Currys’ latest advertising campaign leverages the “dad energy” trend to encourage customers to adopt an energy-saving mindset for home technology, according to the retailer’s brand and marketing director Dan Rubel. The campaign, which will air across video-on-demand platforms, YouTube, and radio, is built around a “real human truth” that dads naturally gravitate toward energy conservation, Rubel explained.
The Campaign Concept
Rubel emphasized that while the broader brand platform “Beyond Techspectations” runs across all channels, each campaign selects the “optimal channel mix” tailored to its message. He noted that the campaign aims to educate customers about energy-efficient technology while using humor to engage audiences. “I’m a dad. I like to save energy. Sometimes for semi-comedic effect. Sometimes not, whether that be turning the lights off or generally encouraging the family to be a bit more prudent with energy usage and therefore saving money,” Rubel said. To create an emotionally resonant ad, Currys went to “absurd lengths,” employing colleagues to play a caricature of dad complete with a silly moustache. Rubel highlighted specific moments in the ad, such as the actor glancing sideways at the camera, which gives the campaign a “documentary feel” while maintaining a tongue-in-cheek tone. Another standout scene features a dad wielding a dictaphone, a prop Rubel admits is “nonsense” but which taps into nostalgia for a bygone era of paternal behavior.
Store Experience as Core Strategy
Rubel stressed that Currys’ differentiator lies in its physical stores and knowledgeable colleagues. “It’s the little things that stand out to you when you work on campaigns,” he said, pointing to the opening scene’s sideways glance as a deliberate choice to blend documentary-style authenticity with comedy. The retailer’s strategy consistently centers on the “see it, feel it, try it” experience, ensuring that technology and retail presence unite rather than compete for attention. “In our ads, they don’t fight for time; they come together,” Rubel noted. Currys rigorously tests all campaigns through System One, a platform that predicts consumer emotional reactions. This campaign scored approximately 30 per cent higher than the category average, Rubel revealed. Post-launch, the retailer evaluates return on investment and long-term brand perception shifts, conducting annual third-party analyses validated through control tests. These studies track spontaneous awareness, brand preference, and associations with Currys’ core values.
Social Media Approach
Rubel explained that Currys treats its organic social media differently, avoiding paid ads entirely. He observed that paid content fails to resonate on platforms like social media, so the retailer focuses on entertaining organic posts rooted in its brand pillars—showcasing stores and colleagues to remind customers of Currys’ unique in-person experience. Rubel explained that while a single campaign would not shift perception on its own, over time Currys is becoming more and more known for the things that make it special.
Evaluating Campaign Impact
Post-launch, Currys conducts annual third-party analyses validated through control tests to assess campaign effectiveness. This deep dive examines return on investment and long-term brand perception shifts. The methodology ensures reliable data by comparing results against controlled benchmarks.
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The retailer tracks spontaneous awareness, brand preference, and associations with core values. Monthly surveys of 2000 people gauge ongoing shifts in consumer sentiment. This approach allows Currys to measure how campaigns contribute to distinguishing itself from competitors through its unique in-store experience.
Emotional Connection and Research
There is oodles of research on how emotional connection and comedy specifically can unlock the brain in way that means this stuff resonates. By combining humor with practical energy-saving advice, the ads aim to engage consumers more effectively than traditional, serious messaging.
The strategy emphasizes that saving energy doesn’t have to be dull. Currys believes its approach will continue to build recognition of its distinctive qualities, reinforcing the “see it, feel it, try it” philosophy through both advertising and physical retail presence.
