Creative Corner: Pastry, pitch and purpose from Greggs, Samaritans and Men In Sheds

This week, Fanclub PR's Emily Barnes presents campaigns that are all about turning everyday moments into something memorable.

Greggs takes its beloved bakery menu and pours it into a pop-up pub that feels surprisingly at home, Samaritans teams up with Brighton & Hove Albion to turn football rituals into lifelines, and DRINKiQ with the Men’s Sheds Association builds benches that quietly spark conversation.

Pastry and pints in Greggs’s first ever pub

Greggs is taking a cheeky step from high street bakery to watering hole with The Golden Flake Tavern, a pop-up pub in Fenwick, Newcastle.

Now I know what you’re thinking: we’ve had enough brands creating pop-up pubs. But in fairness to Greggs, for one, Greggs' food is already halfway to pub grub—pies, pastries and hearty British staples-so the leap from bakery counter to bar stool feels natural. It’s not a fleeting gimmick, either, as it’s there until Feb 2026, and the brand has committed to all the usual pub fare and fun, including a pub quiz every Tuesday.

On tap, there's Pink Jammie Pale Ale and Gosforth Stottie Lager, developed with the Newcastle-based Full Circle Brew Co, alongside a Greggs cocktail menu (Spiced Caramel Doughnut Old Fashioned if you can handle it) and a menu that gives pub classics a Greggs twist; Chicken Bake Parmo, Steak Bake Mixed Grill and even a Gregg’s Ploughmans Platter.

It’s bold but stays true to Greggs’ DNA, and the media storm is testament to that. Will purists balk? Maybe. Will Instagrammers flock? Definitely. Either way, it’s a delightful mix of novelty, theatre, and British warmth.

Samaritans encourages football fans to chant, cheer, and check-in

Samaritans has teamed up with Brighton & Hove Albion to tackle something often overlooked on the terraces: male mental health. Their Never Talk Alone campaign transforms the roar of matchday into a reminder that no one has to face tough moments in silence and joins recent campaigns, including Norwich FC’s viral Mental Health Day video, in using football fandom to fight the cause.

In the campaign’s striking film, one fan chants his inner turmoil as the crowd erupts around him - roaring the quiet part out loud. His friend steps in with the simplest, most profound gesture of asking if he is, truly, okay. The message is clear: even a small conversation can make a life-changing difference.

But it’s not just a film. The initiative spills off the screen and into the stadium itself. At every home match, Samaritans provides a safe, confidential space for fans at the Amex Stadium, with trained volunteers ready to listen. Beyond that, 1,901 fans are being trained in active listening skills, creating a ripple effect of support that stretches from the stands to living rooms, workplaces, and pubs across Brighton. It’s football culture turned into a lifeline.

Instead of a lecture, it’s a quiet intervention within a space where men already gather - one that is quiet but mighty, garnering millions of views already. As Julie Bentley, Chief Executive of Samaritans, puts it: “Suicidal thoughts can be interrupted, and a moment of human connection can be all it takes to save a life.”

DRINKiQ x Men’s Sheds build connection, one bench at a time

I’ll admit it up front that I’m a long-time fan of Timmy Mallett (as a toddler I used to wear his cap and bash people on the head with my own mallett). So when I saw him roll up sleeves and help build bench #1 in this campaign, it felt like a warm hug.

That’s exactly the spirit behind Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder, a collaboration between Diageo’s responsible drinking platform DRINKiQ and the UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA). The idea was to invite ‘Shedders’ across Britain to build 100 “buddy benches” in local communities; a social experiment commissioned for the campaign found that a single public bench facilitates on average 5.5 conversations a day, which adds up to over 2,000 a year. Multiply that across 100 benches, and you’re looking at the potential for 200,000 chats annually.

Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder is urging men to spot the warning signs with alcohol, while showing how positive outlets like Men’s Sheds can provide purpose, camaraderie and a boost to wellbeing.

Tapping into the network of Shedders, with Timmy Mallett’s grin and infamous mallett helping (or maybe hindering, as the campaign video reveals) them build their benches, it’s layered with nostalgia and relatability which adds levity without undermining the important message.

The risk is that some of these benches become benches in name only, and people sit without saying anything, but with a ready-made network and community in the UKMSA spearheading the initiative at scale, there’s a tonne of genuine impact here.

Well, that wraps up another Creative Corner!

As ever, if you’re launching something that deserves a spot in Creative Corner, or have seen a campaign you just love, please do share it with us. Email emily.barnes@fanclubpr.com