Back to School with Clarks

Clarks school shoes are undoubtedly woven into British culture. They carry you through playground adventures, keep little feet comfortable all day, and leave a lasting impression of reliability and craftsmanship. So when I was asked to develop the creative for our first back-to-school TV campaign in over a decade, I was genuinely excited.

After such a long break from television advertising, this was not the moment to play it safe. We needed to return with confidence and warmth, creating something that reflected the comfort, reliability, and quality that define such a beloved category.

Over the past few years, Clarks had worked hard to make its school shoe range more accessible, bringing prices in line with other retailers, including national supermarket chains. That made it even more important that the campaign never felt like a step down. The creative execution had to match the quality of the product, proving that a more accessible price point did not mean compromising on comfort, durability, or craftsmanship.

The campaign line There’s No Better Feeling, supported by Quality you expect, prices you didn’t, set the tone from the outset. Together, they spoke to the comfort, confidence, and trust that define Clarks school shoes, while reminding parents that quality does not have to come at a premium.

Entertainment First

My approach to any creative, particularly film, is always to entertain the audience first. It is the most effective way to convey a message without it feeling like a sales pitch. Striking the right balance between advertising and entertainment is delicate, but when done well, it can be incredibly powerful and memorable.

I wanted this campaign to feel like a performance while staying authentic to the brand. First and foremost, we needed a track - something instantly recognisable, something that worked hard while also reinforcing the spirit of the campaign. The decision was straightforward - Justin Timberlake’s 'Can’t Stop the Feeling'. Not only did it reference a key word from the campaign line, it also connected with our young audience, who were already familiar with it from the Trolls franchise. Lines like 'I’ve got that good soul in my feet' gave us a natural way to showcase the shoes, highlight price points, and let the product speak for itself.

The decision to have children perform the song was one of those make-or-break moments. But with the right casting, it would become something truly special.

Keeping It Local

Since joining Clarks, one thing that has really stood out to me is how the brand has always played a fundamental role in supporting the local Somerset community, right from its founding 200 years ago. As we celebrated this milestone, I was determined to honour the values of our founders and ensure that this production stayed firmly rooted in Somerset.

That commitment extended beyond just the locations. We wanted to give local children the chance to take centre stage - kids who might not usually have the same opportunities as those from larger cities across the UK. By partnering with a local stage school, we opened auditions and were genuinely blown away by the talent on display.

The children cast in the commercial were extraordinary. Their natural confidence, timing, and energy brought every scene to life, making the film feel alive and genuinely joyful. At times, I had to remind myself that I was directing a commercial rather than just watching a performance, their talent was that mesmerising. It was even more special knowing these were local kids, giving the project an authenticity and warmth that simply cannot be replicated.

Location

I chose to film the externals and basketball scenes at the beautiful Wells Cathedral School, just a few miles from Clarks HQ. Initially, the plan had been to film classroom scenes on location too, but it quickly became clear that modern classrooms had limitations: tight spaces for cameras and equipment, unavoidable disruption, and the associated costs.

To achieve a consistent aesthetic across all scenes, I designed the sets at Clarks HQ, recreating classrooms and hallways in a way that would not have been possible on location. This approach gave us larger, more adaptable interior spaces, allowed the set to be designed exactly as envisioned, and kept the authenticity of real school life, all at a fraction of the cost.

Fun with Inflatable Characters

Early in the creative process, our Head of Creative developed a series of cute, inflatable animated characters to appear throughout the film. Many were inspired by school iconography, including a flying pencil and a wise owl complete with mortarboard.

Yet it was our inflatable foot gauge that truly stood out, a beloved symbol of the Clarks experience. Almost every child remembers having their feet measured, so bringing him to life and giving him a moment to shine was the perfect nod to the brand and its heritage.

These characters added a touch of fun, infused the film with that unmistakably Clarks sense of playfulness, and gave the final execution an extra layer of polish, all while ensuring the children remained the true stars of the show.

The Reception

After a ten-year wait to bring Back to School to TV, the reception exceeded all expectations. The project reached over 40 million social media views, nearly doubling our previous best.