Manchester creative agency driven has created a new campaign to encourage people to spend more time outside, for leading retailer GO Outdoors.
The campaign takes a different approach for the category, featuring no people and very little actual time outside.
Instead, it’s focussed on a small bird, a pet parakeet named Billy. He’s spent years caged up and only ever glimpsed freedom through the pages of GO Outdoors brochures left on the coffee table beside him.
The ad starts with Billy asking us a poignant question, “why do you lot stay so cooped up?”
As he flaps across his cage, he realises that the latch isn’t secure and the door swings right open. Seizing his big chance, Billy spreads his wings, flies out of the cage, through the open window and straight into the outside world. He’s free!
Where does our feathered friend choose to go on his first day of freedom? That’s right, his local GO Outdoors store of course. But it’s not just any store, this is Europe’s biggest outdoor store ever, the brand-new GO Outdoors in York. Billy dives inside and swoops around the huge space having the time of his life.
Set to the disco track “Mighty Real” by Sylvester, our little escapee is so filled with glee he even pulls a few dance moves. Hot-stepping on the Stanley flasks and moonwalking past the Garmin sat nav watches, he provides a running commentary of his greatest adventure along the way.
It’s a celebration of how freedom feels and only ends when Billy comes outside, flies through the O of the GO logo releasing the challenge to “GO Outdoors, Discover Freedom!”
Graham Drury, client service partner at driven said: “We’re capturing the amazing feeling of being outdoors and expressing it in a really engaging and entertaining way. Billy is perfect, we can all relate to what he’s feeling and who doesn’t love it when the little guy wins in life. It’s a great step forwards for the Discover Freedom idea.”
The voice of Billy the bird is by Will Mellor from No Offence and Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. The Mancunian actor was chosen for the genuine, down to earth enthusiasm he brought to the role.
Carly Czuba, group marketing director at JD Outdoors added: “We just love the way this whole concept brings joy to the category. It’s a highly original way to shine a light on some great products and showcase our fabulous new store in York. We’re looking forward to seeing some great results along with what happens next in Billy’s story.”
The York GO Outdoors store was recently voted the UK’s Best New Store at the 2025 Retail Week Awards – quite a coup for the JD Plc-owned business.
The commercial was directed by Phil Hawkins through Manchester’s Velvet TV. Animation was by Coffee and TV and media by Running Total in Manchester.
The campaign will run on TV, radio, digital social and instore throughout the summer.
