The Co-op is to launch its Christmas ad campaign today with a new version of Blur’s Britpop classic Tender.

The 60-second ad, filmed in Manchester and the north west, features performances by seven community groups from across the UK, including a pensioner’s choir, a rugby team, urban beat boxers, a 93-year-old ukulele player and a Manchester reggae act.

The track will be available to download from all mainstream music platforms with proceeds going to the Co-op Foundation.

The Co-op said the ad, which will debut during the break of Coronation Street on ITV on Friday, was as spontaneous as possible, with no rehearsals and no professional actors cast in the footage directed by Max Fisher, who has a background in youth work.

Co-op marketing communications director Amanda Jennings said: “Christmas is about togetherness and we have used the combination of food and music to showcase this across many different communities in our campaign, inviting consumers to actively choose Co-op this Christmas.

“I’m thrilled that Max, the director, was able to capture some amazingly warm and natural performances from the community groups featured in the advert, which really generate that ‘feelgood’ factor and leaves everybody who watches the ad with a big smile on their face ”

The ad was created by advertising agency Forever Beta and will feature across TV and digital platforms until 24 December.

It will be supported by out-of-home, press, radio, digital and social media.

Robin Gadsby, CEO at Forever Beta, added: “Our strategy for the campaign was to inspire a community by these moments and the importance of togetherness, with music as the common bond and food at the heart of the occasion.”

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