Boots appoints BBC Broadcast for Christmas interactive TV campaign

Boots is to sell Christmas gifts through its first interactive television advertising campaign, to break later this year. The move is one of a number of interactive options being considered for the Christmas campaign.

Boots’ advertising agency, Mother, is creating the main TV campaign, while the interactive element is being developed by BBC Broadcast. The latter was hired by Boots media agency MediaCom after a five-way pitch.

BBC Broadcast senior account director Jonathan Wilson says: “We are looking forward to demonstrating the role interactive TV ads can play in both building a brand and selling products through highly engaging and entertaining content. We will be working with Mother right from the start of the creative and planning process, enabling us to develop a fully integrated campaign.”

Boots already has a fully transactional website selling a wide range of the products available in its shops.

Last year, the retailer’s Christmas advertising campaign, also created by Mother, featured comedian Harry Hill as Dr Christmas. It is understood that this year’s campaign will not use celebrities.

Boots recently unveiled new branding advertising, which has been designed to support its position as a health and beauty specialist, and uses the line Trust Boots (MW July 7). It reported a 0.8 per cent fall in like-for-like sales at its UK retail chain for the first quarter and is still in talks to sell off Boots Healthcare International.