Big Knit Energy

The Big Knit, fundraising for Age UK, has always been Innocent’s crowning glory, but after two decades even the cutest knitted hats on smoothie bottles were starting to feel a little ‘old hat’.

Our mission was to give The Big Knit a juicy refresh. An injection of culture and credibility in an awareness-driving campaign that would impactfully land the purpose of Innocent’s annual CSR initiative. As Maggie Smith and Mary Berry stepped into the spotlight as models for Loewe and Burberry, it was clear the over-80s were leading a major fashion moment. And just like that, the seed of an idea - Fruity Couture - was planted. A limited-edition range of ‘juicy’ knitwear designs featuring - you guessed it - fruit, created with trendsetting designer House of Sunny and modelled by stylish Age UK members and national treasure Prue Leith. This campaign catapulted The Big Knit into culture and refreshed the importance of the fundraising for Age UK, good nutrition for older people, and reimagining Innocent from ‘the brand with the cute hats’ to a brand championing wellbeing. The result? 242 media hits, 12M impressions, thousands of glowing comments, +12% understanding that The Big Knit is linked to AgeUK and +16% understanding it helps older people live well.