Negative perceptions about teaching have crept into UK culture and repetitive, mundane or lacking purpose has no appeal for Gen Z. So M+C Saatchi Group UK set out to break the stereotypes in its campaign for the Department for Education’s teacher recruitment.

The campaign, Get out of the Everyday. Get into Teaching, moves beyond familiar narratives of altruism and classroom nostalgia to champion the benefits of teaching, positioning it as a first-choice career rather than a fallback option, and the antidote to the career Gen Z dreads – presenting teaching as a profession defined by creativity, progression, ownership and recognition.

The hero commercial, directed by Gary Freedman at MJZ, is designed to capture the emotional reality of teaching, tapping into into Gen Z pop culture with its spoken word poem & rap soundtrack by MC Deyah, choreographed dance sequences and Apple ad manner. Cinematic and metaphorical in style, it follows our teacher on a typical Monday morning commute that gradually transforms from ordinary to uplifting as she enters the school environment.

The film aims to capture a deeper truth about the profession and the way it can make people feel more alive, energised and empowered.

Out-of-home and social executions featuring real Gen Z teachers, shot by Ewen Spencer, ensures that prospective recruits can see themselves represented in the work. Large-format outdoor placements, hero sites and flyposting appear in unexpected spaces, to stand apart from traditional public sector communications.

Alongside the campaign, M+C Saatchi Consulting has led a comprehensive refresh of the Get into Teaching brand identity. Developed from the same strategic platform, the redesign aims to challenge perceptions of teaching and encourage audiences to see the profession through a new lens.

The campaign, developed by an integrated team spanning brand strategy, data and analytics, advertising, integrated communications, digital innovation, design, talent and influencer marketing across M+C Saatchi Group UK, was produced by the group’s in-house production studio.

Media planning and buying was led by WPP 650, WPP Media’s dedicated team for UK Government. The strategy focuses on high-impact environments that reflect the campaign’s energy and relevance for the younger audience (18-30s), spanning cinema, TV, VOD, out-of-home, flyposting, OLV and social platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and Reddit. It is designed to tap into key cultural moments across the summer, with placements around major sporting broadcasts, including the World Cup, alongside activity at festivals and in cinemas nationwide. 

Tom Firth, group chief client partner at M+C Saatchi Group UK, stated, “The most important briefs aren’t just about changing perceptions – they’re about helping solve real-world problems. This is exactly the kind of challenge M+C Saatchi was built to take on. By bringing together expertise from across the Group, we’ve partnered with the Department for Education to help tackle a significant societal issue, using creativity to drive consideration for one of the most important and influential professions in the country.”

Clare Richardson, client partner at M+C Saatchi Group UK, added, “Cultural Power comes from understanding what matters to people and finding new ways to connect brands, organisations and ideas with those motivations. This campaign recognises that younger audiences increasingly want careers that offer influence, self-expression, progression and meaningful impact. By reframing teaching through those cultural motivations, we’ve helped position it not as a fallback option, but as an ambitious and relevant choice for a new generation.”

Guy Bradbury, creative partner at M+C Saatchi Group UK, commented, “Teaching has often been communicated as an altruistic job with a lens on the impact inspirational teachers have on students. And whilst those stories still matter, they don’t always reflect how younger audiences think about their own ambition and identity. By making everyday routine the enemy, the campaign challenges younger audiences to ‘Get out of the everyday. Get into teaching’. Not as a fallback, but as one of the most impactful careers there is – a place to express your creativity, earn recognition from day one and shape culture your own way.”

Darren Bowles, chief creative officer at M+C Saatchi Consulting, added,”Teaching is exciting, diverse and full of possibility. We wanted to create a brand that could do justice to that.

“Based on the idea of ‘Get out of the everyday. Get into teaching’, we built a vibrant and flexible system designed to express teaching as a positive life shift. A move out of routine and into curiosity, energy and forward momentum. A system that elevates teachers, showcases subjects and builds a richer brand world, while making the opportunity feel immediate, optimistic and full of new perspective.”

Credits
Creative Agency: M+C Saatchi
Guy Bradbury: Creative Partner
Max Lowe & Georgie Parchert: Senior Creatives
Kristian Limpert & Tupelo Browne: Creatives
Vanessa Butcher: Executive Producer
Clare Richardson: Client Partner
Isabella Forbes: Account Director 
Naomi Campbell: Senior Account Manager 
Ellis Britz: Account Executive
Sophie Lean: Head of Strategy
Kirsten Bray: Senior Strategist
Louisa Lewis: Project Director 
Lisa Carrana: Executive Head of Art 
Andy Harris: Head of Design 
Paul Venn: Senior Designer 
Lucy Morrison: Designer

Brand Design: M+C Saatchi Consulting 
Darren Bowles: Chief Creative Officer 
Tom Hume: Creative Director
Hannah Widdup: Client Services Lead 
Catherine Buckley & Kay Hwang: Senior Designers
Conrad Wells: Designer

Stills & Social Production: Rob Murray @ Rolo Productions
Ewen Spencer: Photographer 
Saul Knight: DOP
AV Production Company: MJZ 
Gary Freedman: Director 
Ray Leakey: Producer 

Editing: Stitch
Post-Production: Stone Dogs
Music: Wake The Town
Sound: Ben Leeves @ Jungle