Picture a hero. What do you see? A dude in a red cape with his underpants on the outside? How about a small business owner who’s been through a year and a half of pandemic and, despite the virus, the lockdowns, the staff shortages, the constant uncertainty, managed to keep going?

Accounting software company SAGE wanted to celebrate these everyday heroes in their latest campaign. Working with advertising agency Wunderman Thompson, they called on Amit & Naroop to shoot still portraits of genuine SAGE users, alongside a set of playful GIFs with actors in the role of employees doing mic drops with staplers among other playful skits.

Over seven days in May and June 2021, the duo photographed nine independent businesses in London and the South East – from dog groomers to roofers, barbers to baby boutique owners. Casting had been done via Zoom and there was no chance to recce locations beforehand so Amit & Naroop had to think on their feet. It paid off. For these businesspeople to see themselves bossing it on billboards across the country has been the perfect thank you.