Our favourite Christmas marketing campaigns from throughout the years
Once bonfire night is over, Christmas advertising emerges in full force. Brands begin releasing their Christmas marketing campaigns, with adverts, social media content, events, and more for consumers to enjoy. Of course, a lot of this is to promote their products or services, but regardless of the underlying motives, you can’t help but feel uplifted by the campaigns.
We’ve gone through the archives and have compiled a list of our favourite festive campaigns from both past and present.
JOHN LEWIS
The release of the John Lewis Christmas advert always feels like the start of the festive period here in the UK, and after 15 years, it’s something that a huge number of people look forward to – their 2021 advert saw no exception. The adverts have a real feel-good factor about them, and they’re incredibly memorable throughout the years.
Unlike most adverts which undeniably promote a brand’s products or services, the John Lewis Christmas adverts instead promote their values during the festive period. They convey a sense of inclusivity, with friends, families, and strangers all coming together. Instead of adding to the commodities that are everywhere at Christmas-time, they contribute to the spirit of the season instead.
DUREX
Durex has never been a brand to shy away from public view – they unashamedly stand up for what they do, and their marketing is no different. In keeping with the playful personality that all their posts on social media have, their Christmas-themed posts stand out from the crowd.
Using clever word-play and by photoshopping their safe sex products into images of Christmas trees, the brand has flipped traditional Christmas marketing on its head. This year, they’ve gone one step further and bought into the trend of advent calendars designed for adults, with their calendar containing an array of Durex products.
Whatever you think of Durex as a brand, you can’t deny their originality and creativity.
IRN BRU
Most Scots are familiar with the iconic Irn Bru advert that resurfaces year after year, but for those south of the border, it may be a little less well-known. In the advert, the iconic Snowman figure comes to life and takes his human companion on a flying tour of Scotland’s great sights, all whilst the boy sips on Scotland’s national soft drink – Irn Bru. It’s got it all: Christmas cheer, humour, and a feel-good factor.
The advert clearly promotes the product, Irn Bru, but it does so without it being the focus of your attention. It’s a hugely memorable advert – in fact, it was recently named as Scotland’s favourite Christmas advert – and it’s an integral part of Scotland’s culture at Christmas.
HEINEKEN
In 2011, Heineken erected their own Christmas tree with a twist. They wanted to emphasise the importance of connecting with loved ones at Christmas-time, and created a social Christmas tree in order to serve this goal.
The tree, made from an 11-metre-tall metal structure and covered with 48 interconnected LCD screens, displayed messages and greetings from the public. They created a tree that was powered by friendship, one that filled everyone that stood before it with joy. After the last (nearly) two years of restrictions and turmoil that the world has endured, this message is still so relevant ten years later.
COCA-COLA
Coca-Cola is one of the most famous, and most loved soft drinks in the UK (perhaps, even the world), so it’s no surprise that their annual Christmas truck tour is a hit. Just as with the John Lewis advert, when the Coca-Cola Holidays are Coming advert comes on our TV, we know that the countdown to Christmas has begun.
The truck makes stops across a huge number of UK cities, sharing the joy of a cold can of Coke at every location. This campaign is two-fold – there’s the TV advert, as well as the in-person event to enjoy – and it’s even more impactful as a result. Whether you’re a die-hard Coke fan, or if you prefer their rival Pepsi, it’s hard not to smile when you see the big red truck rolling through your city.
The common thread throughout all of these campaigns is that they stand for more than just consumerism, and it’s why we love them. Sure, presents are nice, but they’re not what’s really important. These campaigns all represent joy, inclusivity, and connectivity, which are all things that we should be pushing for over this festive period.
If you’re looking for help with creating your own Christmas marketing campaign, we’d love to hear from you! Follow this link to start a conversation today.
