TV ADVERTISING IS THE MOST CRUCIAL IN INFLUENCING CHRISTMAS SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR
According to RTU, Christmas advertising has a big influence on what gifts people buy for their loved ones. According to research by Nielsen Admosphere, almost two-thirds of Czechs are influenced by Christmas advertising and the percentage of women is higher than men. Of course, with the popularity of social networks, customers are also inspired by other platforms, but they are only third on the scale. In the second place there’s the good old fashioned 'word of mouth', i.e. a recommendation from someone we know. But TV spots are still the best advisor when deciding on a gift for our loved ones.
CZECH CHRISTMAS ADVERTISING HAS ITS SPECIFICS
Most of the Czech commercials have one factor in common - fun. In the past, brands were often afraid to go down this route, but this tendency has been visibly modified in the Czech environment in recent years, and the domestic scene is gravitating towards funny ads. Czech creatives are not too keen on theatrical film environments and deeply moving advertising. Maybe it is due to a different culture or a limited budget, but as the creators of the 2006 spot for Vodafone with Petr Čtvrtníček proved, even with a small budget, Czechs can make funny and functional advertising that then goes viral on the Internet.
NARRATIVE COMMERCIALS LIKE THE BRITISH ARE RARELY SEEN IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Although Czech advertising (not only Christmas advertising) is to some extent influenced by foreign countries, it still keeps the Czech distinctive mentality at the forefront. Unlike the Czechs, British marketers try to create mostly touching and emotional content for Christmas. The preparation, execution and processing of advertising, which relies primarily on the story and the overall atmosphere, requires precise execution as well as a high budget. To make commercials such as those created by John Lewis, a legend of Christmas advertising, is a very high standard in terms of Czech budgets. Although it is not impossible, domestic filmmakers more often bet on easier (cheaper) forms of the concept.
The other side of the coin is also that British ads last two to three minutes. Such long spots do not appear in the Czech Republic. Large, narrative or cinematic commercials are the format that is lacking in the Czech Republic, and which John Lewis handles brilliantly. Every year, the brand's spots are an informal start to the pre-Christmas madness. It should be added that a campaign of this format is not a cheap affair - in previous years, the luxury department store brand was rumoured to have invested around £1m on a 90-second clip.
What exactly is behind the long-term repeated success of John Lewis ads? It's heartfelt and poignant stories, originality and sophisticated storytelling.
Video: John Lewis – Man on the moon (2015)
MOST CZECHS DON'T CARE ABOUT SANTA CLAUS, THEY WANT BABY JESUS
The American idea and vision of Christmas influences the shape and perception of Christmas around the world. The biggest contributor to this is the legendary Coca-Cola commercials, which are behind the visual image of Santa Claus as we know him today and were also the first to portray him in this form in a television commercial. Subconsciously, many of us also associate Christmas visually with the image of a man with a white beard in a red suit. And maybe it's also because it's rare to see the Czech baby Jesus in Christmas commercials. According to a survey by Nielsen Admosphere, 23 % of Czechs don't mind Santa Claus in domestic advertising, 21 % don't care much or are undecided, and 56 % say they are dissatisfied with the figure of Santa Claus in Czech advertising. As can be seen, society is thus divided into two camps. Some are not opposed to the style of American Christmas, others prefer baby Jesus. Either way, baby Jesus represents the true magic of Christmas for the Czechs.
COCA-COLA AND KOFOLA HAVE STOLEN CHRISTMAS FOR THEMSELVES
The most successful Czech Christmas ad is undoubtedly Kofola's Golden Pig. Although many years have passed since the debut of this popular spot in 2003, it still holds a place in the hearts of viewers and has become one of the symbols of Czech Christmas. Because "when a Kofola advert with a pig runs, Christmas is just around the corner". In a survey conducted by Nielsen Admosphere, it was found, among other things, that 18% of respondents spontaneously recall the Golden Pig in connection with Christmas spots. 53% of respondents associate Christmas with the Kofola brand in general.
However, Kofola is not resting on its laurels and is renewing its spots with the pig. Whether it's a continuation of the story or a graphic representation of the pig following the Christmas limited editions. Either way, it is a great example of humour in advertising, effective storytelling and often a surprise at the end (what flavour will this year's Kofola be).
Video: Kofola – Golden Pig (2003)
For an interesting comparison of how this "black" soda can be made famous by American filmmakers, look no further than the aforementioned Coca-Cola. The "Christmas is here" music from the 1995 spot is still one of the most memorable ones, even for Czech viewers.
Video: Coca-Cola (1995)
The creatives from the United States build Coca-Cola advertising on recurring motifs (truck, Santa). In addition to building one of the world's most successful brands, the Coca-Cola brand, whether we are fans or not, has succeeded in bringing the figure of Santa Claus in his traditional form into the consciousness of people around the world. Interestingly, the first depiction of Santa Claus as a man with a white beard was done in 1863 by cartoonist Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly, but without much success. However, he did create a very strong association of Coca-Cola with the American Christmas tradition. Over the years, different variations of the spot have been created (for example, the 2020 campaign "The Letter"), but the idea remains the same, and the iconic bottle ad has become a Christmas tradition in its own right over time. Can you imagine Christmas without Coca-Cola?
Video: Coca-Cola (2020)
Both Kofola and Coca-Cola can no longer be denied their connection to Christmas. The Americans succeeded through an unexpected story and a humorous ending, the Americans through almost cinematic emotions and the appropriation of the visual image of Christmas.
How we approach Christmas advertising here and abroad also reflects the historical development of Christmas in each country, its culture, traditions and customs. This is probably why in the Czech Republic the ads that are successful are those that take advantage of our specificities, show parts of Czech culture and at the same time play to our national character.
Source: screenvoice.cz
