From strategy, to action, to impact, we unleash the power of your people to drive…
Haven’t managed to catch up with all the big retail Christmas adverts yet?
They’re a brilliant way of engaging customers each year and conveying messages with high creativity. Lucy from the Synergy team has given her thoughts on which ads have been spreading that Christmas cheer this year and the ones that might leave you shivering in the cold…
Tesco
Tesco have gone with a feel-good family factor with their ‘Delivering Christmas’ campaign. The Back to the Future reference ties everything together as a delivery driver travels through time dropping off people’s festive food. This one appeals to everyone, with references spanning several decades.
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment value – 8/10
Marketing success score – 5/10
John Lewis Waitrose collaboration
Another strong attempt from John Lewis and Waitrose, with a narrative that brings both brands together to highlight their partnership.
A focus on brilliant originality and it appeals to the younger audience too – no doubt sales of Edgar the dragon are booming right now!
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment value – 9/10
Marketing success score – 5/10
Sainsbury’s
Cinematic storytelling from Sainsbury’s this year with the story of Nicholas the Sweep, a young chimney sweep who goes on to become Father Christmas.
Great production and entertainment in this one, but perhaps slightly lacking in a strong brand call-to-action, with little reference to why you should shop at Sainsbury’s this festive season.
Entertainment value – 9/10
Market success – 4/10
Asda
A nice try from Asda this year, but not much by way of product or brand reference. They’ve gone with a sweet narrative but the delivery falls a little short this time.
They seem to be trying quite hard to do a lot of different things but maybe left the audience a bit lost.
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment value – 6/10
Marketing success – 3/10
Aldi
Immediately recognisable, Aldi has brought back everyone’s favourite character Kevin the Carrot for another Christmas ad. Not taking themselves too seriously works well and The Greatest Showman reference will inevitably add to the family appeal.
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment value – 8/10
Marketing success – 7/10
Lidl
A no-frills approach from Lidl this year, with a big product and brand message. A little obvious at times but a family feel leaves us with a bit of Christmas spirit and a need to get to Lidl quickly before they sell out!
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment – 4
Marketing success – 8
M&S Food
Product-focused, the quality and luxury of M&S Food are communicated well through this attempt. Celebrity endorsement helps to draw people in and attractive visuals leave our mouths watering!
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment – 5
Marketing success – 9
Morrisons
Morrisons have gone hard on the Christmas dinner with all the trimmings in their festive advert. Good, clear production; this one is straight forward with a ‘does what it says on the tin’ approach. Loving the lively music too!
Lucy’s verdict:
Entertainment – 6
Marketing success – 8
And there we have it, a run-down of this year’s best and worst Christmas ads from the brands we all know and love. We’re wishing everyone a big Merry Christmas from Synergy and hope you have a great festive period. If you want to engage your people creatively in the new year, get in touch.
