SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

THG Studios has produced a new television advert for Swizzels’ Squashies brand, marking the first time the creative platform has been adapted for TV.

Titled ‘See the Squashies Side of Life’, the advert aired on ITV1 and extends earlier social media work developed for the confectionery range in the first half of the year.

The campaign centres on everyday scenes featuring overly serious characters who are figuratively “squashed” into a lighter mood. The advert was shot across several locations, with visual effects and post-production completed in-house.

Its release comes as food and drink advertisers continue to adjust campaigns to rules covering products high in fat, salt and sugar, known as HFSS. In confectionery, those restrictions have affected both creative execution and media planning, particularly around whether products can be shown and when adverts can be scheduled.

According to THG Studios, the Squashies campaign was designed so the brand’s identity could be conveyed both with and without the product appearing on screen. That approach also informed decisions on pre- and post-watershed placements for different Squashies variants, depending on whether they complied with HFSS rules.

Creative approach

The television campaign builds on social-first ads previously created by THG Studios for the Squashies range. The move to TV gives Swizzels a broader platform for a concept built around the tactile quality of the sweet and the brand’s established light-hearted positioning.

Rob Sanderson described the TV launch as an example of how the idea translated beyond digital channels. “Squashies has always been about not taking life too seriously, and this campaign proves that idea travels brilliantly from social straight onto the biggest screen in the house. Taking a creative platform this playful onto TV for the first time is exactly the kind of work we love making at THG Studios, and doing it in a way that stays true to the brand while squarely on the right side of today’s HFSS rules made it even more rewarding,” said Sanderson, Group Creative Director, THG Studios.

Lawrence Alcock, who worked on the creative, linked the advert’s central device to how consumers physically interact with the product.

“At one point or another, anyone who’s ever been partial to Squashies sweets will have put one between their thumb and four fingers and given it a good squash. In fact, it’s difficult to get through a packet without squashing at least one or two of them. It’s a feeling of satisfaction, a moment of ASMR delight. Imagine being able to do this to the most annoying, uptight people in everyday situations. That same satisfaction for just a few seconds: giving them a gentle squash and helping them see the ‘Squashies side of life’,” said Alcock.

Brand growth

For Swizzels, the advert is part of a broader effort to raise awareness of the Squashies brand as it expands. The campaign keeps the focus on humour and texture, two elements the brand sees as central to the product’s appeal.

Clare Lynch said the objective was to reflect the tone of the brand while translating its physical qualities into a visual idea for television. “In this new commercial, we wanted to capture the fun, feel-good nature of the Squashies brand and the unique soft texture, ‘squashing’ a world that can take itself a little too seriously. THG Studios has brought this vision to life, and their creative, agile approach means we have a playful, engaging advert that perfectly encapsulates Squashies while raising awareness of the brand as it continues to grow,” said Lynch, Senior Brand Manager, Swizzels.

The work also highlights how creative agencies and brand teams are navigating tighter advertising rules without abandoning distinctive brand assets. For confectionery makers, that increasingly means using character, mood and recognisable product traits in ways that still work when direct product depiction is limited.

In this case, the “squash” motif gives Squashies a visual shorthand that can carry across formats and media placements. That flexibility is likely to prove valuable as marketers continue adapting campaigns to a regulatory environment that places more scrutiny on how less healthy foods are promoted.

The advert was filmed by THG Studios across multiple locations before returning for visual effects and post-production.

Megan’s is inviting customers to attend as it takes over the former Jamie’s Italian site on the corner of George Street and Gloucester Street.

The popular chain, which started out in London in 2002, now has 20 eateries in and around the capital.

READ MORE: How will new PM Burnham treat Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds?

Inside a Megan’s restaurant (Image: Megan’s)

Contractors fitting out the premises said the new restaurant, which will serve Mediterranean dishes and cocktails, could open at the end of July or early in August, but the date is still unknown.

Megan’s, which also runs restaurants in Parson Green, Wimbledon and Fulham in London, and in Windsor, said in a statement: “Hey Oxford, your table’s almost ready.”

The city council carried out £770,000 worth of repairs to the Gloucester Street restaurant unit in 2023, including fixing leaks in the roof, and confirmed last

Dishes served at Megan’s (Image: Megan’s)

The Jamie’s Italian on the corner of George Street and Gloucester Street was the chain’s first one and the chef visited on numerous occasions over the years.

Before Jamie’s Italian opened, the building was occupied by the Cock and Camel pub and the unit next to the pub was occupied by Avid Records, which closed in 2008.

Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain collapsed in 2019 when there were 47 UK branches at the time.

Solid State Logic has appointed Algam EKO as its distributor for large-format consoles in Italy. The agreement covers its live, broadcast and studio console lines.

Algam EKO will handle product distribution, technical support and market development across Italy, as well as Vatican City and San Marino, with immediate effect. Based in Montelupone on Italy’s east coast, the company will take on the role immediately.

The appointment reshapes Solid State Logic’s route to market in an important country for professional audio sales across live sound, broadcast production and recording facilities. Large-format consoles occupy a specialist part of that market, where manufacturers often rely on local distribution partners for sales coverage, customer support and relationships with systems integrators, broadcasters, venues and studios.

It also builds on Solid State Logic’s existing relationship with the wider Algam Group. The British audio equipment maker has worked with executives at Algam EKO for years and already knows the French parent group through a long-running partnership in France.

Algam EKO combines the operations and heritage of two established businesses: France’s Algam and Italian distributor EKO, founded in 1959. The company serves several parts of the professional audio market, including live, broadcast, studio, education, installation and communication.

Distribution partnerships remain central to professional audio because many purchases involve consultation, installation support and after-sales service rather than simple product delivery. Manufacturers of mixing consoles and related equipment typically need local teams that can support customers through procurement, specification and long-term maintenance.

That is especially relevant in broadcast and studio environments, where purchasing cycles can be lengthy and systems are often integrated into wider production workflows. In live sound, local support can also play a major role for rental firms, touring providers and venues that need quick access to technical assistance and spare parts.

Existing ties

Philippe Guerinet, Director of International Sales at Solid State Logic, pointed to those longstanding connections in explaining the choice of partner.

“I have been working with Giovanni Blasi and Giacomo Laria for many years, and we know the Algam Group very well since they have been our long-time partners in France,” said Philippe Guerinet, Director of International Sales at Solid State Logic.

He added that the company expects the Italian operation to combine local infrastructure with direct contact with its UK headquarters.

“By building our solid and long-term relationship and their distribution infrastructure in Italy, this great team of professionals will serve our Italian customers at the highest standard, while maintaining a strong and direct relationship with SSL headquarters in Oxford,” said Philippe Guerinet, Director of International Sales at Solid State Logic.

The comments reflect a common model in the sector, in which overseas distributors provide on-the-ground sales and support while maintaining a close link to the manufacturer on product positioning and customer issues. For companies operating in niche professional markets, that balance can be important in retaining brand identity while extending reach.

Italy has long been a significant market for music production, live events, installed sound and broadcast operations, making it a logical focus for audio console suppliers. Including Vatican City and San Marino gives Algam EKO responsibility for the wider Italian-speaking territory often served through a single commercial structure.

Market coverage

Algam EKO’s background may be one reason Solid State Logic sees an advantage in the appointment. Its business spans several professional verticals, which can matter when suppliers are selling products used across different production settings rather than to a single customer segment.

In practice, that means one distributor may deal with studio owners, outside broadcast operators, educational institutions, installed sound specialists and live production companies at the same time. That overlap is useful for console makers because the same underlying technology and brand reputation often carry across multiple markets.

Stelvio Lorenzetti, Chief Executive Officer at Algam EKO, said the agreement continues a partnership with an existing history.

“I am delighted to continue this long-standing partnership with SSL, not only to enhance SSL’s brand’s reputation, but also to foster meaningful relationships with the exceptional individuals I have had the pleasure of working with over the years,” said Stelvio Lorenzetti, Chief Executive Officer at Algam EKO.

Solid State Logic is known in the professional audio industry for analogue and digital consoles used in music, broadcast, live and post-production settings. Algam EKO brings an established distribution footprint in Italy through a business formed from French and Italian operations dating back decades.