Even though it’s not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year yet, in the marketing world, November is close enough (or, maybe, too close). So, in this article, we’re looking into some of the most successful Christmas ads through the years, and attempt to pinpoint what it was that made these campaigns so popular with the audience, memorable, and -of course- conversion-successful.
Who isn’t familiar with the distinctively red, festive holiday trucks of Coca-Cola? While there are many reasons we could list why Coca-Cola’s ads are always successful, one stands out above the rest: strong brand identity. This is a brand that doesn’t need hard-sell tactics. Coca-Cola knows how to connect its brand with the holiday spirit, weaving seasonal emotion and nostalgia into its own identity. And that’s how you make an iconic Christmas ad.
Image © The LEGO Group. Courtesy of the LEGO® Newsroom.
What do toys help us do? Among other things, set our imagination free. And few products can do it as well as Lego can. Which is exactly the point Lego does in their 2020 Christmas campaign.
Filled with fairytale-like scenes and funny family moments, Lego reminds us exactly what the brand does: helping our imagination run wild, through generations, no matter our age. This is visual storytelling at its finest, where the old and trusted adage ‘show, don’t tell’ is truly executed to perfection. And that’s why Lego’s campaign deserves a spot on this list: brand storytelling that appeals to its target audience without having to resign to hard sells - or even mention the brand name even once.
Airing through the COVID-19 pandemic, Tesco’s ‘Nothing’s Stopping Us’ expresses the will to keep the holiday spirit alive even through dark or challenging times.
Tesco’s 2021 ad campaign is a tough one to surpass. Created in collaboration with the BBH agency, Tesco’s ad campaign tapped into current events that resonate with all its audience, the brand managed to connect with its customers in a way very few ad campaigns do. The brand managed to touch on a sensitive worldwide matter and find the good in it - resonating with the spirit of the holidays in the best way possible.
And then came the numbers to back up the success: according to BBH, Christmas sales for Tesco increased by 2.7%, and Net Social Sentiment was 23 points higher than the previous year.
Image © Heathrow Airport Limited. Courtesy of the Heathrow Media Centre.
Connection, travel, and homecoming combined with their own memorable (and quite adorable) mascots: this was Heathrow Airport’s recipe for advertising success. Doris and Edward, the two lovely protagonists, go through short and sweet adventures, all centered around traveling, reuniting with loved ones, and going home. And their common denominator? Heathrow Airport.
When it comes to emotional resonance, Heathrow’s Christmas campaigns always manage to hit the spot. No hard selling required: the brand just reminds us that airports are a place of connection and reuniting with your loved ones. Emotional storytelling during the most wonderful (and emotional) time of the year has proved to be a recipe for success. And Heathrow Airport knows how to weave it into a heartwarming campaign.