A trapped butterfly breaks a window and flies free, symbolizing the triumph of hope in a time where we feel nothing can change, in a simple but powerful new ad spot by the Guardian, part of the newspaper's first brand campaign in seven years.

Created by agency Uncommon, which was co-founded by agency vet Nils Leonard, the campaign’s tagline "Hope is Power," is inspired by Guardian’s editor-in-chief Katharine Viner’s essay ‘A mission for journalism in a time of crisis’and seeks to build on the trust and affinity readers have with the Guardian and its role in giving people the facts to challenge the status quo and hold power to account. The new campaign is a marked contrast to the darker approach of U.S. publication The Washington Post, which introduced the "Democracy Dies in Darkness" slogan in 2017.

The TV spot is directed by "The Theory of Everything" director James Marsh and is set to the track "Nothing Changes," from the musical "Hadestown," re-recorded especially for the ad.  The creative will run for five weeks across TV, video-on-demand, cinema, outdoor, social, audio and the Guardian’s own channels in the U.K., U.S,. Australia and globally. OOH elements include billboards featuring the butterfy and the "Hope Is Power' tagline.

According to the Guardian, media "relies on carefully targeted use of the Guardian’s platforms, contra agreements and an effective media plan including use of flyposting and targeted podcast ads."

“The Guardian has an almost 200-year history of producing journalism which inspires hope," said Anna Bateson, chief customer officer, Guardian News & Media, in a statement. "This new campaign aims to turn that feeling into action. Against the backdrop of a volatile political landscape around the world and with a frugal budget, we have chosen to take a bold creative approach which we hope will inspire readers to support Guardian journalism in a number of ways.”