MARKETING


Image courtesy of John Lewis


“I think people still have an idea that Christmas is a time where families are together around the TV watching films and programmes, and therefore adverts,” he says.


“While we will definitely see social media Christmas campaigns, it’s still the big TV ads, like those made by John Lewis, that are attracting the most attention.”


Measuring success


Smith says that for many businesses the true test of success of a Christmas campaign is the sales it generates, and the brands producing big event advertising will look to media attention and the social media reaction: “It’s about driving brand awareness,” he says.


He describes creating the concept for a Christmas ad as a delicate balancing act. “It is a dangerous game: on the one hand brands are trying to find something that has mass appeal, and ties in with the tradition of Christmas, but on the other hand, they need something which is eye- catching enough to stand out and is innovative in some way,” he says.


Retailers want to communicate their brand values by the choices they make in the style of the Christmas campaigns they create, though it’s important that the message doesn’t get lost where the fundamental goal of the ad is to encourage shoppers through their doors.


It can be a difficult balance to strike—one family’s traditions could offend another’s idea of Christmas.


In 2012, UK supermarket chain Asda’s Christmas ad offering depicted a mother frantically


www.worldipreview.com


“WHILE MARKS & SPENCER’S CAMPAIGN SPARKLES, IT TAKES CARE NOT TO FEATURE PRICE TAGS AND INCORPORATES ITS PRODUCTS INTO THE STORY IT TELLS.”


making all the preparations for Christmas Day, from selecting a tree to presenting the turkey, running it with the strapline: “behind every great Christmas there’s mum and behind mum there’s Asda”.


Advertising watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received more than 600 complaints about the clip. Many complaints accused it of reinforcing gender stereotypes, being sexist toward both men and women, and for suggesting fathers have no role in Christmas.


UK retailer Littlewoods’ 2011 campaign featured children singing in a nativity-style set about all the presents they received from their mothers, thanks to the online retailer’s service that allows customers to spread the cost of their Christmas shopping over a number of weeks.


Users of Internet forum Mumsnet said the ad “took away the magic of Christmas” by fuelling consumerism and causing children to question the existence of Father Christmas.


Te ASA responded: “We acknowledge that the ad may make children likely to ask questions but this does not represent a breach of our code.”


Smith says that “advertising should not mislead,” and should be “legal, decent, honest and truthful in compliance with self-regulatory advertising standards codes.”


Comfort marketing


While economic times are still tough, the consumerism that is part and parcel of many people’s idea of Christmas will inevitably jar with some viewers.


In makes sense that nostalgia-laden advertisements should coincide with the difficult economy, in a trend the New York Times dubbed “comfort marketing”.


“When you look at the John Lewis ad, it’s a very long way from a montage of products with prices attached. It’s more about building and maintaining the John Lewis brand,” Smith says.


Stansfield observes that this style of adverts tends not to be ‘product-based’—while Marks & Spencer’s campaign sparkles, it takes care not to feature price tags and incorporates its products into the story it tells, a reimagining of Alice in Wonderland.


Te most successful campaigns appear to be telling a story—opting for a ‘traditional’ theme can be awkward as family traditions can vary as much as recipes for Christmas pudding. Storytelling is a universal theme that ties in seamlessly with Christmas, whether it’s one that’s been told for years or had its first airing during Te X Factor. ■


Trademarks Brands and the Internet Volume 2, Issue 4 19


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