Christmas Campaigns

Over the last couple of years the big high street chains in the UK have gone all out to carve themselves a niche and a voice in the chaos that is Christmas messaging. This years run of campaigns isn’t much different but it would seem that a couple of the ad agencies and the media teams in store have lost their way.

Lets start with the Boots campaign…

I think it’s fair to say that the British public have got used to the overly feminist campaigns and he awful “Here Come the Girls” soundtrack but even though this ad is annoying it does have a sense of humour and doesn’t try to take itself too seriously.

John Lewis continue their high production campaigns following the theme of middle class family life and the need to try to tug at your hearts strings. The first time I saw this ad I wanted to thump the little boy as he comes across as obnoxious and spoilt but this is where this ad wins as there is a lovely twist near the end.

There has been some controversy amongst Smiths fans for the use of the music but I think it works well.

Of the supermarkets the best ad I have seen is from the northern chain Morrisons. They have insisted two well-known British stars and used a quintessentially English location to shoot the ad (Kingston upon Thames). I again like this ad because it has a sense of humour but it also ensures you see the product range whilst wrapping up in a huge festive bow.

Love him or hate him the inclusion of Sir Bruce Forsyth (especially as he’s just received royal honour) is a stroke of genius. Bruce has been on our Christmas TVs for years and this is a nice tie in with the publics perceptions of Christmas. Of course there are lots of woolly hatted children running around trying to be cute and play dumb but let’s face it, most children in this country are dumb and far less eloquent!

Waitrose has taken their licensing with Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal to new heights with their ad but it comes off as trying too hard and pretentious.

The advert is also far too busy with way too much going on – it’s hard to really take it all in.

I also find it very condescending – “Your favourite teacher”… Delia inviting you to make her Christmas cake from a bog of ready picked ingredients… My grandparents and parents have been making Christmas food for years, they’ve never needed carefully selected and measured ingredients – are people really that lazy/dumb nowadays?

The big shock in the campaigns this year have to be Marks and Spencer. Previous years they have gone for high gloss, high production ads that feature such stars as Andy Williams, George Clooney and Twiggy. They were fun, lively and clearly aimed at the middle of the road, mid-life to elderly customer base.

I don’t know what the media execs at M&S were smoking when they decided to enlist the X Factor contestants to sing!

What you end up with is a mis mash of ideas, a lot of cut shots and loads of people singing whom are out of tune and for most people (especially the M&S customer), you’d have no idea who they are. Does M&S not realise most of their customers are more likely to watch Strictly Come Dancing and not X Factor?

It’s especially sad in a year when the X Factor viewer figures have taken a dip. M&S used to lead and to innovate and this campaign just feels like it’s trying to hard – it also seems to try to emulate John Lewis which is certainly hasn’t done.

And the most original Christmas ad? Well that has to be the Halfords bike ad. All Children receive bikes at some point in their lives at Christmas and Halfords have tapped into this insight wonderfully.

For a business that is predominantly about car maintenance they have managed to highlight the one aspect of their business which will drive up trade at the festive period.

This ad is fun, lively, annoying and to the point. Well done Halfords!