Sigh of Relief

Today Currys launches its 2024 Channel 4 Diversity In Advertising Award campaign, ‘Sigh of Relief’, which places inclusivity and accessibility at the heart of the narrative. It will be backed by £1 million of advertising space across Channel 4.

The concept focuses on the in-store experience of three customers with accessibility needs when shopping for tech appliances. Seeking to resonate with the experience that many people with disabilities face when shopping, the ad maintains Currys comedic and hyperbolic ‘Beyond Techspectations’ style by featuring an over-exaggerated sigh of relief when their needs are met by a Currys colleague.

Without compromising on humour or universal relevance, the ad reflects Currys’ broader purpose: to help everyone enjoy the benefits of amazing tech. In the film, Currys colleagues use their expertise to identify accessible features in everyday devices - demonstrating how even small adaptations can make a meaningful difference. By putting inclusivity front and centre, the ad not only connects with disabled audiences but also invites non-disabled viewers to reflect on the everyday tech challenges many people face.

Inclusive by design, ‘Sigh of Relief’ features an audio-describer and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter who are key characters within the story line. To bring the advert to life, the tech retailer worked in collaboration with creative agency, AMV BBDO, who devised the initial concept, with media planned by Spark Foundry. AMV partnered with Open Inclusion, their accessibility consultants, to gather insights and learnings from the Disabled community.

They also got feedback from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) during the production. The ad was directed by Greg Bell, through Omnicom Production.

Launching on 29th May, the campaign kicks off with a 60-second hero spot airing during Taskmaster on Channel 4. The campaign will run exclusively on Channel 4 for the first week, building early momentum and strong visibility for the brand. In parallel, the campaign will be amplified across organic social media, using a variety of tailored assets to extend reach, engage audiences in accessible and entertaining ways, and reinforce the brand’s message across multiple touchpoints.

‘Inclusive by Design’ will also be the theme for this year’s Diversity in Advertising Award as it reiterates Channel 4’s commitment to accessible advertising. The channel aims to encourage more brands to innovate in the craft of advertising, and to embed inclusive practices into their creative by foregrounding inclusivity and accessibility into the production, casting, and crewing to increase and broaden the ad’s impact with audiences.

The 2025 Diversity in Advertising Award will be open for entries this summer.

Currys and AMV BBDO are the ninth recipients of the £1 million of advertising across Channel 4; with previous themes having centred on authentically representing and reflecting the LGBTQIA+ community, women, those with visible and non-visible disabilities and diverse ethnic backgrounds. Previous winners include E45, the RAF, Maltesers, Vanish and FIFA.

‘Sigh of Relief’ was chosen from five finalists which included McDonald’s/Leo Burnett, V&A/Adam & Eve/DDB, Open University/Havas, and Motability Operations/VCCP. AMV BBDO is the only agency to have won the award three times.