Sports Direct creates a buzz with carbon neutral advertising campaign starring Joanna Lumley

This spring, creative agency Cult teamed up with Sports Direct, the UK’s largest sporting goods retailer, to bring to life the company’s mission to help the declining bumblebee population.

In the spirit of the campaign to respect the environment, Cult concepted, developed and produced a carbon-neutral television commercial, using only recycled footage.

As the agency moves towards its B Corp status, Cult’s creative team showed consumers the importance of supporting the plight of the bumblebees, and Sports Direct’s commitment to make a change.

This is one of Sports Direct’s first sustainable campaigns, using “industry-leading”, zero-carbon and sustainable production processes, with the iconic Joanna Lumley as the voice, following her vocal campaigning and stance on climate change.

With a purchase of the iconic Sports Direct mug or bag throughout Spring, customers will receive free seeded paper - an eco-friendly gift made from post-consumer materials which germinates when planted.

Emma Greenaway, head of European accounts at Cult, said: “We are delighted to have achieved our first fully sustainable shoot with Sports Direct on their Save The Bumblebees mission.”

Jose Sel de Felipe, executive producer at Cult, added: “We are proud to be supporting carbon-neutral productions as a standard practice in 2022. The footprint for all of our productions are measured and offset at the end of each project.

“For #SaveTheBumbleBees, we ensured we kept to minimal emissions by repurposing all of the assets used in the TV commercial.  We are thrilled to be teaming up with Sports Direct on their fantastic #savethebumblebees campaign.” says Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.