Argos looks to provide ‘breath of festive fresh air’ with upbeat Christmas campaign

The campaign, created by CHI & Partners, focuses around the creative idea of ‘Just can’t wait’. Argos marketing director Stephen Vowles says the campaign acts as a way both of capturing consumer emotion around Christmas and positioning its service options.

The ad, which breaks on TV tonight (6 November), features snowboaders and skiers flying down the mountainside surrounded by snowmobiles and snowbuggies piled high with gifts including headphones, TVs and toys.

It will also promote both its fast track delivery service and fast track collection – two areas that Argos think will give it a competitive advantage over the festive season.

“This is a great idea because it resonates with consumers and gives us a platform to launch the fast track delivery and collection pieces. When we relaunched the Argos brand we said we wanted to be distinct from other retail brands and their ads too. This is more about excitement and heartbeats,” Vowles explained to Marketing Week.

Vowles would not be drawn on budget but said the campaign was part of the £10m Argos has put aside to promote its new delivery services.

Beyond TV, the campaign will be promoted across digital more heavily than before with a strong display, video-on-demand and online presence. This will be supported by press ads and fliers.

Vowles believes pushing the service and convenience of shopping with Argos is the right message for customers wanting the reassurance that the gifts they want to buy are available.

“We believe we are leaping to where customers want to be. They want to have an inspiring browsing experience and for many customers that happens in their own homes rather than truding around the high street. We deliver that through our ecommerce site and mobile apps, our gift finder app and kids wishlist and our catalogues.

“They also want to know they can get the products now. We are completing that circle with same day delivery and fast track collections.

“This is about inspiring browsing and fulfilment as quick as it can be.”

Stephen Vowles, marketing director, Argos

It is a year since Argos revamped its brand to transform it from the paper catalogues and pens to a digital business. Vowles says that is having an impact, with the brand seeing improvements in a range of metrics including ‘Is Argos changing for the better’ and ‘Argos has brands and products I would expect’.

It is also seeing more visits from the third of households that shop with Argos less frequently and tempting in the third that didn’t shop with Argos before.

“We always had a broad audience – two-thirds of UK households shop with us but we want to get that other third and convince some of those that shopped less frequently to visit more – to improve our brand appeal among them,” he said.