"Just a Board"

1 May 2026

85s

The wood is good.

German DIY chain Hornbach wishes to remind viewers that a piece of wood is never just a piece of wood. Where others see a plank, it sees potential, and the brand takes great pains to demonstrate what can be done with wood. It's quite a list, you know, but director Ian Pons Jewell covers as much ground as possible and guarantees no one feels board, not bored.

As soon as a passer-by spits on an abandoned lump of wood like it's an affront to nature, the ad shows him and the audience why the material deserves our respect. It's been there for farmers who need to separate livestock, protestors who want placards to touch the sky, snooker players who live or die by the quality of a cue, and many more like them. Oh, and let's not forget outhouse makers after a good seat.

Much of what we see is grounded in reality, but the brand knows when to push the envelope and fire up viewers' imaginations. That's why a plank appears before a bloke in a hi-vis vest like a religious entity—have faith in wood, and it will deliver. What's even smarter is how the spitter is redeemed, as he represents consumers who only needed a reminder about what they (with the help of the brand's timber aisle) can achieve.

Germany

DIY Retailers