Primark channels Bond-era glamour in playful new summer campaign The Get Away

I don't know about you, but I grew up with Bond movies and thoroughly enjoyed them. I never saw them as we do today. Yes, they were full of Cold War fantasy, sexism, and camp absurdity. Some parts have undeniably aged badly. But they were products of their time, and I think most of us are intelligent enough to understand that context without dismissing them entirely.

What's this got to do with anything, you might ask? Primark has launched its new summer campaign, and it made me smile because it instantly reminded me of those old Connery and Moore films. The luxe locations. The South of France energy. Sparkling coastlines and glamorous hotels. Always with some chic people eyeing each other suspiciously.

It's quite the contrast when you remember that anything from the budget high street retailer is, well… relatively inexpensive, shall we say.

Primark, or Primarni to those in the know, has unveiled The Get Away, a short film inspired less by Bond itself and more by the glossy glamour of classic heist movies. Created by VCCP, the campaign celebrates elevated summer style without the hefty price tag, all while reinforcing Primark's reputation for fashion, quality and value.

It features eight hero looks, from stripe maxi dresses and embroidered co-ords to Riviera-inspired swimwear. The clever idea behind it all is that these outfits have no business looking as good as they do for the price. As Primark puts it: "Because when you find pieces this good, at prices this low, it feels like you're getting away with something."

Directed by Tom Green through Stink Films, in collaboration with VCCP's global content creation studio, Girl&Bear, the ad follows a trio of friends on a glamorous girls' trip to a suitably exclusive destination. The heroines sneak into a private members' club, dressed head-to-toe in Primark fits that help them blend right in. But eventually they're caught red-handed and forced to make a run for it, darting through maze-like streets as the hotel concierge chases them.

In the end, when he finally catches up with them, he doesn't tell them off at all. Instead, he returns one of the bags left behind in the chaos. Very classy. Very cinema.

I love it when a brand like Primark doesn't shy away from what it actually is. That honesty is what makes the campaign work. It raises a smile because it feels self-aware, tapping into the fantasy of luxury without pretending to be something it's not.

That appeal is only amplified by borrowing from what Hollywood has always done best: glossy getaway films filled with beautiful people, stunning locations, and lifestyles most of us can only dream about. Minus the risk of ending up in prison, obviously.

As Nikki Lindman at VCCP explains: "There's something so fun in the idea of looking this chic, for these prices, it feels like you're breaking the rules. The Get Away leans into that feeling completely, reimagining Primark through the lens of a glossy fashion heist movie – playful, glamorous and always with that knowing wink that sits at the heart of the brand."

The campaign extends beyond film, too, with glossy photography by Nicholas Maggio bringing those cinematic tropes to life with a playful Primark twist.

Girl&Bear managed the project from start to finish, overseeing strategy, creative, production and post-production across AV, stills, DOOH and social deliverables. Social was led by Social Chain, with media managed by One Publicis Primark.

Primark's Summer collection is now in stores globally.