The Brief
Wickwar Wessex Pub Company asked us to develop a bold and timely creative advertising campaign to support the launch of a new beer: ‘Bankers Draft’. The concept was designed as a cheeky response to the economic climate, full of personality and cultural relevance. Wickwar wanted something provocative—an idea that could open conversations and give their sales team a standout talking point. It had to resonate with pub-goers while elevating the brand’s unique voice.
In addition to supporting the product launch, the campaign needed to reinforce Wickwar’s reputation as a heritage-driven brewery with strong South West roots. Their brief asked us to reflect their legacy of quality and craftsmanship, while injecting energy, humour and modern relevance into the message. The name ‘Bankers Draft’ came loaded with potential. Our challenge was to build a visual world and narrative strong enough to match it.
Design Approach
We built the campaign around a provocative positioning idea we called ‘Counter-Culture’. The term carried dual meaning—both rebellious and rooted in the pub counter. This gave us a strategic platform to launch something raw, disruptive and unlike typical beer advertising. The tone was unapologetically cheeky, designed to appeal to drinkers who value wit and originality over polish and cliché.
At its core was a daring visual—a chalk outline of a murdered banker outside the Bank of England, paired with the line: “I could murder a Bankers.” Dark, funny and designed to turn heads, it became the defining image of the campaign. Supporting materials included posters, pump clips, POS displays and PR assets that leaned into the satire and helped spread the message fast.
We wrapped the idea with a final tagline: “Banker$ Draft – the UK’s first ‘credit crunch beer’.” It hit the mark perfectly—timely, memorable and full of bite. Explore more creative advertising concepts to see how we help brands make bold moves that get noticed.
