GroceryAid tells the public ‘don’t come’ in bold new Barcode Festival campaign

Charity GroceryAid has just launched its first-ever digital creative for its Barcode Festival.

The move forms part of a wider multi-channel campaign, with a deliberately provocative message aimed at “celebrating the grocery industry’s unique sense of community,” it said.

Appearing on Bauer Media Outdoor’s premium large-format sites - the North London Towers at Brent Cross - as part of wider pro bono support, the creative features the line ‘If you don’t work in grocery, please ignore this billboard,’ described as a cheeky and bold use of reverse psychology designed to spark curiosity while “reinforcing Barcode Festival’s unique position as the UK’s biggest festival created exclusively for grocery people,” it added.

Rather than focusing on the event itself, the creative focuses on who it’s for - by playfully excluding the wider public, the campaign celebrates the people behind the grocery industry while amplifying the sense of belonging that has made Barcode Festival a standout event in the sector calendar.

The activation forms part of a wider campaign to raise awareness of Barcode Festival ahead of its return on 2 July, bringing together 6,000 colleagues from across grocery retail, manufacturing and wholesale for a day of live music, networking and fundraising.

Megan Harrison, marketing director at GroceryAid, said: “We wanted to create something that would stop people in their tracks. Barcode Festival is one of the few events created exclusively for grocery people, so we leaned into that in a playful way.

“The campaign celebrates the incredible community that exists across the industry while creating intrigue through a message that’s intentionally not for everyone.”

GroceryAid’s CEO, Kieran Hemsworth, added: “We regularly receive requests for Barcode Festival tickets from people outside the grocery industry, which is a lovely problem to have. But Barcode is, for now, a festival created exclusively for grocery people.

“Beyond the music and entertainment, Barcode is a unique opportunity for colleagues from across grocery to come together, strengthen relationships and celebrate the industry. This creative is a playful reminder of what makes Barcode special – it’s a festival built by grocery people, for grocery people, and one that reflects the strong sense of community that exists across our sector.”

The Barcode Festival is GroceryAid’s flagship summer event for the grocery industry. All funds raised support GroceryAid’s work providing financial, emotional and practical support to grocery people when they need it most.