MANDY SHARP: CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGNS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE WITH PR WEEK
You know the countdown to Christmas has started when the seasonal TV ads begin hitting our screens. PR Week have brought together an expert industry panel, including our founder Mandy Sharp, to share their thoughts on this year’s festive flops and fizzes - from M&S Food and Marks & Spencer to ALDI and ASDA. We’ve always said Tin Man is a straight talking agency 😉 and here are Mandy’s full reviews.
Morrisons
“Well I for one would love to run-away to another Galaxy with Dua Lipa at the moment. And I suspect most of the country would happily join me. The opening scene of a van driver switching over the depressing 2020 radio news in favour of the happy Dua Lipa track will resonate with us all. This human insight creates an immediate emotional connection, because let’s be honest, 2020 can do one now. Morrisons have created a simple yet smart ad here. Whilst they’ve strategically included a couple of key shots - nod to food banks, check; nod to NHS workers, check; nod to TikTok dance du jour, check; the ad still feels real and doesn't try too hard. No shots of tables laden with plastic-looking food, no overt schmaltz -just a trolley full of diverse and nice-looking people having fun and celebrating Christmas together – which even for a cynical Christmas scrooge PR like me, is surprisingly nice to watch. “
Coke
“Production and direction wise this ad does everything you’d expect from the traditional epic-style Coke ads we have become used to. Cinematic-style filming with block-buster action and a sprinkling of Christmas magic at the end when Dad reads the letter and Santa winks knowingly. It’s cute and does the job but it always jars with me when brands feel the need to slap their product into a shot that feels really unnatural. What sane man would take a glass bottle of coke in a metal lunch box to go and work on a Wind Turbine plant in the middle of the ocean. Maybe it’s the mum in me but this looks like disaster waiting to happen. However, returning to the magic of Christmas where these practicalities don’t matter, I quite like the ad. Yes, it’s a bit schmaltzy and a bit OTT but it’s classic Coke and there is a nice familiarity that comes with that. Essentially, it leaves you with that fuzzy festive glow we all look for from a Christmas ad.”
Asda
“I know that this year’s festivities will be different but wow, this feels a million miles away from last year’s high production and magical Christmassy medley from Asda. On one hand I like the fact it’s stripped back and raw as it feels tonally appropriate for now and for a brand like Asda there is a danger of anything too OTT feeling tasteless in the current environment. However, that said, this ad feels a bit cringey, the acting is stilted and the whole vibe is reminiscent of the old ‘real people’ Halifax ads of 2001. I was hoping for more. Surely, the pocket-tapping teams at Asda could have still brought some magic to our screens on a Covid-friendly budget. Asda, where is the sparkle and fairy dust? Think we need it more this year than ever.”
Marks & Spencer
“Well, one way or another this ad ain’t gonna get me running into M&S to buy PJs or knitwear for Christmas. The media buying strategy of social and radio makes sense and, of course, Holly always ticks the box for mega-reach as the nation’s sweetheart; but what ‘It’s on’ has to do with tartan pyjamas is beyond me. However, the weirdest part is the random parents snogging. Everyone knows that’s never funny. The saving grace and star of this ad is actually Blondie. The track is a definite earworm, but I fear the visual will be easily forgotten.”
M&S Food
“Whilst the non-food ads are very 'meh', the food ad is a visual and sonic smorgasbord of festive flavours. It made my mouth water and filled me (and my stomach) with Christmas cheer. Whether it’s the soothing and dulcet tones of Queen Olivia Colman gliding over the chocolate panettone or the fact I was starving when watching it, the filming, production, VO and ‘not just food' thing really works for M&S. I would have quite happily woofed down everything shown on screen in a second. (In fact, I’ve already sampled quite a bit of that Snow Globe Gin Liqueur over the past week, and can confirm it tastes as dreamy as it looks). The impressive charity donations balance the glitzy names and makes the yummy food seem all the more palatable. I like these ads – they’re simple, well-produced and do exactly what they say on the M&S packet. And let’s be honest, Christmas 2020 is going to be all about staying home and stuffing our faces, so making M&S food the hero is a sure-fire winner.”
Aldi
“Bit controversial, but while I’m a big fan of Aldi and its year-round comms, I’ve never been a fan of the animated Christmas carrot. I don’t care enough about carrots for them to star in a TV ad and, while I know the premise is to celebrate the hidden humble heroes of the Christmas dinner, Kevin doesn’t do it for me. The slightly phallic looking Kev lacks personality and shows zero heroic qualities (am I even saying this about a cartoon carrot?!) This ad is a like a weird Stickman and ET mash-up. The ‘trying to get home in time for Christmas’ storyline feels overdone, the script a bit too twee and the very red-faced Jim Broadbent as Santa seems bizarrely insincere.
Also, why is there such an obscene amount of food on the table? What group of COVID-friendly six could ever eat that much? The best bit is the Top Gun-inspired teaser that sets up the main ad and explains why a burning Kevin is seen falling through the sky in the opening sequence. Unfortunately, if you’ve missed this precursor, the full ad is a bit of a nonsensical, naff cartoon that my eight-year-old would enjoy. I think it's time for Kevin the Carrot to retire into a nice saucepan of salted, boiling water.”