The fairy tale is a phenomenon that transcends borders and ages. We can’t imagine putting children to sleep without them, nor watching the Christmas Eve or New Year’s programme together as a family. They facilitate our upbringing and help us make life’s values clear to our offspring. Fairy tales are simply part of our lives. And as such, they have not escaped the attention of advertisers and agencies fighting for survival and victory in a highly competitive market.
Czech fairy tales yesterday and today
Fairy tales have always been popular with Czech audiences. According to statistics, even in these modern times, viewers’ interest in fairy tales has not declined, but there have been complaints about the quality of new fairy tales. The classic and well-known fairy tales are still top. Audiences seem to prefer time-tested, familiar titles because new works do not meet their expectations and wishes. Today, new Czech fairy tales face huge competition from foreign titles with perfect effects - Czech fairy tales often cannot match such works due to their lower production budgets. Despite this, fairy tales remain one of the pillars of Czech television production and classic fairy tales have not lost any of their appeal, according to the ranking published on the Kinobox portal.
The use of fairy tales in TV ads
Fairy tales are deeply embedded in the unconscious part of our psyche, which is why fairy tale motifs are understandable and attractive to people from otherwise completely different socio-cultural backgrounds and to audiences of all ages. Using fairy tales in advertising is therefore a great move for any brand looking to reach audiences across generations. It has several options when looking for inspiration. It can use:
- well-known fairy tale characters,
- typical fairy tale motifs,
- brand-new fairy tales.
In advertising, we often see that a brand that has used a fairy tale stays on that path and gradually uses more and more fairy tales. Typical examples of this approach are brands such as Datart, Red Bull or the former Equa bank, which merged with Reiffeisenbank in 2022. Let’s take a look at some Czech TV ads inspired by fairy tales.
Opavia and ‘the yummy magic’
Opavia has bet on the fairy-tale characters of witches and a charismatic but sweet-toothed wizard to promote its Pim’s chocolate biscuits:
Video: Orion - Choco Magic
Apart from satisfying a wizard who has got the munchies, choco biscuits can - if another advert is to be believed - provide a magical connection.
In Datart, they fight a dragon, thorny roses and pull out a big beet
In 2008 and 2009, the retail chain Datart integrated well-known fairy tales into its Christmas campaigns. In the TV ads, a company-designed van acts as a companion of the fairy-tale heroes. It helps Prince Bajaja, who is fighting a dragon, extinguish the flames that the monster is spitting, with the family from the fairy tale The Big Beet it pulls the giant beet out of the ground and removes the thorns for the prince who is cutting through the thorny bushes to the Sleeping Beauty:
Video: Datart - Sleeping Beauty
Red Bull flies on the wings of fairy tales
Red Bull parodies well-known Czech and foreign fairy tales in 15- to 45-second-long spots that take the form of classic cartoons. For example, the Frog Prince asks for Red Bull instead of a kiss from the princess. But after transforming into a human, during which he grows wings as is usual with Red Bull, he throws the princess over and flies off to look for other princesses.
Video: Red Bull and the Frog Prince
Another famous fairy tale that was turned on its head by creatives to promote energy drinks is Little Red Riding Hood. She brings Red Bull to her grandmother instead of a typical bottle of wine. The grandmother, energised by the drink, jumps out of bed and goes hunting for wolves, whose stuffed trophies adorn her room.
There are many Red Bull spots using fairy tale parodies. These include the classic oriental tale Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. The magical Genie easily grants all three of the hero’s wishes with a single can of Red Bull, and while Aladdin flies away, the Genie is pulled back into the lamp by his overbearing partner. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves also entertain. Red Bull helps guessing the correct password required to enter the treasure cave.
Seznam.cz – Wise Old Man
Although it might seem that the Wise Old Man knows absolutely everything at first glance, there is a secret behind his knowledge - the Seznam search engine.
Video: Seznam – Wise Old Man
Equa bank ads are full of fairy tale characters
If a ranking of brands using fairy tales in their advertisements were to be compiled, the former Equa bank and actor Roman Vojtek would surely be at the top. Its advertisements are brimming with fairy tales. For example, Equa bank’s Twelve Months (2016) are not in charge of the weather and the seasons, but have the role of collectors, and Roman Vojtek saves Maruška from them with an irresistible ReLoan offer.
Video: Equa bank - Twelve Months
Just like Red Bull, Equa bank used The Frog Prince (2016). However, after the frog is kissed by the princess, he doesn’t turn into a prince, but an ATM. After all, why not? Given the divorce rate in today’s world, it is a better option for the princess!
Video: Equa bank – The Frog Prince
Other fairy tale characters that have something to do with Equa bank include the witch from Hansel and Gretel (2016), the Devil and Kate, the golden fish or magical donkey (2020), who the owner tortures in the gym to shake off gold coins. The dwarf (2020) also borrows from Equa bank and there are robbers too:
Video: Equa bank - Robbers
Česká spořitelna can see into the future
Česká spořitelna applied a completely different approach to connection with fairy tales, offering a humorous view of watching Father Frost in the future.
Video: Česká spořitelna - Watching fairy tales in the future
Even Sleeping Beauty can’t resist Lenor
The handsome, well-built prince awakens Sleeping Beauty from her century-long slumber with his kiss. But he is unlucky because her sheets smell of Lenor, so no one and nothing can get her out of bed:
Video: Lenor - Sleeping Beauty
Kaufland crammed all the fairy tale creatures at one table
Kaufland offers an answer to the question of what it would look like if various fairy tale creatures were to gather at the dining table. The question is whether there will be any left food for Little Red Riding Hood and the others as there is Broad from the fairy tale Long, Broad and Sharpsight among other fairy tale characters invited to the table. But the answer is probably yes, because Kaufland’s offer is really generous.
Video: Kaufland - Food connects
innogy and Angel of the Lord
Inspiration doesn’t always have to come from classic fairy tales. Innogy has taken a completely different approach to its advertising. It used behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of Anděl Páně 2 (Angel of the Lord 2), which it co-produced. The ad was also an invitation to the 2017 Czech Lion Film Awards and featured Ivan Trojan, Jiří Dvořák, Jiří Bartoška, Bolek Polívka and Jiří Strach:
Video: innogy - Angel of the Lord 2
Vodafone bets on the ruler of the Giant Mountains and the call of nature
No one should be alone at Christmas, so a group of volunteers, including the famous comedian Josef Dvořák, decides to visit the Giant Mountains’ ruler, Krakonoš, at his home. At first, Krakonoš, played by Karel Heřmánek, happily chatters with Vanda Chaloupková, but is overcome by the call of nature. Luckily, there is a privy nearby.
Video: Vodafone - Krakonoš
ČSLO and Sleeping Beauty
With the following ad, we go back to the past, when the Czech Republic and Slovakia were not yet independent countries. Just look what the prince answered to the newly awakened Sleeping Beauty’s question why he was waking her up...
Video: ČSLO - Sleeping Beauty
Komerční banka - devils and vampires
As you can see, anyone can be a mortgage broker at Komerční banka, even the devil in a hunter’s uniform. What about you? Would you sign a mortgage contract with the devil?
Video: Komerční banka - The Devil
Fairy tales are eternal - and so is TV advertising
The basic fairy tale motifs are highly comprehensible and attractive. Moreover, they offer a wide scope for creativity. What would seem exaggerated in other motifs is perfectly acceptable in fairy tales.
In addition, advertisements using fairy tale themes and characters are suitable for all generations, not just children, although it should be recognised that children have a strong influence on parents’ purchasing decisions. A TV fairy tale-inspired advert is therefore a definite hit. This is confirmed by the repeated use of fairy tale motifs by brands that have used fairy tales in their campaigns.