Christmas ads

No posts for a long time...been sorting out some annoying details- work visa, job applications, flat hunting....life.
Unbelievably its christmas time again, and this christmas will be a very interesting one from a marketing perspective. Brand Republic did a poll on the streets of London asking if people where going to spend less this christmas on presents? The general consensus is yes, and also cutting back on other aspects of life.
This is an interesting one to watch. With the credit crunch hitting just before christmas, the family and friends side of the holiday will dominate and a less materialistic christmas will be celebrated.

Picking up on this, brands have already begun their end of year strategy. Marks and Spencers and John Lewis are just 2 of the stores having a before christmas sale...which makes the shopoholics think what the after christmas sales will be like.

Good to see most stores are sticking to a christmas ad.... and unsuprisingly they all focus on family and friends gathering at home, merry, and lots and lots of food.

The Marks and Spencers ad makes me go all warm inside wishing I had friends like Twiggy:



The John Lewis ad is simple and clever, and I can't get enough of the version of the Beatle's "From me to you". Kind of makes you wonder why no one has thought of using this song in previous xmases.

A Branded Day

Dear Jane Sample is one of my favourite blogs, written by Jane, who works in the ad industry. She posted a Jane Brand Timeline of all the brands she uses in one day. I thought I'd have a go with my own, and its actually really cool (except when you are writing down every brand you just ate after lunch and your get weird stares). I'm an extreme online person.

This is your brain on hope

Part of why this American Campaign has been so interesting are the virals and ads that have been made to support both candidates. A part of me wishes the election campaigning would go on forever because the videos produced are ground breaking and so interesting from a communications and advertising perspective. Here at the latest Go Obama virals. The first one is a huge turn around from the normal ads. Teenage celebrities urging their parents to vote Obama....this really emphasizes the generation gap. The second is about hope. I find it hilarious!