STILLS PRODUCTION COMPANY: Spandy Films

PHOTOGRAPHER: Lorenzo Agius

PRODUCERS:  James Chamberlain/Phoebe Irving

RETOUCHER:  Robert Taylor, Taylorlight.com

BRANDING AGENCY: SomeOne

EXECUTIVE STRATEGIC CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER: Simon Manchipp

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Beth Baines

SENIOR DESIGNER: Ian Dawson