Hovis – Bike Ride, 1974 Advert


Here is the the classic 1974 Hovis advert written by Geoff Seymour from the Collett Dickenson Pearce advertising agency. The ad set in post-war Britain shows a boy pushing a bike laden with loaves of bread up a steep cobbled hill. It was directed by Ridley Scott.

The commercial was repeated on British television for a 10-day run in May 2006 to commemorate the firm’s 120th anniversary.

Where was the Hovis Hill advert filmed ?

The advert was filmed on Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset and has now become a popular tourist destination.  According to Wikipedia the street has been described as “one of the most romantic sights in England.”

The music in the Hovis advert ?

Music: Symphony No. 9 | Artist: Antonín Dvorák

The music in the advert was Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 rearranged for brass. The piece of music became instantly recognisable to the brand for many years afterward. The music is also known by its subtitle, From the New World.

A London Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Ludwig performance of the music can be downloaded from Amazon Music:

Download track on Amazon Music

Who wrote the music in the Hovis advert ?

Symphony No. 9 was written by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. Born in 1841, Dvořák was one of the first Czech composers to achieve worldwide recognition.