Everyone's Rushing To Get To The Waitrose Goodies This Xmas

Carol concerts, kisses under the mistletoe, gift shopping, opening presents... all lovely Christmas traditions, but let's face it, they're just a prelude to the main event - which is, of course, all the delicious tucker. 

In its 2018 Christmas campaign, created once again by adam&eveDDB, Waitrose & Partners is giving viewers a playful reminder of the role that food plays in our festive rituals. Too Good To Wait centres around six spots, directed by Outsider's James Rouse, each highlighting the important role food plays at Christmas by showing families and friends rushing through a familiar scenario to enjoy their meal.

In Carol Concert [top] a pianist rushes through a super-fast rendition of Jingle Bells, the choir barely able to keep up with her, after the organiser makes the mistake of announcing there will be chocolate and cherry mince pies provided after the concert.

Meanwhile Mistletoe [below] sees a couple at a Christmas gathering pause under the mistletoe for a romantic first kiss. Just as their lips are about to meet, though, there's a call from the dining room that the turkey is ready, and the woman promptly rushes off to stuff her face instead.

The integrated campaign also includes a partnership with ITV, conceived and brokered by Manning Gottlieb OMD. Tying in with the idea of ‘Too Good To Wait’, viewers will see other television ads fast-forwarded until they reach the Waitrose ad when it airs for the first time on ITV1 tonight [Friday 9 November]. 

In the run-up to the first TV advert airing, ITV will also run a number of teasers for the campaign, during which, the continuity announcer will become distracted by some of the retailer’s delicious food before remembering to announce the next programme.

There are also TV idents, posters, digital out-of-home work and social media activity plus additional contextual ads such as those featured on the All4 channel suggesting ‘time for a mince pie’ when programmes are paused by the viewer. 

Commenting on the campaign, Paul Billingsley, managing director, adam&eveDDB, said: "It’s a wonderfully simple idea built around a genuine customer insight; we all have those Christmas rituals that we dutifully observe whilst secretly wishing we could get straight to the good stuff… in this case, the delicious food from Waitrose & Partners."