Special Edition - 2023 Christmas Adverts – Marketing Success or Marketing Disaster?

It’s officially the Christmas season! Grab a festive drink, a snack and let’s dive into this year’s roundup of Christmas adverts. Were they a marketing success or a marketing disaster?

Asda?

One of the iconic Christmas adverts consumers wait for. Just like last year, Asda has once again been one of the top retailers to put their Christmas advert out into the world first. After last year’s success, with Buddy the Elf which was crowned ‘UK most-liked’, the stakes were high for the supermarket chain. It appears that this is why Asda has pulled another Christmas superstar – Michael Bublé.?

Having started with a bang on the 1st of November with the teaser campaign called ‘Pop The Bublé’, all of the Good Morning Britain viewers got a treat when Superstar Michael Bublé greeted them with his iconic classic ‘It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas”?

Whilst the budget behind the advert is still unknown, we can imagine Michael Bublé’s Asda debut plus all the glitz and glam spent on production will pay off as Asda competes with the likes of Tesco, Aldi and Lidl as the go-to supermarket this festive season.???

The full campaign kicked off 3 days later on The Voice when we saw the true purpose and message behind the Christmas advert. That being that ‘Asda is providing value, but not to the detriment of quality.’?

As quoted by Marketing Week “Asda has invested over ￡100m in price, with around 270 new lines arriving in stores for Christmas.”

Typically, a good sign of a Christmas advert and a good budget is a Christmas campaign with a celebrity or two however, it seems that Asda are only one of the few brands out there that are doing that for the 2023 campaigns. Could we be seeing a new era in Christmas marketing? A big theme of 2023 has been authenticity and with many consumers deciding not to trust influencers and celebrities as much it seems Asda have ignored the consumer want for authenticity!???

Despite it having 1 million views within the last 2 weeks, the advert itself should be great but maybe it would’ve been standout 10 years ago when there was that expectation to have a celebrity featured. Now that marketing desires have changed, I think Asda need to start looking at how they can change to meet consumers’ marketing desires.??

To watch the advert, click here: Make this Christmas Incredibublé – Asda Christmas 2023???

Shelter?

2023 saw many people struggle to keep up with costs amid the cost of living crisis. As expected many adverts will be bringing awareness to those who have had it rough this year however Shelter has taken a different approach. Rather than focusing on the adults, the charity has focused on a child’s perspective during this festive period.?

Titled ‘Good As Gold’ the moving ad stars a young, typical child who overhears the post lady saying “Be good as gold and you’ll get just what you want.” For many children within the UK, this is a typical phrase that they hear in the run-up to Christmas; however the difference is that not many children wish for a stable roof over their heads; however, for the young girl in Shelter’s fictional campaign, this is the reality she faces.?

The advert aims to create as much of a real-life experience that many will face on the big day however with many adults struggling themselves, Shelter may have purposely used children this year in order to receive more donations.??

Whilst it’s good for charities to be raising awareness, the production behind the advert wouldn’t have been cheap therefore, could there have been other marketing routes Shelter could’ve taken to raise brand awareness so that the budget could be spent on those who will be looking to use the charity over the festive period? Should Shelter have taken a leaf out of Iceland’s marketing campaign and not have made an advert and spent the money elsewhere??

With many brands engaging in the act of charity giving this year, with the likes of Aldi and Lidl encouraging consumers to donate toys and money to their chosen charity this Christmas, has Shelter done enough to stand out from the crowded market??

The advert itself has been curated to make you feel emotion and with the staggering message of 131,000 children having nowhere to call home this Christmas, whether you’re a parent or not, you can’t help but feel emotional towards the young girl portrayed in the advert.???

To watch the advert, click here: Good as Gold | Shelter

Argos

Yes, Argos are still around! It’s a good job because they had a cracking advert this year! Whilst they didn’t go down the same route as Asda with glitz, glamour and Christmas sparkle but rather continued with their animated campaign characters Connie (a doll) and Trevor (a toy dinosaur). Bringing these two characters into Argos’ advert might suggest that these two beloved characters are bringing in some profit for the company henceforth the continuation of them for this year’s 2023 campaign.?

Sometimes animation can be a cheaper form of production however, not always. Sometimes brands will want to go down the animation route in order to achieve relatability. In this case???

Argos is on top of its game and is staying on this year’s summer trend of ‘Barbie’ and has used Connie, the Barbie-like doll, to hopefully win over audiences.?

The 30-second advert has already racked up 5.8 million views on Youtube which has smashed other brand adverts such as Waitrose, M&S Christmas Food and even Asda who all released their adverts around the same time frame. It seems Argos chose wisely this year and wanted to follow in the footsteps of their Spring campaign as Trevor and Connie had racked up an impressive 7.8 million views in Argos’ Spring advert.

Argos’ Head of Campaigns Laura Boothby said: “There was no better way to show off what you can find at Argos this Christmas than bringing back our loveable and family-friendly characters Connie and Trevor.” The campaign hasn’t only just been about Argos making their mark in the 2023 Christmas advert line-up but for Argos itself, the message to its viewers is ‘There’s More To Argos’ than just toys. This message behind the campaigns launched back with their Springtime campaign and has continued throughout 2023.?

Considering the message, this would explain why more tech and homeware (third-party advertisements) are featured in Connie’s dance break!

According to Retail Gazette, Argos will also be running this Christmas advert alongside ‘a high-impact out-of-home campaign also running across the country from the 1st of November. So make sure you’re on the lookout for that!?

And of course, when creating a brand mascot, it’s likely the brands can make some extra ROI by actually producing toy versions of the mascot. No surprise this is what Argos have done! Any viewers who have taken to Connie and her chic style can buy her doll at the cost of ￡30. But what about Trevor if dinosaurs are your go-to toy? Fear not but Trevor is also available! Not only that but he doesn’t cost so much. At the respected price of ￡9, Argos customers can purchase this interactive dino that roars, makes stomping sounds and even has light-up eyes.??

The advert itself has gone down a treat this year with many taking to YouTube comments to express their love for either the double act or the advert as a whole. With users making comments such as “I was so hoping that Connie and Trevor would be in a the Argos Christmas ad. I have been a big fan of Connie right from the start. She is now a part of my doll collection.” and “Please keep Connie and Trevor around for a while Argos…love ’em!”

To watch the advert, click here: Dancer | Argos Christmas Ad 2023??

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Barbour?

A classic British TV programme is the foundation of Barbour’s Christmas TV advert and I love it! Whilst I am infatuated with Amazon’s ‘Joyride’ Christmas campaign, it’s Barbour that takes the number 1 spot. Maybe it’s my nostalgia for the show from when I was young and when I actually wanted to get up at 7 am or whether this year’s Barbour campaign has just been executed that well. Now the only animated, British classic that I could be talking about is Shaun The Sheep!?

Yes, Shaun and the gang have come together in the campaign titled ‘Shaun the Sheep x Baa-bour’ to showcase that sometimes, for the longevity of a garment, ‘it’s best to go to Barbour.’ “With a Barbour wax jacket, age is no limitation and through our Wax for Life initiative, globally every year over 73,000 of our wax jackets are returned to be re-waxed or repaired” as quoted in CountryLiving by Paul Wilkinson, who is Barbour’s Group Commercial Director.

Not only that but he states “This Christmas, we wanted to demonstrate the importance of extending the life of our garments and we’ve been able to achieve this through our partnership with Aardman. Working with Shaun the Sheep and his friends, we’ve created a light-hearted and engaging film that we hope will make people smile this festive season,”?

To follow in the footsteps of the Paddington X Barbour Christmas advert of 2022 was a big task to take on however you can’t go wrong with an Aardman animation. Maybe this was also a nod from Barbour to the British farmers out there who have continued to have a rough year with a lack of funding and weather struggles.?

Whilst Barbour has stuck to a classic clay animation style for this advert, Aardman has admitted recently to be ‘playing around’ with AI to keep things interesting. This then makes us wonder, from an advertising and marketing perspective, whether or not this could be the end of an era of stop-motion animation. Whilst the odd clay-animated production is bound to happen but if AI can create it faster and of better quality, who’s to say next time we see Shaun The Sheep, he’s not been AI’d!

Whilst nothing has been set in stone and Aardman hopes to see people continue to be interested in stop-motion animation, however, it seems they’re preparing for the inevitable to happen. In the meantime, they will continue to create standout craftsmanship and award-winning movies for our entertainment.?

To watch the advert, click here: Barbour Christmas Advert 2023 | Shaun the Sheep x Baa-bour

Aldi?

Aldi has surprised me this year. I had automatically expected the advert to not exceed any expectations due to its recurring character of Kevin the carrot once again. Since being on our screens since 2016, it only seems about time that Aldi should come up with a new idea behind their adverts however; with the release of the anticipated film, ‘Wonka’, being released during this festive period, Aldi might actually be onto something with this year’s advert.

The synergies of two brands coming together at Christmas is not unheard of. Brand collaborations with films especially. Wonka, which stars one of 2023’s trendiest actors Timothée Chamelet, is set to be a box office hit due to the story being based on one of Roald Dahl’s most beloved stories. Aldi have grabbed onto that and have made their own knock- off Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. Whilst some people might question this, this is actually something very on-brand for Aldi with them known for creating knock-off products.? The creators behind the advert might not realise this, but I’m sure that’s a part of the plan for this campaign!

CEO magazine quotes “By their very nature, brand collaborations are innovative because they require the brands taking part to create something new and compelling for each other’s audiences” and whilst this campaign isn’t an official collaboration, the theory behind Aldi’s campaign can still be applied.???

Just like Argos with Connie and Trevor, consumers were able to purchase Kevin the Carrot teddies. With Aldi introducing more characters this year, there is even more of a reason for Aldi to expand on the collectable editions.???

Year upon year the advert has performed well and why fix something that’s not broken? Whether or not Aldi will continue with Kevin the Carrot next year, who knows? Could we see Aldi try and push their Christmas mascot for 10 years running??

To watch the advert, click here: Aldi Christmas Advert 2023

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Amazon

As I briefly mentioned, Amazon’s Joyride has taken my #2 spot for favourite Christmas adverts… so far and the only reason it’s not #1 is due to my nostalgia for Shaun The Sheep.?

Whilst many brands take the Christmas advertising opportunity to scream about their brands, Amazon has taken the opposite approach. The team behind the campaign understands that everyone and anyone knows Amazon and that the simple Amazon logo shown for just a couple of shots is more memorable and more quality-driven than some flashy advert with Amazon plastered all over the screen.?

The campaign title gives little to nothing away and with that, sometimes it can be more intriguing as to what this big corporate conglomerate has in store for us. (It’s no secret that Amazon will have a big budget behind the campaign as well)

Start.Io claims that Amazon’s main demographic includes ‘adults aged 18 to 60, with 45% in the 35-49 year-old age group.’ With this in mind, you would expect Amazon to aim at that demographic wouldn’t you? Well with big budgets to spend that’s exactly what they haven’t done. Rather they have aimed this year’s advert at the elderly.?

For many of the elderly demographic Christmas can be a struggle. With not being able to keep up with the busy crowds or having the confidence to drive with the holiday traffic, Amazon is making itself the go-to brand for accessibility and easiness.?

What strikes me is that nothing is said within the advert. Other than a laugh or two from the elderly trio who star in the production, not one word is spoken. Maybe this is why it’s more memorable for me. I think, if there was a spoken script it wouldn’t have the same effect so Amazon have been quite smart in this marketing trick.?

To watch the advert, click here: Joy Ride | Amazon Holiday Ad

Tesco

Tesco, I would now say, are the number 1 awaited Christmas advert of the festive season. Whilst John Lewis loses touch with their festive spirit message year upon year, it seems supermarket chain Tesco is on their way to the number 1 spot. But why is this? Is it just simply because their adverts are better and resonate with the general public more than the department store??

Tesco, last made it big in the news with their Covid-19 controversy and despite it being bad press, most likely contributed to the chain’s move up the list of awaited adverts. Because of Tesco’s risky move in 2021, it has a lot to make up for however it’s fair to say, this year’s ‘spirit-driven’ advert could be making up for it.??

Titled ‘Helping You #BecomeMoreChristmas’, Tesco aims to convince its consumers to get into the festive spirit. The 2 and half minute video, follows the narrative of a young adult struggling to #BecomeMoreChristmas despite family and friends all around finding it no trouble. Even after his trip to Tesco, he couldn’t even get into the festive spirit!?

In struggling times, with the ongoing cost of living crisis, the message behind the campaign is nothing more extraordinary than ‘safe’. I also question whether it tips into being a little insensitive. Many of the public would rather be in the festive spirit however with the cost of living crisis and many families wondering how they will afford Christmas this year, should Tesco have gone down a more SCR-driven advert?

Tesco, over the last decade, haven’t varied their advertising style by any means. They’ve stuck to the traditional ‘in-person’ acting and have not been creative with their Christmas production. So is it about time we see some change or are Tesco just playing it safe for the sake of sales??

To watch the advert, click here: Helping you #BecomeMoreChristmas ??? | Tesco?

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Peta

Next up we have Peta. I will admit I clicked on the YouTube link with the hope of Peta making me have some emotion for this campaign. It’s not hard to get me crying over an advert but the goal was to get me upset! I’m sure it was also Peta’s goal as well!

This year, Peta has gone down the same route as their first campaign, which was released in 2022, in the style of 3D animation. The only difference is that this year had a 3D drawing animated effect on top. This smart tactic not only keeps the humanisation of the turkey alive but still conveys as much emotion as possible without the audience becoming so traumatised that they won’t watch the advert.?

The ad featuring Jane Horrocks, known for voicing the children’s character The Little Princess, voices Tessa the Turkey. The advert takes place within several snowy settings and sees Tessa singing about classic Western Christmas traditions which intertwine neatly with the company’s 2023 theme of ‘traditions’.

Whilst Tessa sings ‘trees indoors’ are ‘very jolly’ and ‘letters are sent to men with beards’ are something to be joyous about this festive period, the advert takes a swift turn when audience go-ers are met with the reality of the classic turkey tradition. The advert quickly changes its tonality and takes us through the journey of? the fate that awaits Tessa with ‘a tradition of such cruelty.’?

PETA Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen said: “Turkeys are smart, social individuals who don’t want or deserve to be dinner, and there is a wealth of kind and tasty animal-friendly options available to choose from. Tradition doesn’t excuse cruelty”

The campaign can be found on YouTube as well as on Peta’s social media platforms however, this is not the only place you can watch the advert. With Chicken Run 2 being released in cinemas, Peta has taken this opportunity to play the advert before the film starts to urge the chicken loving audience to go vegan this year to spare the cruelty to animals.?

Whilst many people try to skip the cinema adverts, we can appreciate a good correlation between a film and the adverts pre-film ??.??

To watch the advert, click here: PETA’s 2023 Christmas Ad Featuring Jane Horrocks

John Lewis

John Lewis. I’m rather speechless at the department store this year. Off the top of my head, I can’t remember last year’s advert but after looking it up I’m ashamed I don’t remember as last year was an advert which enthralled the idea of a classic John Lewis Christmas advert.

Last year was the year we saw a soon-to-be Father learn how to skateboard for his new, soon-to-be-adopted, daughter. A few vague memories of this advert coming back now? Well here is the clip for last year’s advert just in case you need reminding!

Anyway, the key point behind bringing up last year’s ad, is that the standard is high. It always has been but as mentioned when discussing Tesco’s advert, how long will their #1 awaited advert reign last??

In what seems to be a Rocky Horror Show inspired advert, this year’s campaign message translates into accepting imperfections this year. Not only that but Marketing Director Rosie Hanley states this is an advert “in friendship, making space for others and the willingness to do things differently and adapt your traditions to those around.”

A carnivorous plant, picked up by a young boy in a market, grows up to try and be something it’s traditionally not. A Christmas tree. As the venus fly trap continues to grow and becomes too big and destructive for the house and gets replaced by a ‘traditional’ christmas tree’ leaving the opera singer plant… yes you read that right… to be placed out into the snow until Christmas Day.?

Now, I’m sure we all love a few collaborations and this year audience go-ers can listen to Opera Singer Andrea Bocelli as the singer behind this year’s iconic music. This time it is quite nice as the well-known singer also has a new album dropping this year.?

Whilst we’re all subject to our own opinions, the reason this year’s John Lewis advert doesn’t rank highly is due to the uncertainty people have had over it. It’s not controversial but it’s not the most questionable advert we’ve seen this year, it simply just doesn’t go down as iconic when a ￡700 budget production for a pub receives more praise.???

To watch the advert, click here: Watch the 2023 John Lewis Christmas advert?

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Canva

For the fourth advert breakdown I thought I would discuss a brand that you might not realise even having a Christmas advert! (If you work in the marketing and social industry I would only hope you would’ve heard of this software we’re about to discuss!) With the ability to remove backgrounds, resize content at ease and have access to an extensive amount of designs and assets are there any guesses as to which creative platform I am talking about? None other than Canva!

Upon scrolling on LinkedIn, I stumbled across a Canva video and with the intention of maybe learning a new tip or two I decided to watch it however I was shocked to discover that the brand had its own Christmas advert.

Many of us will be using Canva for the festive season. Whether that be for creating content for your brand or creating content for other clients. Whilst brand awareness is already well and truly covered for Canva (yet still important) they essentially will already know that they will be the go-to platform for many this holiday season.??

Because of this, Canva has taken to creating awareness and showcasing that not only can you design on the platform but you can create a variety of physical products with your design! Something not every user will have awareness o

.?The e-commerce market is one of the global leading industries that many retailers are switching to invest in. At the beginning of 2023, Forbes predicted that the e-commerce market would reach a total of $6.3 trillion with that being a 10.4% increase in e-commerce sales. 38 E-Commerce Statistics Of 2023

With this in mind I think Canva has introduced a profitable feature to their site and is now looking to take this holiday season by storm when it comes to their profits. Where many consumers look to create something more personal, Canva has created them to be the software go to.

A key takeaway from Canva that I haven’t seen from other brands this year, is believing in your product. Whilst posting your advert on LinkedIn is obviously important but with the ability to write copy above your video, that is your opportunity to further sell your message. And that’s exactly what they’ve done.?

Above the video LinkedIn users can find:?

And we of course used Canva to power the project and keep it on track:

?? Canva Docs for scripts, project plans, status docs, call sheets

?? Canva Whiteboards for character development and moodboards

?? Canva Presentations for pitch decks, storyboards, treatments

?? Canva Social Media for film posters, promotional social posts

?? Canva Print to print everything you see in the film: holiday cards, posters, t-shirts, wall art, and the children’s storybook???

To watch the video, click here: Canva Christmas Advert?

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Disney

Last but not least, conglomerate company Disney. With big budgets and the ability to feature big stars in their adverts, Disney fans eagerly wait for what advert they produce this year! But has Disney finally reached its peak??

With bad press popping up here and there throughout the year have we finally started to see a negative sentiment towards the business? As someone from the gen-z generation and someone active on social media every day, I’ve seen a few comments that Disney is just not the same as it once was. With films not as impactful as they were and many of the films being released now, what feels like every month! Is Disney starting to lose its status?

This year Disney has jumped on the charity partnership ‘trend’ and has decided to partner with the ‘Make-a-Wish’ foundation, which often takes children to Disney parks for a child’s last wish.?

The partnership hasn’t stopped at just mentioning the charity within the advertisement. Disney has gone one step further and has announced they have donated $300,000 to Make-A-Wish International and Affiliates. Furthermore, 2023 trending toy company – Mattel, have agreed to share proceeds from every Disney Wish star Reveals mini doll.?

Whilst all of this is positive and encouraging to hear, at the end of the advert viewers learn that the foundation of this advert is ideated off the most recent Disney film that launched in November – ‘Wish'

When it comes to Christmas adverts, many brands have successfully created an advert where it doesn’t always have to link to a product and this for a consumer is refreshing however, this is not the campaign route Disney have gone down this year.?

Whilst we can respect the good doings of Disney and the hard work they are putting behind their CSR, to then remind people to go out and see the film rather than focus on the spirit of Christmas or the idea ‘to give more’ this year.

The advert incorporates all aspects of diversity and the power Disney has to bring people together which has been recognised throughout its YouTube audience. “Regardless of your race, language, gender, religion or sexuality, Disney builds an empire for families based on magic and equality so as to achieve joy and happiness the world over.” However, it seems 2023’s advert just hasn’t quite hit the mark with the audience, judging by the comments left underneath the trailer on YouTube, however, Grazia has given the trailer a rating of 8/10!?

To watch the video, click here: A Wish For The Holidays | Disney Christmas Advert 2023 | Disney UK

Despite it only being the 18th today, my housemates and I will be celebrating Christmas with our Christmas Dinner tonight. Luckily, I am on my last working day and this Christmas I will be ice 'hockeying' it, with plenty of ice skating sessions mixed in between! Plus I guess I'll have to visit the family at some point! Whatever you're up to I wish you, as well as the team at PinPoint Media, a happy and festive Christmas, whether you're working or are taking a well-deserved break! We'll be back with the newsletter in 2024! Oh jeez... 2024... can't believe we're saying that already!

Happy Christmas! ??