Campaign

Journal

Every holiday season, countless businesses mobilize to cash in on the spending frenzy, with holiday marketing and promotional campaigns. And some brands create lovely and heart-warming video ads that catch our attention because they tend to remind us of something. Our criteria for this collection is purely based on creative storytelling, because they delighted, inspired and touched us. Congratulations to all the agencies and brands listed here, for showcasing brilliant advertising in the 2016 festival season.

Buster The Boxer – John Lewis

The ad features Buster the dog, a family, and the neighbourhood’s wildlife. A virtual reality version of the advert was recreated in the upmarket department store’s flagship Oxford Street store. John Lewis also sold plush toy versions of the featured animals, woodland animal-themed children’s books, pyjamas and trampoline. The retailer has said that 10% of all toy sales will be given to the country’s Wildlife Trusts charities.

Client: John Lewis  |  Agency: adam&eveDDB

Frankie’s Holiday – Apple

The ad shows Frankenstein, long confined to his secluded mountain cabin, extending a festive olive branch to the neighbouring villagers in the form of a classic holiday tune. It serves as a reminder that holidays aren’t just for friends and family; they’re about opening our hearts to everyone. This ad limits product placement to a single iPhone 7 with Voice Memos being used to record a small music box.

Client: Apple | Agency: TBWA

A Coke for Christmas – Coca-Cola

This commercial was released in Spain and is part of the soft drinks giant’s biggest Christmas campaign in five years, which included the Coca-Cola truck touring the UK. The spot features a young boy spreading festive cheer by giving Coke bottles to the likes of his dad, mum and a hard-working shop assistant.

Client: Coca-Cola  |  Agency: Sra. Rushmore, Madrid

Adik – Malaysia Airlines

The national carrier wanted to send a heartfelt message to Malaysians preparing to visit their villages for the Eid festivities – ‘Love knows no boundaries’. This commercial with the hashtag #BolehAdikIkut shows Adik – the family cat, initially unable to go to the family’s hometown despite much persuasion from the daughter. At first, audiences would think Adik refers to her little brother, which keeps us guessing why she continues requesting her parents. In the end, the airline makes it possible to reunite the little owner with her pet cat.

Client: Malaysia Airlines   |  Agency: M&C Saatchi

Ginger Deer – Lowe’s

The ad features a gingerbread man with antlers that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the cookies. He tries hard to find his own way, eventually showing the rest of the cookies that his uniqueness is what makes him special, and is welcomed by fellow gingerbread characters.

Client: Lowe’s  |  Agency: BBDO New York

Be Present – Huawei

This commercial was released in Israel, and shows a family suffering from a serious lack of communication and personal contact, busy working on their electronic devices – a real problem in today’s fast-paced world. Encouraging families and friends around the world to put down their tablets, laptops and phones this Christmas, the advert finishes with the message – ‘We know that it’s easy to get carried away by our great smartphones, but once a year put them aside and Be Present. Make the special moment possible.’

Client: Huawei  Agency: LH-TBWA, Yehud

Client: Lowe’s  |  Agency: BBDO New York

English for Beginners – Allegro

This commercial by Polish online auction website Allegro, about an elderly man’s determination to learn English, is both funny and moving. We’re not sure what his objective is, until when he travels to England to meet his granddaughter for the first time. The families of nearly 1 million Polish people, who migrate to the United Kingdom in search of a job, share the same experience of overcoming obstacles to reunite with their loved ones living far away.

Client: Allegro  |  Agency: Bardzo, Warsaw

Home For Christmas – Waitrose

This commercial by the British supermarket chain focuses on the extraordinary annual winter migration of a Scandinavian robin, as it battles against weather conditions, high seas, hawks and exhaustion, to reach its preferred British garden to find food, warmer climes and a breeding partner. The idea is that the robin acts as a metaphor for the journeys we all make to be with our families and friends at Christmas; the efforts we take in getting home to connect with loved ones, the joy of welcoming guests and enjoying the best food and drink.

Client: Waitrose | Agency: adam&eveDDB

Holiday – Audi

This commercial promotes the ‘Season of Audi Sales Event’, which occurs every holiday season, when the car maker will pay the first month’s lease payment on select new Audi models.

Client: Audi | Agency: MediaCom

Together – Vodafone

The ad shows a mother and her children waiting on Christmas eve for their firefighter father to come home after work, for the traditional Christmas family dinner. But he informs them that he’s caught up on duty. So the family takes the Xmas décor and dinner to the fire station, where the family is united. They set up the décor and have the Christmas dinner along with his colleagues.

Client: Vodafone | Agency: Grey London