This is brilliant. Before you read any further I must admit to being a huge fan of The Guardian as it is the only newspaper I have ever seriously read and I now interact with it via my i-phone, podcasts and online. So I am a bit of a Guardian junkie and am therefore writing this post through a slightly biased filter, but seriously, this is brilliant. In a bid to engage a new readership the clever folk at ad agency BBH have created a thrilling and provocative advert (first aired on the 29th of Feb) and campaign to promote The Guardian’s approach and positioning of ‘open journalism’. The film is a modern interpretation of classic fable ‘The Three Little Pigs’ and is imaginatively reworked to show how The Guardian would cover the story in print and online. Beginning with the paper’s front page headline, through a social media discussion and finally to an unexpected conclusion. It’s a very timely ad and as a result has been getting a lot of online buzz.

Being an avid Guardian reader I have always chosen to read the newspaper for its left leaning political views that I feel match my own views and beliefs on the world, as I’m sure most Gaurdian readers also do. But the Guardian is really pushing its position as a brand to being beyond merely a ‘left-leaning newspaper’ and occupying the space of ‘global digital hub’. Realising and accepting that by all accounts the future of news and journalism is almost certainly digital they have taken a bold, future thinking step forward by declaring themselves as a digital-first news source, eloquently demonstrated by their excellent i-pad app.

Their approach of ‘open journalism’ is firmly rooted in the belief that no one newspaper or news source can claim to be the sole arbiter of the truth and so instead they have opened themselves up as a co-creative platform to include thier readers. Publishing their stories online before they go to press they allow the readers to actually contribute to the stories as they are being worked on and really become part of the brand, not just a consumer. It’s a really exciting and positive position for The Guardian to be occupying at the moment especially in the wake of all the journalistic scandals in the UK. They are real innovators in their field creating new and exciting ways of going forward and honouring their founding values of honesty, integrity, courage, fairness and a sense of duty to the reader and the community. I’m pretty proud to call myself a Guardian reader right now.

For an excellent in-depth insight into the ideas behind the campaign go to BBHLabs where you can find an article from Jason Gonsalves, Head of Strategy at BBH London.

Creative Agency – BBH

Creative Director: David Kolbusz
Creative Team: Matt Fitch & Mark Lewis
Producer: Davud Karbassioun
Production Assistant: Genevieve Sheppard
Head of Strategy: Jason Gonsalves
Team Director: Ngaio Pardon
Team Manager: Alex Monger
Team Assistant: Katie Burkes