Every year, Christmas themed ads are the highlights of the global advertising calendar. The festive season naturally seeks a spike in consumption across categories and hence many brands invest in campaigns to be in the consideration set. UK retail brands such as John Lewis, M&S, Lidl among others dominate the buzz around such campaigns. This week my curated list includes these and more.
Waitrose: Sweet Suspicion
I think it’s a misconception among some creatives in ad agencies that feel good ads during festive season have to be only about ‘shiny happy people’ having a good time. Resisting cliches is a good thing but resorting to be quirky, mocking, controversial, preachy or just not reflecting the common mood of the festival – just for the sake of being different is a negative approach, in my view.
Proof? A new campaign from Waitrose in the UK. It features an ensemble cast including Matthew Macfadyen of “Succession”, comedian Joe Wilkinson from “Afterlife”, Rakhee Thakrar of “Sex Education”, Sian Clifford from “Fleabag”, Dustin Demri-Burns of “Slow Horses” and Eryl Maynard of “Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. The format is unlike a typical 30-second advert with a story. It is an episodic web series in a way. The premise of a dessert – not just any dessert but the No.1 Waitrose Red Velvet Bauble Dessert, being ‘stolen’ and a detective trying to solve the ‘crime’ brings a smile. It would fit into the ‘feel good ad’ in my book, without being sugary syrupy or simply showing a montage of overly happy people with fake smiles, hugging each other or getting teary eyed.
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Amazon: show stopper
A Christmas ad that ticks all the boxes of ‘giving’ as a theme. A janitor in a theatre is given a surprise but apt gift by his colleagues as they discover his hidden talent.
Club 21: notice the difference
Counterfeit (using the same brand name) or imitation products (products similar in style but not necessarily the brand name) are common in the fashion industry and FMCG. Any popular brand can fall prey to such – as we see fake Rolex, Nike and so many other brands in the market. Some try to imitate the distinct signature style of a popular brand – Burberry’s or Chanel for example using their brand elements.
A new ad from Club 21 takes such wannabe brands head on in true Thailand advertising style: entertaining, clever, respecting audience’s intelligence but yet anchored on sound business strategy. The ad might take a few seconds to register – but that’s what makes for effective advertising, right?
Agency: BBDO
Madhya Pradesh Tourism: moh liya re
The track record of Madhya Pradesh Tourism delivering great ads is pretty good. Remember ‘Hindustan Ka Dil Dekho, MP Ajab Hai Sabse Gajab Hai‘ and others? A new ad featuring actor Pankaj Trivedi effectively conveys there’s nothing like being there physically to experience the sights – placing the actor in front of a green screen to drive home the point.
Uber: Your nearest driver is minutes away
During the initial days of Uber, both the app experience and the service experience were considered top notch. The ‘Uber of YXZ’ was even considered as a business model and benchmark by many. At least in India the service delivery has deteriorated since launch. But in the west I guess the certainty of getting an Uber at any time is a promise they can keep. A new set of ads in UK presented the service as a sensible alternative in tricky situations.
Agency: Mother
McDonad’s UK: money’s worth
Affordability as a plank can be presented interestingly without connoting ‘cheap’ or poor qaulity. Back in 2000, McDonald’s UK created these classic ads comparing the amount of work someone has to do to earn the 99p Quarter Pounder. In a new avatar of a similar thought the Saver Menu is compared to other items for that price and the ‘worth’ you will get out of them.
Agency: Leo Burnett, UK
Lidl: a magical Christmas
Christmas is a very well marketed affair through popular culture. Hollywood has a ‘Christmas movie’ genre – known for its positive, uplifting stories and several with stories of faith and miracles at the core. Advertising plays a role too. Every year we have (among the many mediocre ads) a few charming films which are full of positivity. They may even be predictable but they are in sync with the mood of the season, the festival and the general public.
In India there’s a section of influential ad folks who make fun of the ‘happy Diwali ad’ calling it a cliche. I think there was even a film starring Anurag Kashyap mocking such ads. But in the UK, we see big brands and big-name agencies churning out feel-good ads – and yet managing to keep them interesting, charming.
Carib Beer: home for Christmas
A Christmas ad set in the Caribbean, from a local brand? That’s interesting. While the storyline of a busy, metro dweller son missing family during the festive season and making a surprise visit home is a common theme in India too during Diwali, a well-made TVC always brings a smile.
M&S Christmas advert: the miracle
I read in an ad trade portal about the ‘transformative effect of Christmas’. That’s so true of major festivals or a the extended season with many festivals (like in India). Another article said that it has the ‘power to bring joy, making the run-up to Christmas Day feel as magical as the big day itself.’ The new M&S ad is a bit of fantasy and magic:
With the help of a magical snow globe, makes her family come together in the most unexpected ways. The young girl at the centre of the story is a catalyst for her family’s festive transformation.
Canon: the gaze changes everything
In June 2023, Nikon released a popular campaign dramatising the natural beauty around us, subtly dissing images created by Generative AI. For DSLR brands and photography in general, images generated by LLM services are a threat. Canon’s new ad in Brazil emphasises that without a source image (shot through a regular camera), a prompt maybe useless oftentimes.
Agency: Dentsu Creative
ALDI: get into the Christmas spirit
‘Christmas is better when goodwill is returned’ is the premise in a continuation of ‘Kevin the carrot‘ series. But instead of mush, the tone is quirky and fun with a story anchored around the stolen ‘Christmas spirit’.
Agency: McCann
Which one was your favourite?