Like most British kids born in the seventies, I loved Mr Benn, so I was sad to read that his creator, David McKee, has died at the age of 87.
According to one obituary, David attributed the popularity of Mr Benn to children’s liking for the same story repeated: “It’s security, they know what’s coming next”.
With Mr Benn we always knew exactly what was coming next. The walk down Festive Road in his suit, tie and bowler hat. The visit to the fancy-dress shop. The appearance “as if by magic” of the shopkeeper.
On it went through the episode, the familiar structure wrapping a completely new adventure. Every episode the same but different. The same but different. The key to a great campaign.
Because it’s not only children who like to know what’s coming next.
It’s why the first episode of a new sitcom is never as enjoyable as the twenty-first.
It’s why we started every Warburtons ad with “Mr Warburton, there’s a Mr Stallone /Mr The Frog / Mr Kay / Mr De Niro here to see you…”
It’s why Stella Artois’s Reassuringly Expensive campaign, with the Jean de Florette setting and theme music is still the most effective beer campaign of all time (see IPA Effectiveness case study bank).
It’s why millions more people will be able to tell you the Specsavers strapline than whatever strapline Vodafone has chosen this week.
And it’s why every third film on TikTok is following a pre-established meme, from the set dance routines to the people playing pots and pans strapped to their bodies to the patient ping-pong-ball-chuckers.
Originality is the lifeblood of our industry, so it’s no surprise there’s always a rush to throw things away and start from scratch.
But if you want to create something famous, memorable, enduring, David McKee’s example is a good one to follow: make something the same but different.
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