Department for Opportunities: Stay Down by Creature

Following on from last year’s ’Class Polish’ campaign, the Department for Opportunities – Social Mobility Foundation’s advocacy and campaigning arm – has developed another ad to raise awareness of the class pay gap.

In ‘Stay Down,’ viewers see Michael Socha portraying a working-class-hero-type character. Throughout the spot he is ridiculed and patronized due to his upbringing. He’s told to use his accent a “little less” and that he’s not “right” for the role, seemingly without much explanation. This is to portray that classism is still holding people back in the workplace.

Directed by Thomas James and soundtracked by Radiohead’s No Surprises, the ad also features actors Jo Hartley and Jonathan Hyde.