Mince pies. Stockings. A welcome break from your email inbox – Christmas is a time of the year that many people love, for many different reasons.
But for creatives, Christmas often comes a little earlier in the year, when the seasonal ad campaign briefs start arriving down the chimney.
Overnight, once the campaigns go live, we’ve got aunties, dads, colleagues and friends asking what we think of the John Lewis advert, whether they’ve seen the Coca-Cola lorry yet and what the latest festive trends are on TikTok (very modern, we know!).
What gifts a great campaign can deliver
As well as being part of the Christmas conversation, a great seasonal campaign gets you remembered for the holiday season and beyond.
When you put together an effective campaign, it needs to be people-focused, full of emotion and tap into the public discourse around the most wonderful time of the year.
Whilst we often remember the big brand ads, this isn’t just a tool for consumerism. The great campaigns build brands, show some personality and often generate more sales without feeling “sales-y” at all.
A few of our old favourites
For Allegro, the Polish online auction site, they wanted to communicate not what they sell, but the impact of what they sell. Follow a Polish grandad on his journey to start learning English before his Christmas trip away. Tissues at the ready (p.s. there are a couple of swear words to watch out for too.)
Charlie’s Bar did the rounds on social media at the end of 2023 with proof that campaigns don’t need big budgets, existing audiences or studio editing to succeed. It tells the story of an Irish local finding new friends and a new home at a bar in Enniskillen. All are welcome at Charlie’s – especially at Christmas.
There have been a few outings for Mr and Mrs Bair, the stars of London Heathrow’s Christmas campaigns in years gone by. They’re beautifully crafted stories that tick all the boxes – story, emotion and a connection with the season. Being adorable, soft and fluffy also helps this one tug at the heartstrings.
Apple knocked it out of the park with their ‘Fuzzy Feelings’ Christmas campaign in 2023. Their addition of beautifully crafted stop motion animation added a nice touch and kept things interesting. The story had emotion and connection with the season combined with the familiarity of relatable situations.
What didn’t work (and why)
Of course, campaigns aren’t always perfect. Even seasoned veterans like John Lewis and Marks and Spencer can get it wrong.
In 2023, M&S was hit with backlash after their star-studded “Love Thismas, not Thatmas” campaign was claimed to be “out of touch” and “insensitive.” It was seen to show stars complaining about elements of Christmas that many watchers considered their essential Christmas activities.
John Lewis’ 2023 output also received criticism, with Snapper the venus fly trap being seen as a creepy creature brought to life, eating up Christmas presents and being a general nuisance.
Both of these campaigns have caused upset for different reasons, but show that any Christmas campaign must be careful to combine its progressive, fun approach with the traditions of the season that the public knows and loves.
Now’s the time to start thinking.
Want to make a Christmas cracker? Or maybe you want some creative support on a campaign idea that you’re itching to bring to life.
Our team are ready to help, and now is the time to get started.
Drop us an email, or give us a call, and we can get a pumpkin-spiced latte in the diary.