This comes on the heels of a new survey² revealing well over three quarters (79%) of workers across the UK, US, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain regularly work overtime, logging an average of 2 working days (16 hours) per week. Looking at who tops the table, the US ranked the highest with the average worker clocking a staggering 60 hours unpaid overtime per month, UK came in second with 40 hours and Germany was slightly less with 31 hours per month.
To kick things off, Cox features in a fun new advert, sporting a bold pink suit and vintage roller skates. At exactly 17:01pm Brian checks his watch, comes to his senses, and leaves the boardroom. He then skates down the boardwalk, inviting passersby to clock off with him and release their summer selves. The advert ends with Brian in his ultimate clock off destination - sitting back in his bespoke office style recliner on the beach, with a heavenly Malibu Piña Colada in hand.
While Brian is all about clocking off from the boardroom on time, the new survey has found there's a bigger issue at play – the rise of disguised overtime. Smartphones bring the office to our fingertips, and we’ve been found to regularly answer emails, instant messages, text messages, and calls well beyond working hours. The average worker sends and takes work-related messages and calls over 28 times per week outside of work hours, unintentionally racking up more than two full days of unpaid overtime every month.3 And, over one in three Brits (41%) admit to working while on annual leave as they struggle to clock off from work.
Yesterday, Malibu unveiled the Clock Off Fountain at Observation Point - the world’s first fountain designed for safely throwing phones, created to help overworkers truly unplug from relentless emails and instant messages. Baroness Karren Brady, led the inaugural phone toss, sending a message to workers everywhere to toss their phone, kick back, and make time for the people and things they love. There was no need to worry about phones being lost forever either – each device was safely wrapped in a watertight, padded case for peace of mind. When ready, the phones were safely retrieved from the fountain, allowing Karren and the overworkers to sit back, relax, and enjoy the liberation of unplugging with a complimentary Malibu Piña Colada in hand!
Brian Cox comments: "Contrary to the characters I play, I’m all about celebrating the enjoyment of life and taking time off for the people and things that matter. In some roles I was consumed by work, control, and power, and never knew when to clock off. But the reality is, we all need to disconnect if we want to enjoy what life has to offer. The “Do Whatever Tastes Good” campaign by Malibu is about reminding people that their free time is sacred and should be enjoyed, and this is a message I support.”
Malibu’s VP of Marketing, Craig van Niekerk, says:
“We understand that work is a meaningful part of life—it provides purpose, structure, and a way to contribute. But it's overwork—not work—that's wearing us down. At Malibu, we're all about inviting people to unplug and enjoy life. Building on the positive, free-spirited energy of our first 'Do Whatever Tastes Good' campaign, our 'Clock Off' message feels more important than ever. In a world that rarely stops, we’re reminding everyone to slow down, prioritise joy, and make time for what truly matters. So, clock off on time, enjoy a Malibu Piña Colada, and keep that summer feeling going all year long.”
Baroness Karren Brady commented: “Success isn’t about burning the candle at both ends until there’s nothing left of you. However, working overtime is very much the norm now – and has been for some time but as the research suggests it’s on the rise. US workers have long led the way in unpaid overtime, but the UK is catching up – and while it would be amiss to say overtime doesn’t boost business it’s important not to overdo it. In the UK, we can wear overwork like a badge of honour, but the real power move is knowing when to step away. Clocking off on time isn’t slacking—it’s recharging. The best leaders know that life is about more than just the boardroom; it’s about the people and passions that make the hard work worthwhile - so Malibu’s latest campaign is an important reminder to everyone, including myself, to do just this.”
For those wanting to Clock Off and embrace their summer self, and find out more about Malibu’s Do Whatever Tastes Good campaign, please visit Malibu’s website and Instagram channel.