Created by J. Walter Thompson London, the ad tours through a day in the UK, alighting on Colombian coffee, German cars, Korean technology, and a barrage of other international contributions to Britain’s way of life. In it, Ayoade declares that: "We live on a wonderful little lump of land in the middle of the sea, but we are not an island. We are part of something far bigger." The ad speaks to HSBC’s self-conception as an international conduit, despite its British origins. "We have been connecting the world through trade for 152 years,” says an HSBC spokesperson. “Our new ad campaign reflects our proud international heritage and our commitment to helping people, businesses and communities in the UK to thrive."

In a polarised landscape – where less extreme perspectives are less likely to get airtime, or be heard at all – there’s little space for compromise in opinions, which has made Brexit debates all the more divisive. But it’s this middleground that HSBC is allowing for in its ad. While some brands are playing into sociopolitical fears – Brexit led to a 250% surge in EU citizenship in 2016 – HSBC makes a point of highlighting how seamlessly foreign cultures are already integrated into the British way of life.

Rather than applauding or mourning Britain’s future without the EU, HSBC gestures towards a future that’s still heavily interwoven with Europe’s influence, and aligns itself with this image of an international Britain. Given that 47% of Britons identify as ‘global citizens’ while 53% identify as national citizens, HSBC’s brand persona – one which transcends national borders, but also maintains its British heritage – is crafted to have something for everyone.

Mira Kopolovic is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. She has an MA in creative industries, which focused on artist-brand collaborations, and spends her spare time poring over dystopian literature.