B&Q taps into DIY overwhelm with new spin on ‘You Can Do It’

Spots for big DIY chains often focus on the positive—the glorious show home you can achieve with just a few 2x4s and a dream.

We’re living in the age of home perfectionism, where renovation accounts on social media compress months of hard work and upheaval into a 30 second transformation video, and influencers are completely redesigning their homes on the regular. It all looks so easy—until you’re staring at blank wall wondering if it’s really a good idea to drill a hole in it.

For its new ad, B&Q (and Uncommon, the ad's creators) took a different approach and dramatised the very real fear that stops us getting stuck into those big jobs—reminding people that DIY can be scary and easily could have backfired.

However, by being brave enough to focus on the negative emotions around DIY (and doing so in a beautifully stylised way that nails the tone) it has created an ad that feels empowering and positive, truly embodying the iconic ‘You Can Do It’ slogan, and making the brand feel like the mate who’s going to help you get the job done.

It has neatly summed up not just what we can do with DIY, but how it makes us feel—the good and the bad.

Now, time to finally get that shelf up.