British Gas’s 'Two Sides of the Story' campaign centers on a socially conscious brand proposition that positions the company as a compassionate ally to unpaid carers across the UK. By highlighting the challenges faced by more than 6.5 million individuals who care for family members or loved ones, the campaign promises empathy and support for this often overlooked group. It underscores the importance of acknowledging carers’ emotional and practical burdens, while encouraging openness and conversation as pathways to access much-needed help.
Strategically, the campaign leverages a documentary-style, social experiment format to create authentic and relatable content that resonates with its target audience—unpaid carers who are predominantly British Gas customers and employees. This approach taps into a powerful emotional insight: carers frequently prioritize others’ needs over their own, often at personal cost, and may feel isolated or hesitant to seek support. By showcasing real stories and fostering a dialogue around the strains of caregiving, the campaign breaks through barriers of silence and stigma. The creative angle of presenting "two sides of the story" reveals not only the carers’ experiences but also the perspectives of those they care for, adding depth and complexity to the narrative.
Within the power and telecom market category, this campaign extends British Gas’s role beyond that of a service provider to that of a socially responsible community partner. It aligns the brand with a meaningful cause, enhancing relevance and emotional connection in a way that transcends traditional product messaging. The use of digital media and social tags like #ShareThatYouCare further amplifies engagement, encouraging sharing and broader awareness. Ultimately, the campaign’s insight-driven strategy combines empathy, storytelling, and social responsibility to address a significant social issue, reinforcing British Gas’s identity as a brand attentive to the human context in which its services exist.
FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY — Shows a user profile the target audience can relate to or aspire to.
This campaign, “Two Sides of the Story,” is built around real, relatable unpaid carers—the 6.5 million in the UK—highlighting the impact of caring for a loved one. The narrative and documentary/social experiment genre focus on authentic, everyday experiences rather than fictional storytelling, overt product demonstration, or problem/solution framing. British Gas isn’t positioned as a literal solution but as a supporter of these real users. The core creative device centers on representing genuine carers so other carers see themselves reflected, encouraged to open up, and feel seen and supported. This matches FORMAT#10, where the target audience directly identifies with on-screen user imagery and lived experiences, rather than being persuaded through dramatization, comparison, symbolism, or testimonial.
1. EDF Energy – EDF Energy positions itself as a forward-thinking utility provider focusing on sustainability and nuclear-powered energy, promoting low-carbon solutions. They emphasize reliability and innovation in clean energy technology while offering competitive tariffs and extensive customer support across the UK market.
2. SSE plc – SSE leverages its strong presence in renewable energy generation alongside electricity and gas supply, emphasizing commitments to green energy and customer-centric services. Its strategy centers on transparency, competitive pricing, and community engagement to build long-term customer trust.
3. E.ON UK – E.ON differentiates through a strong focus on smart energy solutions, digital innovation, and personalized customer services. They market themselves as an environmentally responsible company investing heavily in renewable resources and energy efficiency programs aimed at reducing customers’ carbon footprints.
4. Scottish Power – Scottish Power is positioned as a green energy leader driven by Iberdrola’s global expertise in renewables. They highlight their investment in wind energy and commitment to a low-carbon future, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers seeking sustainable energy solutions.
5. Npower – Npower emphasizes simplicity and customer care in its market approach, focusing on straightforward tariffs and responsive service. Despite challenges in the competitive landscape, they try to maintain a loyal customer base by prioritizing service reliability and value.
Q: What is Two Sides of the Story about?
A: Two Sides of the Story is a film campaign created by Ogilvy for British Gas and launched in the United Kingdom in June 2019. The campaign highlights the challenges faced by over 6.5 million unpaid carers in the UK, many of whom are British Gas customers and employees. It forms part of British Gas’s Share That You Care initiative, aiming to encourage carers to share their experiences and seek support. Through an emotionally resonant narrative, the campaign sheds light on the emotional and practical impact of caregiving, fostering empathy and awareness within the industrial sector.
Q: What creative device does Two Sides of the Story use?
A: Two Sides of the Story employs the creative device classified by Clapboard as FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY. This approach centers on presenting real, relatable unpaid carers whose experiences the target audience can directly identify with or aspire to. Rather than dramatization or symbolic storytelling, the campaign uses authentic user imagery and lived experiences to foster connection and encourage carers to open up. This technique prioritizes genuine representation over traditional product demonstration or testimonial formats, aligning closely with Clapboard’s taxonomy for user-focused creative formats.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Two Sides of the Story?
A: The campaign proposition positions British Gas as a compassionate ally to unpaid carers across the UK, emphasizing empathy and support for this often overlooked group. It targets unpaid carers, many of whom are British Gas customers and employees, encouraging openness about their caregiving challenges to access necessary help. In the power and telecom market, this socially conscious stance extends British Gas’s role beyond service provision to that of a socially responsible community partner. The campaign underscores the emotional and practical burdens of caregiving, promoting dialogue and reducing isolation through the Share That You Care initiative.
Q: How does Two Sides of the Story rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Two Sides of the Story holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 66/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in combining authentic storytelling with social responsibility to engage its target audience and elevate British Gas’s brand positioning within its market category.
Q: Who are the competitors in British Gas's category?
A: British Gas competes with several key players in the power and telecom market, including EDF Energy, which emphasizes sustainability and nuclear-powered energy with a focus on reliability and innovation. SSE plc highlights renewable energy generation alongside transparent pricing and community engagement. E.ON UK differentiates itself through smart energy solutions and digital innovation aimed at reducing carbon footprints. Scottish Power positions itself as a green energy leader driven by global expertise in renewables, while Npower focuses on simplicity, customer care, and service reliability to maintain its customer base.
.webp)
