National Trust wants us to take a step back from the madness of modern life

The charity’s 125th anniversary ad by Wieden+Kennedy invokes the historic words of its co-founder Octavia Hill to demonstrate why our relationship with the natural world is more important than ever

For heritage brands, looking back can often be a rich source of inspiration when it comes to moving forward. We’ve seen a fair bit of nostalgic branding in particular recently, including the return of Co-op’s 1968 clover leaf logo and Burberry repurposing its founder Thomas Burberry’s monogram.

Founded in 1895 to help preserve and protect historic places and spaces, National Trust is hoping to demonstrate the continued relevance of its mission as it celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.

Along with announcing a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, the charity’s new ad by W+K London flits between footage of the stresses of daily life and the tranquility of the natural spaces that are right on our doorsteps. In doing so, the spot presents the eternal glories of nature in a surprisingly modern way.

At the heart of the film is a clever nod to a quote from National Trust co-founder Octavia Hill which dates back to 1883, but arguably feels all the more pertinent today: “We all want quiet. We all want beauty. We all need space.”

Credits:
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy London
Creative Director: Flo Heiss
Creatives: Derek Lui, Harry Ingrams
Executive Creative Directors: Tony Davidson, Iain Tait
Production Company: All Mighty Pictures
Director/DOP: Anthony Dickenson
Executive Producer/Creative Director: Mark Harbour
Design Director: Karen Jane
Lead Designer: Alex Thursby- Pelham
Designer: Xueling Wang