Capturing the very essence of Christmas is at the heart and soul of this season’s campaigning, but what emotions are we seeking to captivate?
Excitement?
Thousands of twinkling christmas lights and the soft shimmering of tinsel wrapped around the tree has become the annual embodiment of the millions of childhood hopes and wishes. Successfully recapturing that magic – within a PR campaign – is a sure-fire way to succeed. Getting a celebrity involved such as as in ? Well that’s just the icing on the cake.
Humour?
Sometimes some of the best 
campaigns disrupt the publics’ consciousness.
Harvey Nichols has became known for breaking the mould in 2013 when it launched the notable “Sorry I spent it on myself” campaign. This year it repeated the sentiment with its latest #Giftface campaign.
Based on research suggesting 72% of U.K. adults have admitted to pulling “gift face” to save the feelings of a loved one—and 63% admit to wearing or using an unwanted gift after Christmas to keep up the pretense.
Novelty?
Singing raindeer and christmas jumpers might be tacky but they are most definitely a cultural staple of the holiday season. Used creatively in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, PR campaigns can shine a beam of holiday humour for all those scrooges out there.
Sympathy?
Christmas has a way of making us recognise what we have and appreciate the situations of others. This is a time of giving, so is it any small wonder why so many charities are so successful at this time of year when we feel spurred to share our wealth, our possessions and our time with those less fortunate than ourselves. This year’s campaign by Pret A Manger – who “donated” their marketing channels and media to five charities this Christmas – probably epitomises this concept best. After all, its far better to give than to receive.
Nostalgia?
Tugging on those heartstrings is something that always brings a tear to our collective eyes. Whether it’s Sainsbury’s 2014 Great War themed “Christmas is for Sharing” campaign with the Royal British Legion, or this year’s collaboration between Sainsbury’s and publisher HarperCollins which returns us to the innocence of our childhood with a new story by Judith Kerr about Mog the Cat.
During the Christmas period, the book will be sold for £3, with Mog cuddly toys also available for £10, with all profits going to Save The Children, which will spend the money on literacy programmes.
Do you know of any other emotions that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments below!
Comms and Caffeine 