2020 Christmas round-up
With the festive season in full swing, we thought what better time to showcase Christmas from the Tickety Boo View. We’ve donned our wooly jumpers and explored the wintery wonderland of retail. It truly has been a Christmas like no other, but brands used their voice to make a little Christmas magic for their customers. Here’s five notable themes from supermarkets in the UK, USA and AUS and a selection from the uk high street too.
NOSTALGIA & TRADITION
After a tumultuous year, a throwback to tradition was the approach adopted by many retailers. It featured red and gold graphics with familiar motifs. Target have gone all out to create extravagant POS this year. They’ve made excellent use of candy cane die cut hanging decorations to theme areas of the store. On television, Aldi have stuck to their family favourite mascot, Kevin the Carrot – a familiar character sure to raise more than a few smiles. Publix meanwhile take us to the home of a grandmother and granddaughter whose excitement for the holidays can only be assuaged with a spot of baking, a recipe she’ll one day pass on to her own child.
A VERY COVID CHRISTMAS
While some brands chose not to address the pandemic in their Christmas campaigns, many others faced it head on and made it a focus, especially when it came to television. Myer are asking their fans and followers to “Make this Year Bigger than Christmas”. Their ad encourages us all to make the season extra celebratory in lieu of the countless birthdays, graduations, weddings and more that we’ve missed out on. Amazon’s tv spot acknowledges the effect the pandemic has had on the arts industry, featuring a ballerina’s performance in the snow. Indeed, the show must go on, with the help of Amazon products of course. For our client, Winn Dixie, we created a campaign that acknowledged how families will have tradition with a little twist this year when it comes to celebrating the holidays together. The use of technology to make these moments happen was integrated into more familiar scenes from preparing food to gathering around a table.
HANDMADE & ILLUSTRATION
For an instant infusion of personality, many stores have selected a handmade look and feel. It’s a brilliant way to add a bespoke touch to assets both in-store and online. Trader Joe’s is an excellent example of this. Their handmade POS creates a homely and welcoming mood. Their Fearless Flyer holiday guide is a wonderful piece for customers to get organised. They’ve cleverly highlighted products featured in the guide in-store at shelf edge. Whole Foods have chosen a hand-written typeface which gives their creative a very bespoke feel for the holidays, the accompanying hand-drawn stickers add just the right amount of quirk and interest to create POS with standout appeal.
FANTASY
For the young (and young at heart) amongst us, there’s plenty of childhood whimsy to be found in this year’s offerings. Escapism is well and truly employed in aid of delivering a little Christmas joy and magic. Argos transports one family (and in turn, everyone at home) from the sofa to a fully lit theatre. Their Book of Dreams is an imaginative way of showcasing their myriad of products with just a little extra magic. From the plush velvet of a theatre seat to the front seat of a monster truck – Kmart’s tv ad shows one young lady dashing through the snow of candy cane lane delivering presents. It’s not long before we’re back in a cosy living room with the same truck (now a more manageable size for a preteen) being navigated by remote control.
COMMUNITY
The spirit of togetherness and banding together is embraced by many campaigns this year. Charitable initiatives play a key role in several brand’s Christmas offerings, reminding us all that giving is a big part of the festive season. Morrisons have created an easy way for their customers to give back to food banks and key works so they can make Christmas special for everyone. The Co-op have doubled the amount that goes to local causes and community organisations when members shop with them this Christmas. Their commercial conveys this message through song as two brothers perform as a way to lift some spirits outside their local store reminding viewers that “We can all do our bit for our community”.