See the retail stores all decked up? Stocks and merchandise on festive display with little snowflakes and bells? Yup! Christmas is around and the festive season rings in a cheer for brands across the globe. Social media handles switching into Christmas fever, brands putting out their holiday season ads on YouTube, and Christmas digital campaigns are coming alive! So, what is it that makes a Christmas campaign successful?
Brands that develop holistic marketing strategies during festive seasons benefit the most. Right from merchandising and customising services to running seasonal offers and inventive digital campaigns, they take a 360-degree approach to their Christmas marketing campaigns. And some of these Christmas campaigns have us truly impressed.
So, here’s listing out Top 30 Christmas Campaigns by brands. On point messaging, excellent showcases, and brilliant execution is what makes each of these seasonal promotional campaigns feature on our list.
1. Amazon
Every year Amazon has its signature singing boxes that dole out a heart-warming tune about bringing home an Amazon package for the holiday season. But earlier this year Amazon launched its 2020 Christmas advertisement on their YouTube channel and needless to say it has captured hearts globally.
The almost 2-min advertisement features a young ballerina chosen to perform in the annual winter dance, but is cancelled due to the pandemic. Amazon has beautifully showcased this whole year’s sentiment and how we as humankind – resilient – are overcoming these challenges. Rightfully titled, “The Show Must Go On” it encapsulates the spirit of determination and portrays a realistic Christmas 2020. The advert was also coupled with the launch of their annual Christmas shopping guide.
And of course, their Instagram handle too, has begun early hints of the holiday cheer.
2. Air Canada
Some digital Christmas campaigns are evergreen, and we’ve covered a few ahead. Air Canada’s #ACGiftofHome has been an all-time favorite that touched the sentiment of being back home for Christmas and the holiday season.
Air Canada decided to fly back Canadians who live in London home for the holiday. The video opens with two Air Canada pilots who give out free tickets to Canadians at the Maple Leaf bar in London. The objective of the Christmas campaign was clear – drive a social media holiday campaign and leverage the UGC around it as much as possible. They also encouraged others who were anyway flying back home for the holiday season, to share their stories with the #ACGiftofHome hashtag.
This campaign has excelled – from great execution to driving customer loyalty to building the social media buzz to creating an identifiable brand!
3. Big Bazaar
Indian retail chain Big Bazaar launched a thoughtful campaign back in 2017 – #BanoKisiKaSanta Campaign. This campaign that revolves around the season of gifting and charity continues to date. Every Christmas the brand reminds consumers to play Santa to their loved ones and to those who are not as privileged with gifts.
Since 2018, the brand has been inviting consumers to become Santa and gift under privileged children gifts for Christmas.
4. Burberry
Every year Burberry drops its digital Christmas campaign, and of course they do it in classic British style! From an exquisite showcase of their collections and brand, to evoking the Christmas spirit of UK. Their Christmas advert captures both the heart and wallet!
Here’s their 2018 Christmas Campaign and it is visual delight featuring some of the biggest stars in one stunning video!
While you’re at it, don’t miss Burberry’s 2020 Christmas Campaign. Again a brilliant video with the rendition of Gene Kelly’s, “Singin’ in the Rain”.
A captivating video, Burberry dresses dancers in luxury and comfort. This is to showcase their weather-proof collection, which was first was used by polar explorers.
5. Calvin Klein
The brand is known for its extensive collaborations with content creators and aesthetically executed influencer marketing campaigns. Come Holiday season 2019, Calvin Klein collaborated with several influencers to showcase their Christmas #CKHOLIDAY Gift Guide. And the video gift guides were a series, called #MYCALVINS Are Your Calvins.
They also hosted a party in New York City with several influencers. Influencers picked up their Holiday CK and posted it on their handles with the hashtags too.
These short Instagram videos of unboxing Calvin Klein gifts worked perfectly to showcase gifting ideas for loved ones during Christmas.
The campaign created quite a buzz with several content creators and Instagrammers showcasing their #MYCALVINS and #CKHOLIDAY
6. Coco-Cola
Coca-Cola already wears the Christmas colors through the year. Their iconic Coca-Cola Christmas Truck is a tradition globally with Christmas packaging. Coca-Cola recently dropped their 2020 Christmas Campaign, that focuses on being present, rather than bringing a present. This year the brand wanted to showcase family and appreciation for what we have despite the pandemic.
The Coca-cola Christmas ad opens up to a father trying to reach the North Pole; to give Santa Claus her ‘Letter’ for a Christmas gift. The advert neatly weaves in the Coca-Cola Christmas truck to take the father back to his daughter for Christmas. With a clear messaging – This Christmas, Give Something Only You Can Give – Coca-Cola!
7. Coco-Cola (Again!)
Here’s a Coca-Cola Campaign that deserves a special mention by itself. Spreading a Christmas cheer one song at the time, is Coca-Cola’s ‘Sing For Me Vending Machine’ campaign.
They celebrated the holiday season in 2012 by placing a vending machine – without any logo – at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. People passing by had to sing a Christmas carol and would in return get a Coke. Full points to Coca-Cola on this engaging ambient Christmas campaign.
8. Costa Coffee
From launching their Christmassy hot drinks in their stores, to their famous Christmas Cup Characters. New holiday season menus to creating gorgeous mini-sites only for Christmas. Costa Coffee pulls all the stops for their digital Christmas Campaigns. And of course, all of this makes for fantastic social media content by users itself.
This year, they’ve already begun their festive offers and their app too has switched to the colors of the season.
Their digital Christmas Campaigns have such a warm and magical feel to it!
Their global campaign #WishuponaCosta has been tremendously successful with UGC from all over the world pouring in. This is a classic example of a 360-degree Christmas marketing strategy to build a brand and generate sales during the festive season.
9. Debenhams
Christmas and holiday seasons become especially important to retail stores. And this charmingly executed Christmas advertisement by Debenhams, the British multinational retailer had to feature on the Top 25 Christmas Campaigns.
The Christmas advertisement showcases the romantic story of Cinderella, in dynamic digital landscape of 2017 with a smartphone! From tweets to hashtags – the power of social media was on full display in the campaign. The wide Christmas collection from Debenhams and the festive season feels too are all captured well in this Christmas campaign.
10. Durex
We love how Durex has kept its social media handle as fresh and innovative as its traditional media advertisements. And their digital Christmas Ads are equally fun, quirky and convey the message on point! Across the years they’ve maintained the brand personality through their campaigns, adding in the holiday humor too.
11. Emirates Airlines
Emirates Airlines are all about the luxury – with its lounges, special flights and Christmas surprises. Every year Emirates Airlines share a Christmas message with a clear objective to convey that a Christmas break should be relaxed and refreshed. Which is why when you fly with them, you experience delicious Christmas treats and holiday season goodie bags. All this and more is showcase in their 2018 Christmas Campaign. This was a complete star with reportedly 150K + views on Facebook. The campaign was also promoted across Twitter and Instagram.
12. Etsy
The global online marketplace, Etsy famous for its distinct trinkets, clothing and handicrafts did an innovative campaign in collaboration with Pinterest, back in 2018. Together, they launched ‘Etsy Gift Finder’ on Pinterest to help users find gift ideas. Users simply add in details on a virtual tag and hit find my gifts.
An innovative digital Christmas campaign, this made Christmas gifting an easier task for customers who were then directed to the Etsy website. In 2020, Etsy has crafted a well-rounded Christmas advertisement to convey Christmas cheer in the times of pandemic.
From building a gifting guide to featuring on Pinterest, is why we put Etsy on our Top 25 Christmas Campaigns.
13. Fevicol
Fevicol is another brand that designs its ads and campaigns with wit and light-hearted humor. One of India’s most iconic brands, heir focus through all the campaigns is to focus on the Fevicol bond. Thus, all their campaigns, including Christmas campaign continues to follow the same messaging.
Fevicol features on our Top 30 Christmas Campaign list for excellent execution of concept, that captures the Christmas season.
14. Faasos
Faasos, the quick service takeaway restaurant launched a purposeful campaign to drive home the messaging of #WhatifWishes Came True. This digital Christmas campaign was not a simple giveaway, but a complete marketing strategy to create Christmas surprises for people across cities.
They announced the #WhatifWishes campaign early December with the below video to call in entries of “one gift you always wanted as a child”
Faasos received several entries across Twitter and Facebook, which resulted in several customers enjoying a truly Merry Christmas.
15. Google
Google, the global search-engine giant, is known for its creative take to commemorate events across the globe. So they just had to come up with something stunning for Christmas. Thus, the Google Santa Tracker, a micro site developed by Google developers to entertain kids through the holiday season. Santa Tracker features coding games, stories and easily connects with Google Home. Simply ask Where is Santa? And the tracker tells you exactly where Santa is travelling to deliver gifts.
This stellar combination of technology with story-telling around Christmas, puts Google’s Christmas micro site on our list of Top 25 Christmas Campaigns.
16. Heineken
Heineken took Christmas joy, the moments, the festivities and the fun one step forward in 2011 with their Social Christmas tree. Setup at the Clarke Quay center in Singapore, anyone could record their message, choose a Christmas card on socialtree.sg, which would then be on display from 17-26 December on the tree as well as their Facebook page. The Social Christmas Tree hosted personalized Facebook greetings, human tree ornaments and Christmas tunes.
Vistors at Clarke Quay center were delighted with Heineken’s digital version of the ‘12 Days of Christmas’. Where 12 carolers across the globe sang and the video was displayed on these LCD screens. Built with 48 connecting LCD screens and 11 meters in height, Heineken’s Christmas tree showcased a seamless connection between technology offline and social interaction online.
17. Ikea
Ikea, the leading retailer in DIY furnishing, décor and home improvement has never done aggressive digital marketing campaigns around Christmas. Just hit up #IkeaChristmas and you’ll see how their products itself generate buzz around the holiday season. But last year, Ikea launched their first Christmas advertisement on YouTube. A completely different take from the usual Christmas Ads, the campaign works well as a product showcase and depicts Christmas reality.
The Christmas ad is a funny take on how most families are not ready to entertain during the holidays. And can deck up their home with Ikea products.
18. JC Penney
In 2014, JC Penney did a fantastic Christmas Campaign inside their store #JustGotJingled. They literally translated the joy of Christmas and season of giving into random acts of kindness for several shoppers inside the store.
The video The Gift of Giving with JCPenney as on today has 2.2 million views on YouTube. The idea of the Christmas Campaign was to spread the Christmas cheer across with the #JustGotJingled and post it on social media. They also tied up with famous actor John Stamos who went undercover to gift some shoppers for Christmas.
19. Kitkat
KitKat took its tagline – Have a Break, Have a KitKat quite seriously to incorporate it into their Christmas Campaign. Their campaign in 2015 is bold with just a simple voice over.
This encouragement to take a real Christmas break is quite the break from all the Christmassy holiday shenanigans. Their2015 Christmas campaign though weaves in their brand message more emphatically.
20. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Sprucing up the holiday season with a Christmas-themed flight is just what KLM Dutch Airline did for their customers flying to Chicago.
A flight attendant from the airlines surprised Chicago-bound travellers at the airport with upgrades to business class on the flight. And once they took off, they were in for a treat with a Christmas themed show and goodies on board. Truly a Happy Holidays Flight!
21. Lego
Around 2017, Lego launched its #BuildtoGive Christmas Campaign which asks parents to play with their children more. Thus, the campaign encourages parents to create a Christmas ornament out of LEGO bricks and share it on social media using the hashtag #BuildtoGive. For each share, LEGO would donate a set to a child at a hospital, homeless center or children’s home. This Christmas initiative continues to get tremendous traction every year. Lego has even dedicated a micro site to the whole initiative.
A worldwide campaign, the #BuildtoGive initiative truly has created a Christmas Campaign moved by social media. More than 10,000 posts on Instagram feature the hashtag with Christmas ornaments.
For 2020, Lego released its Christmas Ad that is super engaging, showcases the world of Lego’s and talks about letting your creativity loose. The campaign also ties back to their initiative – Rebuild the World.
22. Mercedes
Mercedes truly embodies class, chic and relevance in their Christmas Campaigns. From the Campaign of “A Lot will Change. Except Christmas” to the Christmas campaign of Valtteri, Mercedes brings out the festive spirit of the season. The Christmas campaign we’re featuring though comes from 2019. Wit, humor, social media, and Christmas all come together to form a truly sensational and classic Mercedes Christmas advertisement.
23. McDonald’s
McDonald’s Christmas campaign #NotSoSecretSanta was well executed and well planned. It began with hoardings across cities, covered in bright red and yellow.
On social media the brand asked users to tag friends who needed a Christmas cheer. Friends and family tagged would win goodies.
McDonald’s sure did send out tons of Christmas vibes and goodies to participants of the #ChristmasGiveaway!
24. Microsoft
Both 2018 and 2019 Christmas campaigns from Microsoft deserve a mention in our Top 25 Christmas Campaigns. The global tech leader weaves in its products, benefits and utility seamlessly into the Christmas ad with the holiday season.
Their 2018 Christmas ad campaign on YouTube shares the feelings of friendship, celebration, skills and XBOX gaming during Christmas. Absolutely love how they’ve designed a product and campaign that is inclusive and sensitive.
The Microsoft Holiday Ad 2019 portrays a family, busy with official work during the Christmas season, while also showcasing Microsoft Tabs insane features. The ad then takes on more fun when Lucy meets the Reindeer.
25. Starbucks
The Seattle-based coffee chain, comes alive during the holiday season with its Christmas themed red cups and holiday treats. Their stores are decked up and their social media handles reflect the holiday excitement and Christmas vibe.
During Christmas 2017, Starbucks gave out free limited-edition reusable red cup to customers who order a holiday beverage. These beverages are given specific hashtags – #IrishCreamColdBrew – which users then uploaded on their social media handles.
While this creates tons of excitement among users, it also generates great user-generated content (UGC) on Instagram.
26. Swiggy
Swiggy’s 2018 Christmas campaign was thoughtful and roped in the Christmas spirit. The campaign celebrates the spirit of hard work and brings a new perspective to the definition of Santa Claus.
The digital campaign launched with a Christmas ad, that spotlights their 200+ women delivery partners. It goes on to say, not all Santa’s have beards, pot-bellies and not all Santa’s are men. Swiggy elegantly aligns its brand messaging with the Christmas vibe, which is what makes this campaign work.
27. Spanair
Christmas Eve around the globe is special. Families gather around to begin the Christmas celebrations, so it’s no fun if you are on a flight back home. SpanAir decided to turn this around for the travelers on board with some special luggage.
The crew, on-ground staff pleasantly surprised all the flyers with Christmas goodies, toys and more to add the Christmas cheer. Watch the excitement of weary travelers as their special luggage starts to come out on the conveyor belt.
28. Titan
Titan, India’s leading watch brand has always closely associated itself with music. It’s brand jingle iconic and unforgettable. Their Christmas campaigns also imbibe the Christmas festivities in traditional carol singing. It’s wonderful to see how Indian brands bring out the traditional nuances of the festival, to rope in its target audiences.
Their 2014 Christmas advertisement of Christmas caroling has 508K views on Facebook alone! Along with this, the brand also runs #Christmasgiveaways to celebrate the festive season.
29. Uber Eats
Christmas time gets emotional if you’re not celebrating it with your family. And Uber Eats tapped into this emotion for their digital Christmas Advertisement. From showcasing the service being active during the holiday season, to showcasing the emotion of Christmas efficiently.
The Christmas campaign is also an excellent example of like-minded brands collaborating for the festive season. Uber Eats 2019 Christmas campaign with carolers played out like a good reminder to order in from Uber Eats this festive season.
30. Vodafone’s
Santa Claus has a special duty giving out gifts and spreading joy among children and adults. But Vodafone, decided to surprise Santa Claus with some gifts instead.
Shoppers at the mall were pleasantly surprised to see the famous Vodafone ZooZoo come out on stage and gift Santa Claus for a change! It was a Merry Christmas for Santa’s as well!
These were Top 30 Christmas Campaigns by Brands that we found fascinating. Festive seasons are a great time to run digital marketing strategies. Consumer buying behavior is tuned into a spending mode during Christmas. They are all geared up to make purchases – from gifting to shopping. And there is no better time than season-time to run digital marketing campaigns to leverage the Christmas excitement.
Have a seasonal business and want to launch your own digital promotions campaign? In the meantime, if you wish to get in touch with a best seo agency in Mumbai, look no further. Email aniketh@mindstorm.in. and let us put together a digital campaign complete with all the elements.
