It's never nice to be perceived as a loser. Perhaps harsh words but all these executions, in my opinion, missed the mark. And I can only imagine the investment. Perhaps some of you will challenge me?
Cost a bomb and missed the magic Award
Asda – Let’s make Christmas extra special
When is Christmas not special? Would someone try and make it "not special?"
Am I too grinch? This tries just a little bit too hard for me. Contrived. OTT. A little box ticky. Whilst the magic of Christmas is captured, it’s too manufactured. Fails the “tear-welling” test.
What the hell were they thinking Award
Selfridges – Future Fantasy. A Christmas for modern times
WT? This is WOW for all the wrong reasons. I don’t want to sound all Boomer but did someone ingest some mushrooms that they perhaps shouldn’t have? I have no words.
It’s incoherent, annoying, who are all these characters and simply why?
Someone had a bad trip and Selfridges funded it is all I can say.
But a good friend who is so, so much cooler than I and is a Brit thinks this is excellent. Perhaps I have this wrong. Her words, " That chick is from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She's popular and I think she lives in London. This reinforces Selfridges as the uber-cool department store for the many, many super-rich young and not so young people in London. I thought that the dinner scene was like waifs and strays for Christmas as your family but for effed up cool people. Loved it." Perhaps as I haven't rubbed shoulders with the super-rich young dudes or the not so young Gucci gang that I have simply missed the point. I'm not the target. You decide.
Way too Woke Award
Macy’s – Santa Girl
I know I am going to get crucified for this but this is a best described as a woke mash-up; children’s aspirations (being Santa, seriously have higher aspirations and work for an NGO) , gender issues, bullying, possibly fat-shaming, overachieving parents and history; (the character’s name is Virginia - apparently a nod to a to Virginia O’Hanlon, a girl who famously wrote to her local newspaper more than a century ago about the reality of Santa). This is simply far too much to smash into a Christmas advert. I know Amercians feel they need to constantly apologise for Trump but...
I find it really annoying. Enough said.
Boo Hoo you changed your formula Award
Boots – Bootiques
Boots ads typically always make me cry and determined, that if I was in the UK, I’d buy EVERYTHING from them as they have something for everyone.
Sadly, this year they have changed their magic formula. Not cool soundtrack. No cool story, no battle with the reality of family love. A fail in my books but I do love the Bootiques positioning.
Recycling the wheel at Christmas Award
Myer – Christmas is where we are
Poor Sally. What if Santa doesn’t ever find her? This is a recycled concept originally created by Air New Zealand a number of years ago. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great idea. But…..
Well, Myer achieved something. Let’s get those little kids even more anxious and force parents all over Aussie, to have to buy a $39.95 GPS stocking so Santa doesn’t get lost. Meh.
Looks like last year’s ad Award
Amazon
I could have sworn this was last year’s ad. For all the retail brilliance that sits inside Amazon thinking, I challenge them to do better next year. Yawn.
Until next year, have a merry Christmas and strong trading.