Anything Goes – Deliveroo UK 2023 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Anything Goes - Deliveroo | Clapboard Ad Archive

Deliveroo’s 2023 Christmas campaign, Anything Goes, created by Pablo for the UK market, captures the festive season’s distinct cultural freedom around food by embracing the unspoken rule that anything is permissible at Christmas, because it’s Christmas. This film celebrates the diverse ways people approach holiday eating—from those who lavishly indulge in seasonal specials to others who whimsically choose cake for breakfast or cheese for dinner, alongside those who prefer to stick to traditional fare. By positioning Deliveroo as the ultimate gateway to an array of local food experiences, the campaign underscores the brand’s promise of convenience and choice, highlighting that whatever consumers crave during the festive period, it is accessible on their doorstep. The narrative taps into the relaxed and permissive mindset that defines Christmas dining habits, portraying a spectrum of user archetypes rather than a single resolved storyline or problem-solution dynamic. This approach, which Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#10—Associated User Imagery, effectively reflects and validates real consumer behavior, making Deliveroo relevant to a broad audience who celebrate the holidays in their own unique way. The campaign’s creative execution mirrors everyday moments of festive indulgence and spontaneity, positioning Deliveroo not just as a delivery service but as an enabler of joyful, personalised food experiences that cater to all tastes and moods. By focusing on neighbourhood accessibility and the sheer variety available, the campaign reinforces Deliveroo’s role as a local, reliable partner during one of the busiest times of the year for food delivery. The strategic insight that Christmas justifies breaking usual food rules is central to the brand’s communication, making the service feel indispensable for consumers seeking to celebrate without compromise. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how delivery services can authentically embed themselves in cultural moments by championing inclusivity and individual choice rather than conformity, reflecting a shift toward more personalised and emotionally resonant holiday marketing.

Credits

Client

Deliveroo

Agency

Pablo

Category Mind Map

48%

Deliveroo’s “Anything Goes” campaign leverages the festive season’s unique cultural behavior—where usual rules around food and indulgence are relaxed—to position itself as the essential enabler of diverse holiday dining preferences. The core brand proposition communicated here is that Deliveroo serves as a convenient gateway to a wide variety of food experiences, catering to every individual’s festive mood and cravings, whether they prefer traditional Christmas fare, unconventional choices, or spontaneous treats. By framing the idea that “‘...Because it’s Christmas’” justifies any food choice, the campaign underscores Deliveroo’s promise of delivering flexibility and access to local culinary options that fit the unique and often indulgent mindset of the holiday period. Strategically, the campaign taps into an insightful cultural moment where consumer behavior becomes more permissive and experimental around food during Christmas. Recognizing that people either go all out with festive specialties, indulge in atypical eating habits, or maintain classic meals, the creative approach celebrates this “anything goes” mentality authentically and inclusively. This narrative genre, supported by a film format, connects emotionally with the audience by reflecting their real-life holiday food rituals, making Deliveroo appear both relevant and responsive to their needs. The focus on neighborhood accessibility further anchors the brand’s positioning as a local, reliable partner during a busy, choice-rich season. Overall, the campaign’s insight-driven angle and relatable storytelling aim to reinforce Deliveroo’s role as a facilitator of joyful, personalized food experiences during Christmas in the UK.

FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY — Shows a user profile the target audience can relate to or aspire to. This Deliveroo campaign leans into the varied behaviors people embrace during the festive season—some indulge extravagantly, others stick to tradition—which are all presented as equally valid. The narrative highlights different user types (the Christmas special fan, the cake-for-breakfast eater, and the classics loyalist) rather than telling a single, resolved story or focusing on a problem-solution dynamic. The creative approach showcases relatable archetypes, signaling that Deliveroo caters to everyone’s unique festive food habits and identities. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Just Eat – Market Positioning Just Eat focuses on convenience and variety, positioning itself as the go-to platform for easy, reliable food delivery across the UK. It leverages a vast network of local restaurants and fast-food chains, emphasizing user-friendly technology and widespread availability. Just Eat often highlights affordability and quick delivery times, appealing to a broad demographic seeking familiar and comfort food options seamlessly delivered. 2. Uber Eats – Market Positioning Uber Eats capitalizes on its strong global brand and integration with Uber’s ride-sharing platform, offering quick, reliable delivery with a focus on premium restaurant partnerships and innovative technology. It positions itself as a modern, fast service that caters to urban, tech-savvy consumers who value convenience, a broad restaurant selection, and timely deliveries. 3. Deliveroo Editions – Market Positioning Although a Deliveroo initiative, Deliveroo Editions functions effectively as a competitor within the delivery ecosystem by offering exclusive virtual kitchens that provide unique, high-quality food options. It appeals to customers looking for niche, gourmet, or otherwise unavailable local cuisines, differentiating through culinary innovation and optimized delivery-only food experiences. 4. Domino’s Pizza – Market Positioning Domino’s leverages its brand dominance in pizza delivery by emphasizing speed, affordability, and consistent quality. Its strategic angle centers on a simple, focused menu with strong digital ordering platforms, frequent promotions, and reliable delivery services, making it a top choice for consumers craving a quick and familiar meal. 5. Just Eat Takeaway (Parent group including Hungryhouse) – Market Positioning As the parent company merging multiple platforms, Just Eat Takeaway reinforces its leadership through extensive coverage and choice, combining local favorites with international brands. It differentiates via scale, strong logistics infrastructure, and localized marketing, aiming to provide a comprehensive ordering experience that meets diverse customer preferences across the delivery service market.

Q: What is Anything Goes about? A: Anything Goes is a 2023 festive season campaign by Deliveroo in the United Kingdom, created by the agency Pablo. The campaign celebrates the relaxed and indulgent food behaviors people adopt during Christmas, highlighting how the phrase Because it’s Christmas justifies a wide range of eating habits. It showcases diverse festive food preferences, from extravagant Christmas specials to unconventional choices like cake for breakfast or sticking to traditional classics. Deliveroo positions itself as the gateway to all these local food experiences, emphasizing convenience and variety during the holiday period. Q: What creative device does Anything Goes use? A: Anything Goes employs the creative format classified by Clapboard as FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY, which focuses on portraying relatable user profiles that the target audience can identify with or aspire to. This approach highlights different festive food archetypes—such as the Christmas special fan, the cake-for-breakfast eater, and the classics loyalist—rather than following a single narrative or problem-solution structure. By showcasing these diverse user types, the campaign communicates inclusivity and personal relevance, making Deliveroo appear responsive to varied holiday food habits. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Anything Goes? A: The strategic positioning of Anything Goes is that Deliveroo serves as the essential enabler of diverse holiday dining preferences by embracing the festive season’s permissive food culture. The brand communicates to UK consumers that during Christmas, usual rules around food indulgence are relaxed, and Deliveroo offers flexible access to a wide variety of local culinary options. This proposition matters because it aligns Deliveroo with the emotional and cultural ethos of Christmas, reinforcing its role as a convenient, neighborhood-focused partner that caters to every individual’s festive mood and cravings. Q: How does Anything Goes rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Anything Goes holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100, which reflects its creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in capturing the festive spirit through relatable storytelling and its strategic positioning within the delivery services sector during a key seasonal period. Q: Who are the competitors in Deliveroo's category? A: Deliveroo competes with several key players in the UK food delivery market. Just Eat positions itself as a convenient and reliable platform offering a broad variety of local restaurants and fast-food chains with an emphasis on affordability and quick delivery. Uber Eats leverages its global brand and ride-sharing integration to provide fast, premium service targeting urban, tech-savvy consumers. Deliveroo Editions, a Deliveroo initiative, acts as a competitor by offering exclusive virtual kitchens with unique, high-quality food options. Domino’s Pizza focuses on speed, affordability, and consistent quality with a simple menu and strong digital ordering. Just Eat Takeaway, the parent company of Just Eat, reinforces market leadership through extensive coverage and localized marketing.