The Power of the Little Things: behind the scenes

It’s no secret that this has been a rather emotional and challenging year for us all. When it was time to plan the most important campaign of the year for us, we were determined to hit the right note and really celebrate the little things that have added some joy to our lives. Those morning coffees. An unrushed kiss between Zoom meetings. A walk in the park with our dog. Giving a colourful gift. Like pulling on a great pair of socks, these little things can make a big difference to our day and state of mind.

So, we wanted to celebrate them. The little things that brighten our day and keep the grey at bay. But how?

The plan

“A film,” we thought. “Let’s make a film!”

Alongside our friends at Wax/On agency, we put these little things into words, created a storyboard and were all ready to create a mini film. Thankfully, before anyone on the team attempted to make their acting debut, a really cool British actor and friend of London Sock Company agreed to star in it. Michael C. Fox is known to audiences around the world thanks to his roles in Downton Abbey and Dunkirk (and now, no doubt, his excellent taste in socks). Michael brought an authentic, infectious warmth to our campaign message. As an added bonus, another LSC friend and actor, Craig McGinlay agreed to produce the campaign, offering his stylish insight and creative direction in the planning stages, on the day, and in post-production.

This stellar cast and pertinent message made us wonder: could we share our little film with a bigger audience? We decided that this was the time to make this our very first LSC TV ad and run it on SKY TV channels in the UK. A big decision for a small brand like London Sock Company, but an exciting moment for us.

Behind the scenes, @Daniel Sims

The shoot

The shoot took place in early October in London’s Clissold Park with all-important social distancing and safety precautions in place for all cast and crew. To say it was a full-on day is an understatement. As our first ever video shoot for a TV ad, there was a lot to take in and we definitely learned some lessons that we will take away for future projects.

For example, eagle-eyed viewers might notice something in the background as the camera pans out from Michael at the start of the film. As a tongue-in-cheek nod to storm clouds – both metaphorical and meteorological – our plan called for a large, obvious rain machine to be placed very much in shot next to Michael. On the day, a more inconspicuous rain rig was used, and in the final film could easily be mistaken for an accidental (and uncredited!) cameo from a piece of camera equipment or lighting. The little things are important, but we hope this is one little thing that doesn’t make a big difference. Hopefully this unplanned appearance doesn’t take away from the words, meaning, and feeling of the film, though.

Filming opening scene with Michael Fox in Clissord Park

Another take away was with when it came to wardrobe choices. There is an old saying, “never work with children or animals”. We certainly wouldn’t go that far but working with excitable dogs definitely did put our styling choices to the test. Gin, our Head of Production Ruth’s dog, made her big screen debut in one scene – and she was a little too eager to bond with her onscreen owner, model Ramzan Miah. Unfortunately, we had styled Ramzan in some lovely, soft grey trousers – and these fell victim to overenthusiastic, muddy paws. We like to think that it conveys an authentic British dog walking experience, but the poor stylist was a bit on edge. And next time we would probably pick something a little more pup-proof …

Craig McGinlay on set, @craigmcginlay

The result

Our team is immensely proud of the final film. We wanted to celebrate the little things, to encapsulate the spirit of London Sock Company and champion the power of a dash colour to brighten our days, and feel like this film encapsulates all we hoped.

In a tumultuous year, we hope that our film hits a chord with you – our customers – and reminds you to take a moment and find joy in the little things in life.

Click here to view our campaign film on The Power of Little Things, and let us know what you think.