The Velux Group: The Indoor Generation
Creative Idea
Revealed the hidden health crisis of indoor living, sparking desire for natural connection.
The campaign exposed the alarming truth that modern indoor living, despite its comforts, has created 'The Indoor Generation' suffering from a deep disconnect with nature, compelling people to re-evaluate their homes' connection to natural light and fresh air for better health and wellbeing.
The 90 Percent Truth That Redefined a Category
From B2B Product to Global PSA
The project began as a standard request for a B2B product campaign, but the lead agency, &Co., pivoted after discovering a startling statistic: modern humans spend 90% of their lives indoors. Creative Director Robert Cerkez noted that the team felt "horrified" by the research and decided to prioritize a public health message over traditional window sales. This shift transformed the brand from a building materials manufacturer into a thought leader on the "human-centric" home.
Cinematic Vision in New Zealand
To capture the disconnect between nature and the built environment, Director Martin de Thurah filmed at the Jagged Edge (also known as the Glasshouse) in Queenstown, New Zealand. Overlooking Lake Wakatipu, the location served as a metaphor for being "apart from nature" while surrounded by it. The production relied on academic data from the University of Oxford and Harvard University to ensure the narrative was grounded in scientific reality rather than creative fiction.
Viral Metrics and Market Shift
The campaign achieved massive scale with over 110 million views and 1.1 million social engagements. Beyond digital reach, it generated over 2,100 media placements in outlets like *The New York Times* and *The Huffington Post*. Most significantly, the effort drove a 10% lift in consumers prioritizing daylight and fresh air for home improvements, while unaided brand awareness jumped by 9 - 13% across major European markets. To bolster medical credibility during the PR rollout, the team enlisted Dr. Hilary Jones to speak on the physiological impacts of indoor living.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
The Velux Group credibly delivered solutions for integrating natural light and fresh air into homes, leveraging its expertise in roof windows and skylights.
Category
The home improvement category typically focused on product features, aesthetics, or energy efficiency, rather than the profound health impact of indoor environments.
Customer
The audience unknowingly longed for a deeper connection to nature and better wellbeing, feeling the subtle negative effects of their indoor-centric lives.
Culture
A growing cultural awareness of holistic health, wellness, and the increasing disconnect from nature in modern, urbanized lifestyles made this campaign resonate.
Company
The Velux Group credibly delivered solutions for integrating natural light and fresh air into homes, leveraging its expertise in roof windows and skylights.
Category
The home improvement category typically focused on product features, aesthetics, or energy efficiency, rather than the profound health impact of indoor environments.
Strategy:
Reframe indoor living as a health crisis to elevate the importance of natural light and fresh air.
Customer
The audience unknowingly longed for a deeper connection to nature and better wellbeing, feeling the subtle negative effects of their indoor-centric lives.
Culture
A growing cultural awareness of holistic health, wellness, and the increasing disconnect from nature in modern, urbanized lifestyles made this campaign resonate.
Strategy:
Reframe indoor living as a health crisis to elevate the importance of natural light and fresh air.
Strategy Technique
Attack a Cultural Blind Spot
The campaign called out the widely accepted but detrimental habit of excessive indoor living. It challenged the cultural norm by revealing its hidden health costs.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Dramatize the Problem
The campaign vividly illustrated the negative health and wellbeing consequences of spending 90% of life indoors. It created a compelling narrative around 'The Indoor Generation' to highlight this overlooked issue.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its seamless blend of stunning landscape visuals and compelling builder testimonials, powerfully demonstrating how Velux skylights enhance both aspirational living and home design.
The masterful use of wide aerial shots and artful interior framing dramatically showcases both the majestic setting and the abundant natural light provided by Velux skylights, creating a highly aspirational and visually impactful campaign.
The impeccably chosen and presented show homes serve as ideal backdrops, inherently highlighting the aesthetic integration and functional benefits of Velux skylights within modern, high-end architecture.
The concise, persuasive voiceover and the structured, authentic testimonials from the builders effectively articulate the product's unique benefits and reinforce the brand's reputation for quality and support.
The deliberate pacing and smooth transitions between breathtaking landscape views, articulate builder interviews, and compelling product showcases create a cohesive and engaging narrative flow for the campaign video.
The campaign's strength lies in the synergy between its aspirational visual storytelling and the credible, detailed endorsements from industry professionals, creating a highly authentic and persuasive product narrative.
