Center Parcs and Neverland deliver a beautiful bubble of calm

Less is often more in marketing. Yet the reality remains that it can be much harder to sell a simple idea rooted in genuine human insight. In the age of performative marketing and AI-generated personalisation at scale, emotion is almost a dirty word in marketing.

Neverland, who were appointed by Center Parcs in May 2025, bring that powerful simplicity to life in a new campaign which successfully delivers a bubble of calm. 

In a market dominated by price messaging and heavy handed calls to action, Center Parcs successfully focuses on feelings. The brand campaign, which supports its new platform ‘For the center of your world’, successfully tugs on the heartstrings rather than the pursestrings. 

At the heart of the campaign is a 60 second TV spot that brings to life the consumer insight that the feeling of time away from the hustle of everyday life is akin to being in a bubble with your family. 

Directed by BAFTA-winner Fred Scott, the film features a re-recording of ‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story. The bubbles were created in post-production by Untold Studios. With over 6000 hours of studio time and a team of 95 people bringing them to life. The bubbles will also feature in the OOH campaign that is launching alongside the film and will continue across 2026 with large scale media buys and takeovers across the UK and Ireland, including a takeover of Oxford Street underground station.

The brand will be launching a series of shorter social films that focus on three different families experiencing ‘bubble moments’ together. These films will be shared alongside platform specific creative across Snap, Meta and TikTok.

Sara Holt, Center Parcs Chief Marketing Officer, explained: “Center Parcs is an iconic brand that has a unique story to tell. This work takes us right to the heart of the emotional connection we provide to millions of guests. It’s a step change for the brand and our business marking a new dawn in the way we deepen our story telling and elevate our brand.“

Jon Forsyth, CCO and Co-Founder of Neverland, added: “It takes a brave client to break category norms and reach new heights for a brand. Sara and team are the real deal.”

Media planning and buying for the campaign was handled by iProspect. Over Christmas, the media strategy successfully connected with families in their own festive bubbles. 

At a time when a growing number of consumers are recognising the power of experiences over the endless pursuit of acquiring more things, this campaign is pitch-perfect. I’m sure I wasn’t the only viewer watching this spot with a twinge of nostalgia for the bubble of chaos that comes with taking babies and toddlers to Center Parcs. While those days might be a bygone memory, the endless gratitude for a Cafe Rouge with a soft play and time with the people you love is a bubble that never bursts.  

This campaign is a brilliant reminder of the power of simplicity and emotion to build brands that matter to consumers. The simple truth remains that there are no memories without emotion.