Life, Death and Rock & Roll

Client: Co-op Funeralcare

Co-op Funeralcare faced a unique challenge: how do you encourage conversations about a subject that audiences actively avoid discussing? Their research revealed a cultural paradox—while the vast majority of UK adults had contemplated mortality, many had never discussed funeral wishes with loved ones.

Traditional funeral advertising often struggles with engagement as it can feel either too sombre (causing people to disengage) or too commercial (seeming inappropriate for such a sensitive subject). The challenge was finding a way to engage audiences with this avoided topic while maintaining sensitivity and respect.

The breakthrough was creating entertainment that people would actively choose to watch rather than avoid. "What if celebrities planned each other's funerals without knowing their wishes?" This format naturally demonstrated the consequences of avoiding funeral conversations while providing genuine education about planning options.

When pitched to multiple networks, the immediate resistance from most broadcasters proved the programming gap that existed. Channel 4 emerged as the essential partner, with significant trust among UK adults for handling taboo topics. Their editorial courage to commission content that others wouldn't,validated the programming approach.

Episodes captured authentic moments as celebrities discovered how little they knew about their loved ones' final wishes. Real Co-op funeral directors appeared naturally within programming, demonstrating service capabilities through genuine consultation rather than commercial messaging.

Results exceeded expectations: substantial percentage of viewers felt more comfortable discussing funeral wishes, significant improvement in brand opinion, and record brand communication awareness.