Nobody wants to talk about funerals. That was exactly the challenge with this TV advert for Celebration of Life, a direct cremation provider helping people plan ahead without the cost and formality of a traditional funeral. So we didn’t make an ad about funerals. We made one about a party.

Celebration of Life believes the goodbye should feel like the person it’s for. Direct cremation takes care of the practical side simply and affordably, leaving family and friends free to remember someone in their own way. For us, that idea was a gift. It meant we could swap the usual sombre music and grey skies for a sunny garden full of bunting, picnic tables and people who love each other.

Storytelling did the heavy lifting. Rather than lead with a list of features, the TV commercial invites you into a moment and lets you feel it first. The facts land afterwards, once you’re already on side. It’s a lighter touch on a sensitive subject, and it treats viewers like grown-ups.

It’s also a hard-working DRTV advert. Every frame carries the phone number and web address, the key benefits are clear and the free guide gives viewers an easy first step. Getting that response-driven structure to sit comfortably inside a warm, emotional story is the balance we love striking in direct response TV advertising.

Then there was the weather. We shot on the hottest day of the year, which looks gorgeous on screen and feels very different behind the camera. Keeping cast, crew and a garden party buffet looking fresh in that heat was a job in itself. Ice cream has a very short shelf life at those temperatures. Nobody complained about the catering though.

The result is an ad that feels hopeful rather than heavy. It gets people talking about something most of us avoid, and it gives them a reason to pick up the phone.

Working on a brand with a tricky subject or a story worth telling? We’re a TV commercial production company in Manchester and we’d love to hear from you.

To find out more visit Celebration of Life