NEWS SPECIAL REPORT Turn-of-year TV ad campaigns


It’s that time of year when companies from across the sector try to grab the attention of consumers suffering the January blues. Marketing expert Steve Dunne reviews eight of the biggest campaigns


Inspiring Travel Company Disneyland Paris


INSPIRING TRAVEL COMPANY: In many ways, ITC’s ad is a classic turn-of-year campaign. Narrated by both a male and female voice outlining their ideal holiday – from fly-and-flop to luxury escape – with striking visuals of beaches, city skylines and safaris, it seems to tick every box on the holiday wishlist. It certainly plants the seed of thinking about booking a holiday in a consumer’s mind. But the call to action isn’t strong enough. Apart from the sign-off at the end, ITC has minimal presence. In an arena where a consumer is presented with thousands of messages every day, the risk is that while the seed of the idea of a holiday is planted, it may not be the ITC brand that gets purchased.


3/5 Kuoni


‘THE LITTLE DUCK’: If any brand can be expected to make great TV ads then Disney, with its family appeal, storytelling skills and cinematic pedigree must be the one. And for best pull on the heart strings, best uplifting storyline and, in a house full of children, the advertisement most likely to get the big reaction, then Disneyland Paris’s ‘The Little Duck’ offering must take the prize. From the storyline to the visuals and from the music bed to the call to action, the advert – about a duckling finding an old Disney comic featuring Donald Duck, whom the duckling eventually meets – is faultless. It’s a great ad that even the most flint-hearted adult will find difficult to not be moved by.


5/5 Icelolly


‘TRAVEL WORTH TALKING ABOUT’: The regular TV advertiser took a break last year but is back big time for this season with a couple of new ads. Set against an uplifting music bed of Happy Talk from the film South Pacific, striking visuals of exotic scenes merge into African safaris, then blend seamlessly into a high street Kuoni shop, as the line “you have to have a dream” is sung against the backdrop of a travel consultant talking to excited customers. In classic textbook marketing, the viewer is left with a strong call to action. Kuoni’s offering is the high-water mark of this season’s turn-of-year campaigns. It is arguably the best travel TV advert for several years.


5/5 16travelweekly.co.uk3 January 2019


‘DO IT FOR THE STORIES’: Icelolly’s campaign focuses on how stories help relive great memories, and holidays create great stories. In a superb strategic move, the 30-second ad first aired on Boxing Day during the James Bond film Quantum of Solace. The Icelolly logo is on screen throughout – a smart move for a brand relatively new to the marketplace. Another nice touch is the indication of the price of different experiences, with the opening commentary stating “whatever your budget” providing a talking point for viewers. While the visual storyboard is typical of many travel brands’ advertising, the narrative may well resonate with consumers and be a powerful call to action.


3/5


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