George Clooney Revealed As Star Of New Warburtons Ad

Hollywood royalty Clooney is the latest A-list celebrity to star in Warburtons campaign created by Engine

By Creative Salon

Warburtons has unveiled its latest TV advert, starring George Clooney, alongside the bakery boss Jonathan Warburton. The new campaign created by Engine celebrates Warburtons’ belief that nothing should come in the way of the perfect loaf – not even Hollywood A-Listers.

The new 60 second ad premieres on ITV 1 primetime on Saturday May 8. It comes as the latest edition of Warburtons’ series of epic stories in which A list celebrities including Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone pitch a movie idea to the bakery’s chairman Jonathan Warburton.

This year, the ad celebrates Warburtons’ dedication to quality as Hollywood star George Clooney is seen trying to get hold of Jonathan on a video call to pitch his legendary idea to the family bakers… but it doesn’t quite go to plan.

The ad opens in Jonathan Warburton’s office as the fifth-generation family baker eagerly awaits his 3pm break. As the clock strikes the top of the hour, Jonathan is seen preparing his favourite snack – the perfect slice of hot buttered toast. Mouthwatering cinematic shots follow, as we see a slow-motion sequence of toast popping up and shooting through the sky, a close-up of a wave of butter quickly melting and Jonathan cutting the perfect triangles in anticipation.

The chairman is suddenly interrupted as his receptionist runs into the room and declares “Mr. Warburton, George Clooney is on the line!” She gestures to a laptop where George Clooney is waiting. Jonathan, not wanting to be distracted from his toast smiles “he can wait” as he closes the laptop and tucks into his toast.” George is left bewildered in the final shot as he is seen staring down the laptop screen saying: “Mr. Warburton? He hung up?”

George Clooney says: “It’s not every day your call is turned down for a slice of toast, but needless to say I had a lot of fun filming this spot. It was great working with the Warburtons team and I’m thankful for the support they are providing to the Clooney Foundation for Justice.”

The fee paid to George Clooney for taking part in the campaign has been donated to the Clooney Foundation for Justice.

Billy Faithfull, chief creative officer at Engine: “To use internet-speak, we are ALL Jonathan Warburton in 2021. Faced with the choice between another zoom call or a little me-and-toast-time, only a true baker, born and bred, would choose Toastie over Clooney. It’s the Warburtons family’s enduring obsession with quality that makes toast worth slamming a laptop shut on George Clooney for. If you wouldn’t, maybe you’re eating the wrong toast.”

The new ad will go live on social media from Friday May 7 and will air on ITV 1 on Saturday May 8.

CREDITS

Creative direction: Billy Faithfull, Engine and Matthew Freud, freuds

Creative team: Hugo Isaacs, Chris da Roza

Account team; Louise Hayward, Celia Taylor, Megan Seaby

Strategy team; Simon Butcher, Jack Cartwright

Executive producer: Bradley Woodus

Agency producer: Victoria Doran

Assistant producer: Jakub Pieta

Project director: Seb Roskell

Junior project manager; Penny McNally

DoP: Martin Hill