A paintbrush is a paintbrush is a paintbrush right? Why pay more? As the premium paintbrush brand, Harris needed to get people who were buying cheap brushes to ask for a Harris paintbrush instead. So our challenge was two-fold, to increase both value perception and market penetration.

We used our HumanValues™ psychology tool to really understand why people were willing to compromise, despite their instinctual desire to do the best DIY job possible. This insight pushed the creative towards a consequence-led idea, using the biggest decorating myth out there to showcase the repercussions of going cheap. A good workman never blames his tools. Unless it’s a cheap brush.

We needed to show decorators across the country who were really to blame for furry walls, patches, drips and countless DIY tears. And so we created the #BlameTheBrush campaign featuring a raggle-taggle gang of cheap brushes who do such a bad job, it’s criminal. Each with their own personality and dodgy DIY speciality. Their distinctive animation style and characters cut through with a clear message. There are nasty consequences to buying cheap. The antics of Threadbare Tony, Rolly Lintloss, Slapdash Sid, Rusty Ronnie and Drippy Steve brings a fresh narrative to the DIY category that not only puts paintbrushes at the centre of the painting process but offers Harris as the clear alternative to their incompetent handywork, empowering DIYers to make the right decision in the paintbrush aisle. The gang featured across TV, VOD, social and digital. It’s been emulsional.