Russell Hobbs entrusted Ponderosa with their biggest ever international product launch: the Calm™ Kettle. With AI-enhanced design, gentle coloured lights and soothing sounds, the kettle was more than a kitchen appliance, it was an opportunity to redefine a universal moment.

The “Moment of Me-Time” campaign transformed the simple act of waiting for the kettle to boil into a multisensory micro-break, delivered seamlessly across VOD, social, OOH and more. 

Better Insights

The campaign was rooted in the insight that our minds naturally wander in the brief downtime between switching the kettle on and making a drink. Ponderosa saw an opportunity to make this pause a purposeful, calming ritual. Furthermore, as the product stemmed from AI-enhanced design, the campaign also needed to resonate as a tech-forward PR story, while remaining universal enough to flex across international markets.

Better Ideas

A highly crafted suite of creative brought the concept to life across multiple channels: 

• Virtual Production-led VOD & Social: Using pioneering live AI & virtual production, scenes shifted from everyday life to soothing AI-generated worlds, triggered by the simple action of using the Calm™ kettle… a technique that had never been used in this way before. 
• Out-of-Home: Across DOOH and special builds, passers-by were prompted to Relax, Exhale and Slow Down, with executions tailored by market. A 10ft tall 3D Calm™ kettle installation even brought the experience to life for London commuters. 
• Radio: A disruptive creative approach used punk rock intros that switched to calming voiceovers, delivering a ‘Moment of Me-Time’ through sound alone. 
• Social-first Content: Over 50 assets were developed for TikTok, Meta and Pinterest, each native to the platform and campaign phase. 

Better Results

• £2.7m incremental sales value
• #3 Top Selling Product for Russell Hobbs
• #1 Most Trusted Kettle Brand (voted by Newsweek/BrandSpark)