Just weeks after its more contemplative campaign with Ai Weiwei, German DIY brand Hornbach has pivoted back to its whimsical ways with a playful new spring campaign reminding us that “biodiversity starts in your garden” by way of creatures fornicating among the flora and fauna.

Created by long-term partner agency Heimat Berlin, the new ad campaign gets up close and personal with the insect life that will be happily copulating under our noses this spring. Expect close-ups of ‘intimate’ moments between all kinds of garden critters, along with ASMR levels of slimy sound effects (as well as some particularly memorable grunting from one pair of beastly looking bugs).

The montage comes to a close with a gardener shown hurtling back through the bushes and into the outside world, followed by a knowing glance. Choosing a female star of the campaign marks a slightly different approach from the brand, which usually sees men in the lead roles in its DIY-focused spots.

This isn’t the first time Hornbach has added a fun twist to ad world tropes when it comes to sensuality and desire. Last spring, the brand’s The Smell of Spring advert saw gardeners’ sweaty clothes vacuum sealed and exported as a coveted fragrance – just one of its many ad campaigns where sweat is a prized material. It’s this clever blend of visceral sensations and tongue-in-cheek humour that has shaped Hornbach’s unique identity, with the latest ad another notch on the bedpost.

Credits:
Agency: Heimat
Production company: CZAR Film GmbH
Director: Hauke Hilberg
Music: Dora Hall, Jill Jackson, Seymour Miller