BBC Creative launches a campaign for Radio 2, directed by Max Siedentopf and featuring real-life families

The radio has been a lifeline for many over the course of lockdown. In fact, as stated by BBC Creative – the BBC's in-house creative agency – its research says one in four people in UK have been listening to Radio 2 during this time, and the figures are only rising. As such, creatives Adam Reincke and Sarah Fox thought that the station’s presenters might start to be feeling like a member of the family – resulting in the latest BBC Creative’s campaign for Radio 2, titled One of The Family, directed by Max Siedentopf.

Inspired by old family photos, the team proceeded to shoot with real families to highlight their characteristic traits and quirks. “Our inspiration came from the nostalgic awkward family photos from the 80s and 90s that we’ve all lolled at once upon a time on a desk-bound lunch break,” says Adam. “We wanted to capture the humour and aesthetic of these photographic studios but in moving image. That meant soft focus, high saturation and mostly terrible clothes and hair. It was a huge styling job.” Six households are involved in the film and, at the end, it reveals that the Radio 2 presenters “had joined the family”.

Max is known for his humorous projects and collaborations, as seen in his previous series reinventing the Passport photo. For One of The Family, Sarah explains how his contribution was fitting: “Max was made for this job and funnily enough, we sent each other ‘love letters’. One of Max’s personal projects had been to photograph families in trees and whenever he goes home, he always gets his family to pose in an awkward photo. The deal breaker was him showing us one he had framed on his desk on our first call with him.”

“It seems like a fairly straightforward shoot,” adds Sarah, “but Covid-19 meant all the families were shot separately from the presenters. The restrictions worked in our favour and we ended up with a more authentic film because the families are all real and their familiar dynamics came across naturally on set.” The team worked in post-production to make it feel as if the cast were all together at the same time.

Alongside the visuals, the BBC chose I Love Your Smile by musician Shanice as the soundtrack – a 90s hit that's used to “transport viewers to a past that was simple and freer”, says Adam. Others involved in the campaign include Helen Rhodes, ECD at BBC Creative; creative director Kit Dayaram; Riff Raff Films on production; producers Harriet McHugh and Rachael Aldridge; Max Buckland and Claire Grainger on marketing; editor Ben Crook; grader Black Kite; Paul Callaghan on the visual effects; Ericsoon on post-production and Lewis Clark on audio.

One of The Family can be watched above, and in the words of Adam and Sarah, they hope it will give “people a good laugh in lockdown.”