LONDON – It’s a case of advertising informing art as Sony Music has bought the rights to the Tam Cooper track following the success of KBS Albion’s Pool Kid TVC for Thomas Cook. As a result of the 2015 campaign, the song, Be Bold, proved an instant hit, reaching number 1 in the Spotify charts.
The original Pool Kid campaign sees a young boy dancing with reckless abandon on the poolside as a somewhat bemused lifeguard looks on. Following the same format, the same young boy returns in Sony Music’s official music video. Mirroring the TV ad, the young boy sports a dorsal fin as he dances to the beat of Tam’s music.
In creating the advertising campaign, KBS Albion worked together with The Sweet Shop and Earworm Music and invited a number of artists to compose an original soundtrack that could help bring the creative concept to life.
“Tam Cooper’s track stood out for us so we worked together with him to refine it,” says Adam Lawrenson, Executive Creative Director for KBS Albion. “Advertising comes in for a lot of criticism at times but this goes to show we can inform creativity both in and outside the industry and by setting this bold tone for the brand, take the business in new and exciting directions..”
As well as proving a hit with music fans, the overall campaign generated a revival for the high street travel company. Digital market share increased by 31%, brand searches are up by 20% and the number of times Thomas Cook is mentioned on social media channels has increased by 451%. This has continued through into direct business growth with a 173% increase in new customers.
In the next installment of this campaign from KBS Albion, they will issue a rallying cry to the continent as a whole to find out who best embodies the Thomas Cook ‘You’re On Holiday’ mindset and provide them with the chance to be directly involved.
