All Things CX: Holiday edition

Many consider the holidays to be a special time of the year. Whether celebrated in the traditional way or at all, the festive season is a global event that undoubtedly leaves impressions and memories. It is the time of sharing and coming together. Additionally, it is also an important time for brands to connect with their customers as well as their employees to create memorable experiences.??

Black Friday has already passed and there are only a few days left until Christmas. Before you know it, 2023 will be upon us. While numerous brands are developing campaigns or promotions that reference the holidays or incorporate Christmas motifs, some brands are taking it a step further. These brands do not just create an association with Christmas, but have embraced the celebration altogether.?

So, I'd like to use this edition to take you on a journey of festive experiences.?

Bringing the Queen of Christmas to The Virtual Stage?

Hardly any trend is dominating the public discourse as much as the metaverse. And even if THE metaverse does not exist yet, Christmas is already happening in these digital spheres.??

Therefore, it was only a natural next step for a world star like Mariah Carey, who dominates the holidays on TV shows and the playlists of radios and streaming providers, to also fully transfer her massive Christmas presence to the virtual world.??So, just in time for the upcoming Christmas, Carey will be performing a series of virtual concerts on the Roblox Livetopia platform, titled “Mariah Carey's Winter Wonderland".?

In four virtual shows from 21 to 24 December, Carey will perform a number of old and new hits. For a grand finale, she will perform her Christmas classic "All I Want For Christmas Is You" to round off the ultimate virtual Christmas concert experience.??

The Fashion Industry is Getting Into a Metaverse Mindset?

It's not just global stars like Mariah Carey, but also fashion brands that are showing their willingness to experiment and set the latest trends.?

French fashion brand?Lacoste, for example, announced the launch of its Christmas-themed Metaverse store, in collaboration with NFT platform Arianee and virtual reality solutions developer Emperia. To enter the virtual store, users first walk through the mouth of a crocodile. In the Lacoste showroom, the exclusive Christmas collection can then be explored in 360-degrees and tried on virtually.

Consumers can playfully interact with brands in virtual worlds in a way that is not feasible in a 2D environment. As?Olga Dogadkina, CEO of Emperia, describes: "As virtual reality and augmented reality evolved and became more mainstream, retailers realised the potential of AR/VR technology to further engage customers with their brand and offer them an experience unlike 2D shopping."

?The Ultimate Christmas Brand?

We certainly don't know who invented Santa Claus, the central figure of the Christmas season. But Coca-Cola, the ultimate Christmas brand, clarifies the matter on its own?FAQ page.?

For Christmas, the Coca-Cola Company keeps reinventing itself. After launching the Real Magic platform in 2021, Coca-Cola posted a video on YouTube called "Real Magic at Christmas" about a boy who finds an amazing DIY solution to not only replace the missing chimney for gift delivery, but also to bring the neighbourhood together.??

Coca-Cola is showing just how far Christmas customer experiences can go this year: the company is trying out a more experimental concept by launching the first Christmas anthology film series "Christmas Always Finds Its Way", to engage with new target groups. The anthology, released on Prime Video, consists of three short films produced by Oscar-winning filmmakers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment. With this series of shorts, the brand is using longer video formats to explore topics in greater depth than a 30-second commercial could. The films express the range of emotions of the Christmas season and are meant to be viewed independently.

“Everyone will have their own favorite", says?Luciana Mendes, Director of Creative Strategy, Coca-Cola Latin America. “We saw the anthology concept as a way to reach consumers organically in the spaces where they are most engaged. We know that during the holidays, people love to watch Christmas specials and other heart-warming content with friends and families on streaming platforms. And as a brand ingrained in popular culture, especially this time of year, Coca-Cola is uniquely positioned to share stories like these that reflect our values.”?Thus, the brand reaches a new level of engagement running through the entire winter evening.

Put the Spotlight on Employee Experiences?

Employees also expect a new level of festive experiences from companies that go beyond Secret Santa. While everyone has their Grinch days at the office, Christmas is the perfect time to boost the in-house spirit and start the new year on a positive note.??

For many employees, the holidays can be particularly challenging due to increased sick leave, tight deadlines, or year-end targets. How companies operate during this time has a significant impact on company culture and the employee experience.??

A hybrid work environment is becoming the new standard, which is why it is particularly important to think about and involve the whole team when planning the Christmas party. That's why more and more companies are using a range of?virtual alternatives?to bring all employees together over a cup of mulled wine. The offer ranges from customised virtual scavenger hunts with Oculus headsets to interactive virtual karaoke rooms that only require a web browser.??

Elf on the Shelf?

Brands are tapping into this growing need for interactive experiences for their Christmas campaigns. For instance, the telecommunications company Vodafone has hidden Christmas elves around the UK as part of a new, free augmented reality (AR) game designed to spread festive cheer.?

This new interactive game “Elf and Seek” builds on the success of Pokémon Go and challenges users to scan for elves with their smartphones and win prizes.?

Spread Christmas Cheer with Sweet Noodles?

This year, HelloFresh, the largest meal-kit provider, has teamed up with Warner Bros. for its?limited edition Christmas kit.

The "Buddy The Elf Spaghetti" kit comes with all the ingredients for a spaghetti dish similar to the one Buddy The Elf prepares in the film. HelloFresh is now delivering this experience directly to all fans' homes.?

"While drawing inspiration from the sweet spaghetti dish seen in the movie 'Elf,' we created a chocolate-forward version that stays true to Buddy the Elf's dish, incorporating crushed chocolate cereal, various chocolate candies, marshmallows, and of course, syrup," said?Michelle Doll Olson, culinary development manager at HelloFresh. "Our goal is always to create recipes that are both tasty and fun to prepare, and we're sure this over-the-top recipe will satisfy any elf's sweet tooth while bringing the holiday spirit to your household."?

How can you not get into the Christmas spirit watching Will Ferrell recite the Code of the Elves and artfully decorate an entire department store for Santa while enjoying sweet pasta with the family???

Whether it's your favourite time of year to indulge in Christmas shopping, have a Christmas movie marathon, or prepare an entire festive banquet, there are extraordinary experiences for everyone.??

I am already looking forward to this extraordinary time and wish you and your families a tranquil time and a successful new year.?