Hands off

London – Harvey Nichols features some of its most light-fingered customers in a tongue-in-cheek campaign promoting its new loyalty app.

• Shoplifters play the inadverdent stars in the retailer’s latest campaign
• The identities of the guilty have been obscured with animated faces created by the Layzell Brothers at Blink Ink

The online spot uses real CCTV footage of shoplifters, whose identities have been concealed, surreptitiously helping themselves in-store and then being caught in the act. At the end of the advert, developed by agency Adam & Eve/DDB, viewers are directed towards Harvey Nichols’ new rewards app, which carries the strapline Love Freebies? Get Them Legally.

The ad continues a long tradition at Harvey Nichols for edgy yet humorous advertising, starting with its award-winning 2013 campaign, Sorry I Spent it on Myself.

The Big Picture: In the pristine world of luxury it is rare for a brand to explore the darker side of retail. For more on how brands are breaking free of industry stereotypes, book your place at Beyond Borders, our Autumn/Winter 2015 Trend Briefing.