National ad campaign for Freeview+

Freeview is launching its first national TV campaign to promote the Freeview+ personal video recorder. The campaign features a number of well-known personalities including chef Gordon Ramsey, comic Alan Carr and sports presenter Steve Rider.

The campaign was created by Beattie McGuiness Bungay (BMB) and acts out Freeview+ functionality within Freeview programming. 4Creative and ITV Creative were also involved in the treatment.

In one scene Ramsay is repeatedly rewound, and exasperated, because Helen in Swansea hasn’t been able to follow his rapid-fire recipe. In another, an early 19th century Ball at Hampton Court is suspended until Zoe in Godalming is back from Barbados and ready to watch them from a series link.

Freeview is emphasising the lack of subscription for its PVR product, comparing it with the subscription-based alternatives. Although Virgin Media still charges a monthly £5 fee for its V+ PVR, Sky has dropped additional fees, though viewers still require a Sky subscription in the first instance.

Freeview has also been working in areas close to digital switchover. In the Border region a promotion with the Tesco supermarket offers purchasers a free standard Freeview box when they buy a Freeview+ unit.