Why Holiday Advertising is Just So Charming

Now that we’re coming to the end of the year, how would you describe 2016 for the industry, creatively speaking?  If you had a piece of advice for the creative industry to take from 2016 into next year, what would that be?

There’s never been more ability to make more things by more people.  Media companies, tech companies, brands themselves…we’re all doing, to some degree, what agencies do.  It’s never been more important to be wildly focused on the strategic and creative quality of what we put out into the world. 

Looking at the recent barrage of Christmas campaigns, why do you think Christmas ads have become such a big part of popular culture in recent years?

Advertising has always been a tremendous part of pop culture. A major campaign in the US is seen by more people than the biggest Hollywood film. What makes Christmas campaigns stand out is that they tend to be better.  Christmas ads are not dissimilar to Super bowl ads in that the general public has come to expect a higher calibre of work from our industry and look to be entertained on a higher level.

Which campaign or piece of work will you remember from this year? 

The Rock, Paper, Scissors spot for Android (below) has stayed with me all year.  The core idea of embracing our connection AND our difference gets at the very heart of our humanity, and as the year rolled on it just felt more and more relevant. What made it stand out – to me - was the innocence of the execution. 

A lot of people have argued that Christmas ads have become predictable; would you agree and do you think there’s a winning formula to festive commercials?

The charm of holiday advertising is its predictability! Tapping in to themes that have been around a lot longer than our industry.  The most powerful work connects you to those ideas in a new way – powerfully familiar, but original at the same time. 

And, with regards the Christmas spots, give us your top three out of this year’s bunch and a sentence about why you like them:

1)  H&M – Impeccable direction of a train conductor saving Christmas is a simple, sweet and underplayed story.

2)  Milka/Mondelez (below) - A story about a time machine that a little boy builds to eat more chocolate!  It worked as a time machine for me too.

3) Godiva Chocolate Box - A box of chocolates that “pays it forward” is the very best of the holidays!

And, finally, what’s your New Year’s resolution for 2017?

If ever there was a time for positivity, it’s now.  My resolution is to share optimism in my life and our work at Pitch. 

What are you most excited about for 2017, workwise or other? 

We’ve had a great year at Pitch, but it feels like we’re just getting started.  Next year is all about fueling our momentum.