Best of Britain by the Sea - Hoseasons, Awaze | Clapboard Ad Archive

Best of Britain by the Sea arrives as a showcase of branded entertainment in the UK’s media and entertainment category, with Hoseasons and parent brand Awaze at the centre of a content-forward push designed to make self-catered British coastal holidays both aspirational and tangible for mainstream audiences. Conceived by Blink Films and launched in partnership with the7stars agency and broadcaster More4, the Year 2022 campaign fuses food, travel, and lifestyle storytelling across a five-part television series fronted by well-known personalities Ainsley Harriott and Grace Dent, whose relatability and culinary credibility serve as the connective tissue throughout each episode. In what Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#8—Ongoing Characters or Celebrities, the campaign leverages the duo’s ongoing presence to drive recall, deepen engagement, and anchor the Hoseasons offering in lived experience rather than generic travel tropes. The episodes see Harriott and Dent exploring a curated sweep of the UK coastline, immersing themselves in local food culture—from hidden seaside gems to regional produce—and cooking up dishes for one another within the ever-changing canvas of Hoseasons accommodation, including cottages, houseboats, lodges, and caravans. Through each setting, the campaign places the freedom and authenticity of self-catering escapes at the heart of its narrative, positioning Hoseasons not as a faceless aggregator but as an enabler of bespoke holidays that celebrate Britain’s culinary heritage and scenic riches. The7stars’ multi-platform activation amplifies this integration: a branded series hub on All 4, high-impact homepage takeovers, and bespoke 30-second competition spots strategically slotted around key in-show integration moments connect broadcast programming seamlessly to shoppable brand moments, while paid social clips extend the core promise—to “Relive the Good Times”—beyond the TV screen into shareable, snackable digital touchpoints. This orchestration of PR, digital, and broadcast reflects a mature understanding of how contemporary travel decision-making operates across multiple touchpoints, targeting consumers who increasingly value authenticity, locality, and nostalgic connection in holiday choices—a trend sharpened in the wake of pandemic-era travel shifts. For Hoseasons and Awaze, the partnership with established broadcaster Channel 4 and the strong thematic through-line of British seaside culture elevate the campaign above tactical promotion, achieving a lifestyle positioning that stands apart from the transiency of flash sales and traditional discounting. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. As travel and leisure brands contend with category fragmentation and rising consumer expectations, Best of Britain by the Sea demonstrates how a strategically curated content play can restore both emotional resonance and enduring differentiation to the self-catering segment.