The Xmas campaigns by the UK's major retail stores have this year raised complaints - not as usual, regarding the mawkish nature of their message or the blatant exploitation of the 'pester power' of children encouraged to harass ever-suffering parents - but for their increasing crassness in the appropriation of the Christmas message.
At the end of it all, we must remind ourselves [as students of the media] that the basic intention of these adverts is to increase the footfall [and sales and profitability] in their stores and to secure their brand image with audiences. In this respect, John Lewis have become the market leader in creating campaigns that have, over the past five years, become nothing less than a media event. For some, Xmas begins with the first sighting of the John Lewis advert.
At the end of it all, we must remind ourselves [as students of the media] that the basic intention of these adverts is to increase the footfall [and sales and profitability] in their stores and to secure their brand image with audiences. In this respect, John Lewis have become the market leader in creating campaigns that have, over the past five years, become nothing less than a media event. For some, Xmas begins with the first sighting of the John Lewis advert.
There may be nothing new in this - we are aware that the conventional image of Santa owes as much to the American painter Haddon Sundblom who created a series of striking poster art images for Coca-cola during the 1930s that have come to define our image of Santa.
Follow the link below to a brief youtube biography of the artist
Haddon Sundblom
This year [November 2014], with less than seven weeks to go to the big day, most of the UK’s consumer giants have already launched Xmas advertising campaigns that will dominate commercial TV slots with elaborate feel-good adverts. More than ever, each company has utilised the ubiquitous power of social media to produce 'making of' spots and other spin-off videos that litter their YouTube channels. There is also no doubt that each advert has the wider intention of 'going viral', seeking wider attention for their cleverness, their feel-good factor or their 'you must see this' factor.
Marks & Spencer dropped their previous formula of using celebrities, opting for replacing them with a pair of magic fairies. The Waitrose advert [part of the John Lewis Partnership Group] features a shy girl baking gingerbread whilst Boots focuses on a more everyday idea of an exhausted nurse coming home after finishing her Christmas shift.
The John Lewis advert enters the world of a young child's fantasy world and his first true understanding of the Xmas spirit - a popular take for them based on previous ideas of snowmen and toys and fairy tale woodland animals. The Sainsbury's advert, for its part, has evoked a mixed reaction.
The Sainsbury's tribute advert to the sacrifices of soldiers in WW1 follows in the wake of the exhibition of thousands of ceramic poppies in the moat of the Tower of London to commemorate 100 years since the start of the Great War, an installation which has drawn millions of visitors.
The Royal British Legion, said: 'One hundred years on from the 1914 Christmas truce, the campaign remembers the fallen, while helping to raise vital funds to support the future of living.'
The Head of Brand Communications at Sainsbury's, said: 'This year, we wanted to reflect that theme of sharing in our Christmas campaign through the lens of one of the most extraordinary moments of sharing in modern history. “The Christmas truce is an especially poignant story from the First World War that has been recreated on a number of occasions and we know it resonates with many of our customers and colleagues. We’ve partnered with The Royal British Legion to ensure we tell this story with authenticity and respect and we hope it will help keep alive the memory of the fallen that made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their country.'
Below, we take a look at a number of the higher profile adverts [Waitrose; Debenhams; Boots; John Lewis; Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury's]
Each in some way attempts to build on the success John Lewis have had in creating a media presence that has it producing adverts that go beyond the simple objective of the AIDS models. Each attempts to secure a share of the Xmas spirit for their brand - Xmas is for sharing [Sainsbury's]; add a sparkle [M&S] ; let's feel good [Boots] ; for your fabulous Xmas [Debenhams]; we care more [Waitrose]; give someone the Xmas they've been dreaming of [John Lewis]
As a media student we need to consider how this media event [think Super-Bowl adverts in the USA; Call of Duty release day in the UK and globally] has come to represent the ways in which marketing media can exploit social media and traditional media to generate a 'buzz' around something so prosaic as an advert. In the words of Bob Geldolf: Do they know it's Christmas?
Each in some way attempts to build on the success John Lewis have had in creating a media presence that has it producing adverts that go beyond the simple objective of the AIDS models. Each attempts to secure a share of the Xmas spirit for their brand - Xmas is for sharing [Sainsbury's]; add a sparkle [M&S] ; let's feel good [Boots] ; for your fabulous Xmas [Debenhams]; we care more [Waitrose]; give someone the Xmas they've been dreaming of [John Lewis]
As a media student we need to consider how this media event [think Super-Bowl adverts in the USA; Call of Duty release day in the UK and globally] has come to represent the ways in which marketing media can exploit social media and traditional media to generate a 'buzz' around something so prosaic as an advert. In the words of Bob Geldolf: Do they know it's Christmas?
[2] How is this assigned to each retailer - how do they attempt to anchor the brand to the idea, the message about the brand.
[3] Which is the most successful - why?
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