Dougal Wilson on Science, Superhumans & John Lewis

While the sentiment of John Lewis’ Buster the Boxer dog won over the nation’s hearts this week, for the ad’s director, Dougal Wilson, it was science and logic that led to his career in advertising. 

Growing up, his love for Star Wars and all-time favourite film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, propelled him to study science at university, but he soon realised that his heart was in advertising and now blends practical theory with emotional storytelling to grow brands with high-profile ads like his latest heart-warmer. 

“When I got to university I discovered physics was a bit harder than just thinking about space,” recalls the Blink Productions director. “I spent most of my time drawing posters for student events and found that seeing my work on the campus walls or at the Edinburgh Festival was quite a thrill. I’d never considered advertising as a job but I really enjoyed thinking of ideas and drawing things.” 

Wilson started out as a copywriter in Edinburgh because London was “too big and scary” and was soon making low-budget TV ads for the likes of Tennent’s, Irn-Bru, the Bank of Scotland and the Scottish Opera. “Scottish things, you get the idea,” he jokes. 

He was soon inspired by the directors he was working with and took a shot at it himself. His first Christmas ad, in fact, was only his second credit, a Christmas card in 1996 for The Leith Agency based on a comedic life-sized snow globe concept which Wilson reveals they hoped would go viral. It didn’t.

His first ad for John Lewis came in 2010, a one-shot piece which beautifully journeys through the life of a girl from childhood to old age. “I like the idea of trying to create reality but having tricks in it,” says Wilson of the style. 

Not only does the standard of the camerawork, which Wilson tried and tested relentlessly in pre-production, stand out, the music in Always a Woman made the commercial one of the most recognisable in history. “I love having the music sorted before you shoot because it really helps you anticipate what the audience might be feeling at a certain point in the story,” he adds. 

Music was also a key factor when it came to Wilson’s extended ad for this year’s Channel 4 coverage of the Paralympics, which sees people playing musical instruments as well as undertaking everyday tasks to defy their disabilities. We’re the Superhumans has been one of the standout campaigns of the year and won the shots Award for Commercial of the Year – TV, Over 60 Seconds this year. 

“It took ages to come up with it,” Wilson reflects. “The previous one was done by Tom Tagholm which I thought was brilliant, I don’t think I’d have been capable of doing that, it was very earnest.” 

This time around the broadcaster didn’t just want athletes in the spot, but asked for it to include everyday people with disabilities, but with the same empowering vibe. It was a tough one to crack. 

“I didn’t really have an idea but then thought music could bring it all together. I just typed ‘disabled musicians’ into Google and hit search and there were loads, it was incredible. I tried to write a song with the creatives but it was terrible. Then a music arranger I work with found Yes I Can and suddenly everything became really easy.” 

Music has played a big part in Wilson’s development as a director. He’s shot notable promos for the likes of Bat for Lashes, Benny Benassi, Basement Jaxx and Jarvis Cocker to name a few and once again the song that features in this year’s John Lewis Christmas ad – a cover of One Day I’ll Fly Away by Vaults – propels the emotion. 

“People want things to be entertaining and effective,” he muses. “I’ve managed to work with some good agencies who want to produce great things. The main thing is that you have to think about the audience and what people will feel when they’re watching it. If they enjoy it, they’ll feel good about what you’re trying to advertise.”

Buster the Boxer is the fourth Christmas campaign for John Lewis that Wilson has taken on, so what keeps him coming back? 

“I took a break last year because I wasn’t sure I was the right person for it. The Christmas ads that John Lewis has done, in contrast to quite a lot of my other work, all have coherent scripts with a beginning, middle and an end. They’re more of a narrative on paper so you can easily read them, like The Journey with the snowman. You obviously then have to think about how you’re going to do it and what the scenes are. There’s plenty of room to input your own ideas and with this year’s one there was a lot of collaboration on the script.” 

Buster the Boxer has clocked up almost 20 million views on YouTube in just two weeks and it’s fair to say it’s another successful job for Wilson. The conclusion to his early career hypothesis is that he’s onto a winning formula when it comes to experimenting with film to get results.