Salvation Army Launches Nostalgic Legacy Campaign Shot in One Day, Without An Agency
The Salvation Army's latest campaign, 'Gifting in Wills', was shot in Sydney’s Inner West across a single day with production company Flint. The TVC and stills campaign tell the story of a compassionate woman whose life is marked by generosity.
Directed by David Maurice Smith, the film is told through a series of carefully crafted vignettes, moments of a kind woman’s life that span from childhood to the present day.
Affectionately known as “the Salvos,” the brand has been providing essential support services, including homelessness assistance, disaster relief, aged care, and community programs. With a history spanning more than 140 years in Australia, the Salvos are known for their compassion and grassroots impact.
By centring the film on one woman’s journey, the story remains intimate and deeply character driven, but it’s simplicity and humanity speaks to something broader: the quiet strength of ordinary people, and how anyone can choose to leave a legacy of kindness through a Gift in Will to the Salvos.
“Working with an iconic organisation that is responsible for helping so many Australians was an absolute privilege," David told LBB.
"The work was a step outside their usual comfort zone, so they were placing a huge amount of trust in us and that really meant a lot”.
The campaign was created to encourage Australians to consider leaving a Gift in Will to The Salvation Army. These gifts ensure the Salvos can continue funding the vital programs that change lives, from providing shelter and meals to people experiencing homelessness, to delivering crisis support, aged care, and family services.
By inviting people to make a lasting contribution, the campaign highlights how one decision today can help sustain the Salvos’ mission of care and compassion for generations to come.
Shot in Sydney’s Inner West across a single day, one of the biggest challenges was sourcing and dressing locations that could authentically represent four distinct eras: the 1950s, 70s, 80s and present day, while keeping them close enough to manage within a tight schedule.
"With four separate location moves, and both motion and stills to capture, it was an ambitious undertaking," Flint told LBB.
"But thanks to detailed planning and a dedicated crew, we managed to pull it off."
The Salvation Army came directly to Flint to create the TVC.
"With no agency involved, we worked side by side with the Salvos team, guiding the project from its earliest idea through to final production and delivery."
From the very beginning, David's ambition was clear: take viewers on a journey through time. He believed this approach would stir a deep sense of nostalgia and strike a chord with the “baby boomer” audience at the heart of the campaign. His creative instinct set the tone for the entire project, inspiring the team to craft a narrative that was both cinematic and emotionally resonant.
Flint worked with freelance creative Guy Collins to refine the idea and was thrilled when the Salvos team embraced it.
This TVC is launching on Sunday across Australia. The suite of still images shot alongside the TV is for use on other channels such as broadcast media, EDM, socials, internal comms and other collateral.
