Tidings of nostalgia and joy? Why this could be brands' cheesiest Christmas to date.
Welcome to the Retail Wrap-Up, your source of sector-specific news and insights from retail professionals on LinkedIn, curated by LinkedIn News UK editor Aaron Toumazou .
In this month's edition, we dive into what could be in store for this year’s Christmas adverts, with early signs pointing to an extra-cheesy twist on holiday cheer.
We also explore whether brands that maintain strong partnerships with external agencies have the edge over those that constantly switch. Plus, we take a closer look at shifting consumer behaviour in the healthcare space and the growing popularity of "pay what you want" pricing models.
Advertising's cheesiest Christmas yet
Retailers around the world have likely already signed off their Christmas ad campaigns, but two supermarkets gave a preview of what to expect this month.?
Both Lidl GB and Waitrose & Partners delivered cheesy adverts starring 90s pop stars Martine McCutcheon and S Club, respectively, sparking many critiques and discussions among marketers on LinkedIn.
"It’s the nostalgia we love , with a twist," wrote creative strategist Olivia Wedderburn in a LinkedIn post, emphasising how the ads resonate with millennial and Gen X consumers as they enter new life stages.
Advertising director Sophie Lee also shared her insights on LinkedIn, predicting that these ads could highlight 2025’s biggest advertising trend : joy. "The world is already heavy enough without brands virtue signalling," she wrote. "I hope this is the start of a shift in advertising. We deserve to be entertained while you try to sell us your wares. Advertising should be fun."
While Lidl’s campaign, which featured the catchy song and tagline "(Ooh Ah) Just a Lidl Bit", was widely praised for its strong brand fit, the response to Waitrose's throwback was somewhat more mixed, raising questions around its alignment with the brand ’s image.
However, many note this dissidence is key to its appeal. "The unexpected nature has 'thumb-stopping' power that forces audiences to take note, raise an eyebrow, and smile," wrote NatWest Group 's head of marketing, James Wallis . Agency founder Rudy Heywood agrees, calling it "off-brand in the best way possible" in his LinkedIn post.
Regardless of personal preference, both ads offer insight into a clear direction the industry is moving in. Wedderburn suggests they reflect a broader trend, as younger millennial and gen Z marketing teams craft a more fragmented and diverse cultural landscape. "In a world where anything can take off if it’s packaged right, nostalgia x novelty x absurdity feels like a winning formula," she writes.
What are your thoughts on these early Christmas teasers and what would you like to see as more retailers share their campaigns next month? Join the conversation in the comments.?
Trending topics
Consistency is key when working with creative agencies
Could brands' that hop from creative agency to creative agency be shooting themselves in the foot?
Possibly, according to new research shared by marketer Andrew Tindall , which found that brands that stick with the same agency create higher-quality ads and maintain ad distinctiveness.
Changing agencies can lead to fewer consumers linking ads to the brand, resulting in media wastage, Tindall wrote in a LinkedIn post.
"With more platforms demanding more and more bespoke content, marketers still looking for what they should change in a new role, and the costs and demands of agency pitches booming, the time is now to champion how consistency compounds creativity," he says.?
Are consumer healthcare habits unravelling?
Brand loyalty is becoming increasingly rare in retail sectors like fashion, beauty, and homewares. Yet, when it comes to healthcare products, our habits remain surprisingly consistent, notes Kien Tan , 普华永道 's senior retail adviser.
"Like Groundhog Day, consumer healthcare is highly habitual," he shared in a video on LinkedIn. "We are recommended a product, and if it works, then for the most part we don't ever switch brands or buy anything else."
However, Tan points out that this trend may be shifting. As GP appointments become harder to secure and younger consumers take health research into their own hands, new opportunities are emerging for brands to capture a larger share of the market.
The rise of 'pay what you want' pricing
The cost of living crisis has prompted many brands to become more flexible in their pricing strategies.
One such approach is the "pay what you want" strategy, where customers take some control over the price they pay, notes e-commerce consultant Sue Azari .
In a LinkedIn video, Azari highlights two brands using this model in different ways. In her first example, beauty brand The Ordinary offers three pricing options for one of its best-selling product sets: full price, 23% off or 40% off.
Taco Bell , on the other hand, has introduced a feature in its app that lets customers set a budget, with the app curating menu items to fit within that amount.
Debate
How can retailers thrive in the post-commute economy?
The way we live may now feel like it bears some resemblance to our pre-pandemic lives, but some shifts remain permanent.?
In a video posted on LinkedIn, co-founders of The Future Collective? Matt Parry and Kate Shepherd discuss how many retail businesses have underestimated the shift of what they call the "post-commute economy".
More importantly, says Shepherd, "not enough people are seeing how things have changed as an opportunity".
What are some of the innovative ways in which businesses can capitalise on this new landscape? Share your ideas in the comments.
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UK and Europe Retail Editor: Aaron Toumazou
UK and Europe Retail Community Manager: Priscillia Mudiaki
Community and Editorial Segments Lead: Yessi Bello-Perez
Managing Editor: Emily Spaven ?
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1 个月According to Statista, during a survey this year, 82% of responding adults in the UK stated that they were members of a supermarket loyalty programme. And roughly 1 in 3 said they were signed up to a food & drink (restaurants, cafes & bars) loyalty programme. Since late due to economic factors there have been issues in brand loyalty. Loyalty programmes have the potential to attract & retain existing customers by offering discounts, free delivery, & more. Including advanced technology into this brings disruptive innovation.
Digital marketing geek ?? who eats, breathes and sleeps all things digital marketing and Founder of award winning digital marketing agency Famous Wolf. ?? ??
1 个月Thanks for the shout out LinkedIn News ????
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1 个月I loathe cheesy adverts with so-called "celebrities". Call me Scrooge if you want to.
eCommerce Industry Consultant @ AppsFlyer
1 个月Thank you so much for the mention ???
Cost Optimisation Expert Helping CEOs & CFOs Save Up to 27% on Overheads | LinkedIn Top Voice | ￡10.1bn Managed Spend | ERA Consultant | MD, CFO, Audit Chair
1 个月There was a time Aaron Toumazou where Christmas marketing was product specific - this is the toy / invention which you must have this Christmas! And now the adverts are made up of clever celebrity endorsements and music which show much more the experience of togetherness at Christmas with a connection to the brand rather than the product at the end - and often even that is subtle - the creativity that goes into this links to social media - how things have changed! Give it a few years and it will be adverts that target me specifically and what i might associate with!