Summer has finally arrived in the UK, and with it some absolutely brutal heatwaves. Thankfully we managed to get through them thanks to electric fans – possibly the most amazing invention ever – and keeping cool in the shade and with lots of cold drinks, whether that was water or a stronger tipple like a margherita poolside.

We always enjoy seeing all the seasonal campaigns in our industry, and so have put together a selection of our favourites for this summer so far. We hope you enjoy – let us know what your fave campaign of the summer was.
 

– Team GC

1. Deliveroo’s Chipwatch

We’ve all been there. You’re enjoying a well deserved ice cream or cone of chips at the seaside, and suddenly there’s a giant seagull in your face, showing no signs of mercy as they grab your treat away from you.

Deliveroo research found that 53% of Brits have unfortunately had food stolen from seagulls, so they had official “Chipwatch” team members at beaches in Brighton and Scarborough to help out this summer. Working closely with bird expert and ornithologist Dr Madeleine Goumas, they are using bird safe deterrents like reflective umbrellas, decoy hawks and even a hawk, falcon and bald eagle musical number, to safely keep seagulls away.

We thought this was a fun campaign that was emotive with plenty of humour and relatability. Created by agency Tinker Tailor Trouble Maker, it got people talking while securing coverage in the Mirror and plenty of regional websites.

2. Diet Coke and Kate Moss

Those of us old enough to remember the early noughties will recall two icons of that time – supermodel Kate Moss and a chilled can of Diet Coke. Which is why we were excited to see that Mossy has been appointed as the brand’s Creative Director, with plenty planned to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary.

This includes special edition coke can designs and a range of campaign films and events, but it’s the partnership itself that has got people talking, securing coverage in a range of nationals and lifestyle titles from Grazia to British Vogue and the Guardian.

Whether you think it was a wise move or not – especially given the Kate Moss scandal of the noughties involving, ahem, another type of coke – it’s created a huge discussion and firmly put Diet Coke on the throne as one of the very best drinks of all time.

3. Bank Holiday BBQ blues

GingerComms conducted research on behalf of Karcher ahead of the Jubilee Weekend on all things BBQs. We found that 40% of Brits admitted their BBQs were filthy, and hadn’t even given them a scrub for eight months.

We prepared a news story which showed how dirty our grills really are – so it was little surprise to learn that a fifth of people have come down with food poisoning after attending a BBQ. We also revealed that although lots of Brits were planning to attend a BBQ over the Jubilee break, it’s important to make sure everything is clean and hygienic to avoid guests falling ill – and then probably not speaking to you again.

This campaign secured coverage with the Star, MSN, Sunday Mirror and plenty of regionals too, with almost 100,000 estimated views: https://gingercomms.coveragebook.com/b/8b245be09098bf0b

4. Become a sun lounger tester for Hotels.com

One of the best things about going on a summer holiday is sitting by the pool, am I right? There’s nothing better than soaking up the rays poolside, lying back on a sun lounger and enjoying a cocktail and holiday read.

Created by EMEA, Hotels.com research reveals that up to 22% of Brits agreed their dream role would be as a professional Sun Lounge Tester – and so the company decided to create this very role for one lucky winner.

The successful candidate will get to travel around Europe for the rest of the summer, with a generous £15k to spend staying at different Hotels.com properties. And those who are unsuccessful won’t miss out – they will still secure 30% off hotel stays in the company’s members only sale.

This campaign secured plenty of coverage, including with the Express, the Sun, Mirror and the Daily Star and OK! online.

5. Jimmy Choo pop-up at Harrods

The world of luxury is an interesting space and can create a good opportunity to get creative – we particularly loved the Anya Hindmarch village pop-up in Chelsea for example! And we thought this new campaign for Jimmy Choo was absolutely perfect for the brand.

This summer, “Choo Cafe” has opened at Harrods, a hot pink space near the shoe department, where guests can get fully immersed in the cafe’s chosen colour theme, with rose tea, raspberry croissants and strawberry eclairs.

However, as the Evening Standard pointed out, this installation is really all about the incredible interiors and pink Jimmy Choo crockery – and we think it’s going to be a huge hit on Instagram this summer, especially with the rise of the new “Barbiecore” trend.

This campaign has so far secured coverage with Forbes, Evening Standard and plenty of UAE based websites – but we think it’s going to come into its own on social media during the next few months.