Many retailers moved away from the big brand campaigns in favour of product-focused ads this Christmas but as retailers reveal their festive performance there are signs this may not always have been the right strategy to take.
Both John Lewis and Waitrose increased sales in the run-up to Christmas, however they say it is too early to tell what impact the festive campaigns had on both brands.
Tesco saw UK sales rise 2.2% in the Christmas period, its best festive results in nearly a decade, as its “more connected” marketing campaigns helped boost quality and value perceptions and its NPS.
Despite a decline in sales across food and clothing & home, M&S’s decision to ditch the blockbuster and take a more commercial approach to Christmas helped achieve record sales in advertised lines.
Like-for-like sales at Sainsbury’s and Argos were down 1.1% in the third quarter as a decision to offer less promotions around Black Friday, as well as “cautious” consumer spending, hit results.
From a boy dressed as a plug and an Elton John blockbuster, to a mischievous Christmas elf and an ad banned from television for being ‘too political’, we reveal YouTube’s most watched Christmas ads of 2018.
While the Mike Ashley-owned department store may think it has saved on a big budget Christmas campaign, such short-term thinking is no way to rescue this 169-year-old retail institution.
The eight 10-second ads will each feature a different brand with a different Elton John song that relates to the product.
The Co-op has once again delayed launching its Christmas marketing campaign until December as it focuses on its community work amid signs consumers are tiring of festive hyperbole.
We asked. You answered. Sainsbury’s festive school play was voted the best Christmas campaign by a retailer this year by Marketing Week readers with more than a fifth of the vote.
With Christmas ad season well and truly under way, the Marketing Week team picks their Christmas crackers and turkeys among this year’s feast.
This year’s Christmas ads, which have been described as “disappointingly anonymous” and like “unimaginative shop windows”, reflect the challenging retail landscape and sombre mood of the nation.
Black Friday may seem like a big event in the UK retail calendar but it cannot compete with the sheer scale of Alibaba’s Singles’ Day, which racked up more than £24bn in sales this year and is rapidly becoming a key strategic plank of brands’ plans.
Is this the worst Christmas ad season on record? Data reveals that less than half the number of ads compared with last year have scored three stars or more – with John Lewis just scraping into the top 10.
Tongue-in-cheek spot from Waitrose shows a family fast-forwarding through the new John Lewis ad because they simply can’t wait to eat some festive Waitrose fare.
McDonald’s is bringing back its ‘Reindeer Ready’ campaign for the second year as it looks to remind customers of its role during the festive period.
Now all the retailers’ Christmas campaigns have been revealed, it’s time to vote for your favourite. Click on the relevant links below the poll if you need a recap.
John Lewis made the decision to “turn left” for this year’s Christmas campaign, according to its customer boss Craig Inglis. But do marketers think that shift in creative has worked, both in terms of engagement and driving sales?
Elton John has replaced the likes of Moz the Monster and Buster the Boxer this year after John Lewis pushed its long-standing creative agency adam&eveDDB to try something new.
The 140-second ad, which tells the story of Elton John’s life after he received a piano for Christmas, marks a change in creative direction for the retailer although keeps its festive positioning focused on thoughtful giving.
A deliberate ploy to gain publicity or a genuine attempt to raise awareness: whatever the motivation, Iceland’s tie-up with Greenpeace this Christmas shows why taking an ethical stance can change the game.
From dancing turkeys and baubles, to fairy lights and a plug, Sainsbury’s is hoping its theatrical festive ad will inspire the nation to ‘give all we’ve got for the ones we love’.
KFC is using the festive period to remind people that while turkeys are for Christmas, chickens are for the other 364 days of the year.
The grocer has opted for humour this Christmas and in-keeping with its ‘Too Good To Wait’ theme will fast-forward the rest of the ads on ITV ahead of its launch.
The campaign is a deviation from the usual food-centric adverts we are used to seeing from Marks & Spencer, with social media playing an increasingly important role as it looks to attract a younger audience and combat falling sales.
Marks & Spencer says the world has moved on from the classic blockbuster ad as it looks to target busy families on-the-go with an “unashamedly commercial” campaign.