Want to make a Christmas ad?
By Alex Robinson, 11th December 2024
It’s that time of year when our minds (and wallets) turn towards the festive break. And it’s a huge moment for brands, with the weeks from Black Friday to Christmas marking the biggest sales window of the year. Advertising budgets have swelled to match: last year, ad spend rocketed to a record-breaking £9.5bn.
That’s a lot of money spent influencing our behaviour. But it doesn’t all have to be channeled towards consumption: a couple of years ago, Co-op set their Xmas ad at a community fridge, with Dermot O’Leary and Big Zuu celebrating the power of community action at Christmas. And O2’s latest Christmas ad celebrates their collaboration with Good Things Foundation, who are tackling the digital divide.
Which got us thinking… what if some more of that nine billion was used to nudge sustainable behaviours?
We took a look at a handful of Christmas ads doing the rounds, and put a Hubbub spin on them.
Greggs x Hubbub
Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls are iconic amongst the Hubbub crowd, and they score bonus points around here for a Nigella Lawson-approved Christmas menu - without a single mention of meat.
But... there is one thing. How about we swap that single-use cup for a Gingerbread Latte into a reusable one? A subtle reminder that could save customers 25p every time they pick up a brew, and take a bite out of the millions of cups we get through in the UK.
Boots x Hubbub
Mrs Claus’ workshop looks like it can do almost anything. So why not show that they’re repairing and refurbishing items (those hair straighteners, for example?), and highlight some refillable cosmetics?
It’d be a simple step towards making a circular economy seem more business-as-usual - without losing any of the festive sparkle.
Aldi x Hubbub
We’re a fan of any advert that makes a vegetable the hero of the story, so it was love at first bite for Kevin the carrot. We’re hoping for a sequel where Kevin takes on the mountains of food waste generated over the holidays and shows people how to freeze or make new meals from their leftovers (just don’t tell him what’s in bubble & squeak…😬).M&S Food x Hubbub
Speaking of food, Dawn French is rescued from party disaster by an M&S fairy – but could a plant-based menu make her life even easier? No need to make a big deal of it: anyone can enjoy delicious veggies and it’s easier to plan one meal that’ll suit every guest (even if that means the whole neighbourhood).
TK Maxx x Hubbub
Christmas outfits for everyone on the farm? A great opportunity to throw in a clothes swap and maybe some simple repairs too.
We could have picked so many more. Have you seen any that did smuggle in some sustainable messaging? Let us know if so. And if you’d like to talk about how Hubbub could help inspire environmental action with no Scrooge in sight, please get in touch.
Looking for a Christmas jumper?
Celebrating Christmas Jumper Day tomorrow? This is your cue not to go out and buy something new. Collectively, we have close to 69 million Christmas jumpers gathering dust in our wardrobes. And according to our research, only 2 in 5 keep their Christmas jumper to wear again.
So borrow, re-wear or turn an existing jumper into a Christmas one. The uglier the better - Christmas is supposed to be naff, and it's a great way to start a conversation about the amount of clothes we throw away.
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