Unwrapping Success: 5 Insights to Create an Inspiring Christmas Advert

Christmas spirit, for many, is not just a feeling; it is intertwined with certain names and colors – a perfect example of commerce and consumption. Although this is often said with a negative connotation, we’ll leave it up to you to decide how bad or good it is. This article is about mastering holiday branding: adverts, commercials, or simply finding a few takeaways to apply to your own business.?

As the winter chill settles in and the scent of pine, cinnamon, mulled wine, and mandarin oranges spreads around the cities, the jingle of familiar tunes and the warmth of beloved brands creeps from around the corner.?

Well, that’s not exactly right. We reached that corner a month ago: Christmas advertising campaigns were presented to consumers as early as the beginning of November, so the festive mood has been around for quite some time. In fact, many believe that the Christmas season starts when one brand publishes its holiday advert rather than on December 1st.

Which brand is it? You already know.

Coca-Cola’s Tale of Santas, Tradition and Jingles

For over a decade, Coca-Cola has woven its magic into the holiday season, making it synonymous with joy and togetherness. The iconic red trucks, adorned with lights, cruising through snowy landscapes, have become a staple in Christmas advertising.?

This year, the undisputed giant in holiday branding unveiled the relaunch of its iconic “Holidays Are Coming” campaign, first introduced to the public in 1995, where the iconic red truck makes its appearance. What steals the spotlight, though, is the catchy jingle that accompanies the spectacle.?

This musical tagline isn’t just background noise—it’s like the holiday soundtrack that instantly says, “Coca-Cola Christmas.” Over the years, that jingle has become more than just a tune; it’s a familiar, catchy sound that turned the brand into a holiday tradition. It’s proof that a simple jingle can be the secret sauce in making a brand feel like a timeless part of the season.

Alongside the Christmas classic, a new campaign titled "The World Needs More Santas" celebrates the universal spirit of Santa Claus with the slogan “Anyone can be Santa”. It portrays a town full of Santas engaging in daily tasks, from mundane activities like washing clothes to heartwarming gestures like giving away the last bottle of Coca-Cola.?

The campaign seamlessly integrates acts of kindness in both the Santa world and the real world, emphasizing the universal potential for generosity during the festive season. The message is clear: Coca-Cola is not just a beverage; it’s a harbinger of the Christmas spirit.

John Lewis: Heartwarming Legacy of Christmas Campaigns

Another brand, whose campaign everyone waits all year round for – John Lewis – has also mastered the art of crafting enduring Christmas commercials.?

One of the hallmark features of John Lewis’s Christmas adverts is the art of emotional storytelling, each ad unfolding a narrative that strikes an emotional chord, often centered around themes of love, companionship, and the magic of Christmas. Starting with The Beatles’ “From Me to You” in 2008 to Ellie Goulding’s rendition of “Your Song” in 2010, the brand consistently incorporates music as a powerful storytelling element.

Much like Coca-Cola, John Lewis leverages continuity in its Christmas campaigns, creating a sense of tradition and familiarity.?

But the sentimentality everyone chases can quickly become the lack of originality.?

So, this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert introduces a unique narrative featuring a giant sentient Venus flytrap, adding a touch of whimsy to the traditional festive storytelling. The story revolves around a boy who buys a seed, expecting a Christmas tree, but ends up with a Venus flytrap.

The quirky plant, initially rejected by the family, experiences a Christmas emotional rollercoaster – from heartbreak to a begrudging truce. While the heartbreak element is minimal, the advert pays homage to past John Lewis Christmas ads, weaving a mosaic of familiar themes and characters. It also cleverly incorporates products available in-store, aligning with a trend toward more shoppable and relatable content in advertising.?

Starbucks: Brewing Holiday Magic for 26 Years

With its 26 years of Christmas campaigns, Starbucks has made an indelible mark on how consumers perceive the holidays. The introduction of festive drinks and Christmas-themed merchandise, coupled with the iconic red cups, has become a ritual eagerly awaited by coffee lovers worldwide.

The Starbucks Christmas campaigns go beyond mere advertisements – they create a sensory experience. Each year brings new holiday-themed beverages, limited-edition merchandise, and heartwarming stories that resonate with the spirit of giving. The coffee cups, in particular, have become a symbol that heralds the arrival of the holiday season.

What Ties These Successful Christmas Campaigns Together??

It’s the strategic use of brand assets – those distinctive elements that make a brand instantly recognizable. Brand assets include visual elements like logos and colors, sonic elements like jingles and soundtracks, and even specific characters or themes.

John Lewis relies on the use of iconic cover songs, just like this year’s rousing track with lyrics written especially for and approved by Maestro Bocelli. Starbucks, with its holiday cups and festive drinks, has created a visual and sensory identity inseparable from the holiday experience.?

In the context of Coca-Cola, the red color and the iconic contour bottle are powerful brand assets, but Coca-Cola Santa Claus has changed the traditions of the world.?

Santa Claus is a modern, secular evolution of the historical figure St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop known for his generosity. Before the iconic Coca-Cola Santa Claus created by Haddon Sundblom in the 1930s, St. Nicholas’s appearance varied considerably: it was depicted wearing green, blue, or brown attire. Over the years, Sundblom’s portrayal of Santa as a cheerful, plump figure with a red suit and white beard enjoying Coca-Cola has become a cultural icon, shaping the modern image of Santa and contributing to the holiday traditions worldwide.?

How did Coca-Cola manage to turn a brand asset into an attribute of the holiday?

Continuity, achieved through the consistent use of brand assets, is a powerful tool in advertising.

It creates a sense of familiarity and builds a connection with consumers over time. The repetition of certain elements, like Coca-Cola’s red trucks or John Lewis family-focused narratives, becomes a tradition that consumers look forward to each year.

Moreover, brand assets have the unique ability to evoke nostalgia. For many, the mention of?Coca-Cola instantly transports them to the jingles of their childhood Christmases, patiently waiting through the night just to have a glimpse at Santa. This emotional resonance is a valuable asset for businesses, as it taps into the consumer’s personal memories and experiences, making them wish to relive those sentiments again.

Insights For Crafting Christmas Campaigns

As the holiday season approaches, businesses have the opportunity to craft Christmas advertisements that go beyond the commercial realm. Although it’s a little too late to create a full-on Christmas campaign from scratch this year (unless your elves will be working overtime), by understanding the significance of brand assets and embracing continuity, brands can become an integral part of the festive narrative.?

• Identify Your Brand Assets:?According to Ipsos data, out of the annual $4.7 trillion spent on marketing, 85% is allocated to brand assets that aren’t truly distinctive. To succeed in today’s market, businesses need to understand what visual, sound, or thematic elements make them recognizably different.
• Create a Consistent Narrative: Studies indicate that maintaining a consistent brand presentation across various platforms has the potential to boost revenues by as much as 23%. Develop a story or theme that aligns with your brand values and can be repeated across campaigns and various channels – longevity here is of key importance.
• Invoke Emotion:?Christmas is a season of emotions. Use your brand assets to create an intimate connection with your audience.
• Think Beyond the Advertisement:?Consider how your brand assets can extend into the overall customer experience, creating a holistic festive atmosphere.
• Adapt and Innovate:?While continuity is crucial, don’t shy away from adding new elements to keep your campaigns fresh and exciting.

Whether it’s the iconic red of Coca-Cola, the traditional tales of John Lewis, or the festive cups of Starbucks, successful Christmas campaigns are built on the foundation of recognizable and cherished brand elements.?

As you embark on your festive advertising journey, remember to unwrap the magic of your brand assets, and create an advertisement that becomes a cherished tradition for years to come. If you find it difficult to associate your brand elements with the holiday spirit, _and unicorns will be happy to make that Christmas wish come true.