Here at Skout HQ we’re getting in the Christmas spirit: the decorations are up, we’ve been out for a drink or two (or was it five?) and we’re getting through the mince pies at a rapid pace. However, you could say we’re a bit late to the Christmas party.
Way back on the first of November we saw the start of the Christmas TV adverts, with supermarkets Asda and Lidl kicking off procedures. These were closely followed by the highly anticipated annual treat from John Lewis with its heart-string tugging man on the moon offering and of course Sainsbury’s heart-warming tale of Mog the cat.
What was once a short, simple clip explaining the best offers the supermarket have at Christmas has now turned into a big budget, three minute mini movie. These Christmas adverts have taken on a life of their own thanks to the help of Facebook, Twitter and of course YouTube. TV is no longer the only place to watch an advert as now you can view and more importantly share your favourite anytime and anywhere. Over 22 million people have so far watched ‘How Mog saved Christmas’ and a 21 million have viewed the ‘Man on the Moon’ advert on YouTube.
As a B2B PR agency it’s interesting to see the role social media is now playing in ensuring these adverts are accessible and can be shared so that they reach as many people as possible. We all love a good Christmas advert and waiting to see what the leading supermarkets’ creative geniuses come up with year after year is becoming an annual ritual. From the classic Coca Cola ad to Burberry’s celebrity-packed extravaganza, we all have our favourite, which is yours?
Katherine Wilding is Skout’s newest recruit and a PR apprentice.
