Our Favourite Christmas Ads So Far 2015

So much work goes into creating TV adverts, but it starts with research. The very best advertising agencies and retailers listen to their customers and create adverts which strike chords with them. And that's why they work. The Christmas adverts this year show so much thought, and we've listed below some of our favourites (in no particular order):

Sainsbury's:

Sainsbury's ad 'Mog's Christmas Calamity' features Mog the cat, the charming character from the popular children's book series by author Judith Kerr.

The ad was created by the advertising agency AMV BBDO, and has been adapted from a book written by Kerr, especially for the ad.

The ad is all about giving this Christmas, described by Sainsbury's as a "charming tale" with a sequence humorous events throughout the clip.

John Lewis:

The emotional John Lewis ad is enough to bring a tear or two to our eyes. The ad features a man on the moon and a young girl who spots him through her telescope. 

The message the ad sends is clear; to let your loved ones know you're thinking of them during the festive season, as the young girl tries and succeeds to send a gift to the man on the moon.

M&S:

Marks and Spencer are avoiding the clash with John Lewis by being a little alternative this year, and not jumping on the long-Christmas-Ad bandwagon. Instead, they are releasing two main ads - with 'The Art of Christmas' focusing on fashion and 'Adventures in Christmas' focusing on their food range.

These will run on TV once members of the Sparks loyalty programme get their first viewing, and will also be broken down into seven shorter ads for their other digital channels.

Debenhams:

Debenhams have cleverly continued last year's theme but made it more emotional, promoting gift-giving this Christmas.

The campaign features people opening a gift on Christmas day and uses voiceovers by gift-givers Dawn French, Sarah Millican, Jamelia and James Nesbitt.

Harvey Nichols

Harvey Nichols' taps into the emotion of receiving an unwanted gift, something everyone in the world experiences at some point. 

The clever ad explains how to avoid the pretence. Created by Adam & Eve/DDB, the ad features a young woman attempting to force an expression of happiness as she opens gifts from her family. The ad concludes with the tagline "Avoid #GiftFace. Give Harvey Nichols."

Mulberry

The British handbag brand have released a humorous online ad, created by Adam & Eve/DDB. The ad is a spin on the nativity story, showing a man gifting his girlfriend with a new Mulberry Bayswater bag. Just as the young girl begins to release her excitement, a host of visitors join the scene to share in the 'Christmas Miracle'. Mulberry have also revealed a competition where you can win the same Bayswater featured in the ad.

Our Initiative for Quality & Standards

It has come to our attention that the incidence of fraudulent and deceptive respondents is on the rise within the market research industry as a whole. This was featured as the topic of a MRS event early this year. In response to our clients’ requests and concerns, we have decided to address this worrying trend. Consequently, we are now holding copies of respondents’ photo ID (i.e. passports and driving licences) on our quality database.

We are aware of the damage a fraudulent or deceptive respondent can inflict on client relations. This could also impact the authenticity of the data you collect. Our initiative seeks to mitigate this risk. To find out more regarding how you and your clients can benefit from this initiative, please feel free to get in touch.

Why Market Research is Important to your Business

Jumping into that marketing campaign, product launch or website redesign is something companies do all too easily. Start-ups and small businesses particularly, often think that it is enough that their team members believe in the strategy or idea – or even that their nearest and dearest agree. However, in order to take a concept or idea to the next stage, it is essential to prove, using reliable information, that the idea is wanted, needed, or well received by your customers. 

What’s most important here is that your customers believe in what you are offering. Not what you are offering. Let me make that clear… people don’t buy what you do, they by why you do it.

So why aren’t you talking to your customers to find out what they believe? What they trust? What they love? Until you know this, you’ve missed the point.

The human brain can help explain why this is so important. When you look at a human brain from the top or sides, almost everything you see is the Neocortex – The rational part of the brain, responsible for analytical thought and language. Then, there’s the Limbic System. A complex set of brain structures located on top of the brainstem and buried under the cortex. This area is responsible for feelings (e.g. trust), and decision making. This area has no capacity for language.

This means, that communicating to your customers in a way that explains what your product or service does, targeting their analytical neocortex, cannot drive decision making. They will not make a purchase. However, communicating to your customers why your product or service does what it does, in a way that targets their feelings, can and will help them make a decision.

It is for this reason that it is imperative that you talk to your customers and find out:

> What they believe
> Who they trust
> Who they love
> What they are seeking
> Who their friends are
> What they talk about
> Where they spend your time

Once you know the answer to the above, you can start developing your value proposition, develop your product, create your marketing messages, and go to market.

An overview of how else customers can help your business:

> Help you to identify problem areas

> Explain why they choose you over your competitors

> Explain why they choose your competitors over you

> Help you to recognise new areas for expansion

> Explain their needs and wants

> Give you insight into where they spend their time, so you can target in the right places.

> And ultimately, help you make well-informed decisions.