DFS gets comfy in its new brand space

DFS’s new TV ad with Pablo London is indicative of a radical shift for the brand, which has embraced the modern age.

The slightly stuffy, dated image projected by DFS in yesteryear has undergone a modern rethink, which really kicked off in 2022 by Pablo London.

Central to DFS's repositioning efforts was the launch of the ‘What’s Your Thing?’ brand platform, shifting the narrative from affordability to empowerment and personalisation. There’s an altogether younger, more humorous and vibrant feel to the ads now, and its latest offering is perhaps the most overt example yet.

‘Thingception’ (sticking to the ‘thing’ theme, we note) is positively surreal compared to its previous efforts. The ad takes viewers on a journey through fantastical rooms in a playful nod to the decision-making paralysis many face when shopping for home furnishings.

The ad is the fifth major collaboration with Pablo London, taking a relatable look at the chaos of modern consumerism.

Directed by Bradley & Pablo and produced by PrettyBird, the 30-second spot opens with a young woman lost in a literal whirlwind of deliberation as she navigates a series of increasingly bizarre, sofa-filled dreamscapes, the hecticness of which is almost akin to films like ‘Inception’.

The protagonist finally discovers her ideal green chenille sofa, transforming her living room into a personalised haven. The choice is a notably bold one, in contrast to the more staid DFS we once knew, but given the vastness of DFS’s stores, the ‘personalisation’ angle is a winner, we reckon.

The campaign, written and art directed by Pablo's creative group heads Will Bingham, Victoria Daltrey, Matt Fitch, and Mark Lewis, emphasises DFS's core strengths: the UK's widest range of sofas and expert in-store advice to cut through the noise.

The through-the-line (TTL) rollout includes TV spots on major channels, pre-roll takeovers on ITVX, out-of-home (OOH) stills photographed by Dan Burn-Forti, and digital extensions across social media and DFS's website.

The ad follows December's cheeky "bum-shaking" Winter Sale ad, also by Pablo, which featured animated posteriors celebrating sale excitement. See, we told you they’d changed.

But, despite the apparent frivolity, you can rest assured this has been carefully thought out. Indeed, DFS employs more than 4,000 people and ranks among the UK's top advertisers, spending upwards of £64m annually on marketing. Let’s hope, for UK plc’s sake, they continue to put bums on seats.

Credits

DFS credits
Group Marketing Director: James Brewer
Senior Creative Manager: Kim Knowles
Content Manager: Riah Skeldon
Pablo credits
Chief Creative Officer: Dan Watts
Creative Group Heads: Will Bingham & Victoria Daltrey
Creative Directors: Matt Fitch & Mark Lewis
Joint Managing Director: Hannah Penn
Business Director: Alex Worthington
Senior Account Director: Katie Gorrod
Account Director: Amie Goldstein
Account Executive: Tom Etheridge
Partner and CSO: Mark Sng
Planning Director: Chris Turner
Head of Production: Tom Moxham
Agency Film Producer: Paris Starr
Assistant Producer: Nina Stokes
Project Management: Amber Maguire, Kieran Worboys
Production Company
Director: Bradley & Pablo
Production Company: PRETTYBIRD
Managing Director: Emily Rudge
Director of Production: Fiona Bamford-Phillips
Head of Creative: Tom Manaton
Producer: Connor Hollman
DOP: Giuseppe Favale
1st AD: Clara Paris
Casting Director: Coralie Rose @ Road Casting
Production Designer: Marco Puig
Wardrobe: Sophie Canale
Local Service: B2Y, Bulgaria
Edit: Nick Rondeau @ Cabin
VFX Supervisor: Phil Oldham
Post Production: Gabha Studios
Edit:
Editor: Nick Rondeau
Assistant Editor: Chris Day
Producers: Demi Roach Lewin & Caylee Banz
Sound:
Sound House: No.8
Sound Engineer: Sam Robson
Sound Engineer: Ben Gulvin
EP: Karen Noden
Transfer team: Ed Power & Joss Malcomson-Lifford
Music:
Music House: THE HOGAN
Music Supervisors: Sean Hogan & Letizia Pacchione
Social & Digital Agency: Jungle Creations
Director: Christian James
DOP: Benjamin Pratchett
Producer: Gemma Hall
Creative Director: Molly Tappin
Business Director: Kitty Lewis-Williams
Creative Team: Jezebel Carr, Ellis McKenzie
Media agency: EssenceMediacom
PR agency: Red Consulting
Image credits: Courtesy of Pablo London.