In the face of negative political headwinds about DEI, many brands have gone silent on their inclusivity commitments and scaled back their sponsorship of events such as Pride, which is taking place this month.

Not so Channel 4, which has released a typically bold and tongue-in-cheek ad, titled Sorry, not Sorry, that reinforces its public service remit to be a “disruptive, innovative force in UK broadcasting”. At a time when purpose advertising has largely disappeared, Channel 4’s position suddenly seems an outlier once more.

Devised by 4creative and fronted by newsreader and journalist Phil Gayle, the spot features an array of Channel 4 talent and programming, and was specifically commissoned by CMO Katie Jackson to respond to global rollbacks in the DEI space: “This is your PSA that Channel 4 is doing what it’s always done,” she says. “We’re not perfect, but we are Altogether Different. Sorry. Not sorry.”

While many commentators were wholly fed up with brands trying to express their purpose in advertising, seeing it as disingenuous, the wholesale abandonment of such practices in the face of political change, especially in the US, seems to emphasise that they were indeed always lacking in sincerity.

This presents an opportunity for those brands and organisations that are authentically committed to certain causes to double down on their message, as highlighted by David Wigglesworth, ECD at 4creative, who comments: “If you think we’ve gone too far – buckle up.”

Credits:
Agency: 4creative
Director of 4creative: Miketta Lane
ECD: David Wigglesworth
Head of Production: Charlie Bettice
Head of Creative Operations: John Trevor
Director: Barry Dyer
Junior Director: Sam Baker
Post Production Company: Platform