Tesco Ireland has launched its first standalone Christmas advertising campaign in more than a decade, with BBH Dublin creating a festive film that celebrates the supermarket retailer’s staff and the small acts of kindness that help make Christmas special.
Called “Helping Christmas Feel Magic”, the campaign tells the story of a young boy who becomes convinced that a member of staff at his local Tesco store is actually an elf in disguise.
The integrated campaign runs from November 2 until Christmas Day, December 25, across television, social media, outdoor, print, experiential activations and special builds.
The hero film follows the boy as he observes the Tesco colleague carrying out a series of helpful tasks around the store. As he gathers clues, his imagination takes over and he becomes increasingly certain that there is something magical about the seemingly ordinary employee.
While the adults around him see someone simply doing his job, the boy sees one of Santa’s helpers at work.
Directed by Elliott Power through production companies Love Song and Assembly, the film was shot at Tesco Naas Extra and Tesco Celbridge in Co Kildare.
The campaign represents a move away from more conventional festive advertising by focusing on the role Tesco employees play in helping customers prepare for Christmas. It also builds on the retailer’s “Every Little Helps” brand platform, which was relaunched earlier this year.
According to Naomi Kasolowsky, customer director at Tesco Ireland, the campaign is intended to recognise the contribution of staff during one of the busiest periods of the retail calendar.
“Christmas is about creating special moments that families remember. At Tesco, we know that making those moments happen takes lots of little helps. This campaign is a celebration of our colleagues and the part they play in helping Christmas feel magic for families across Ireland.”
Marcos Gemal, executive creative director of BBH Dublin, said the creative idea was inspired by the often-unseen work that goes into making Christmas special.
“Christmas isn’t magical by accident. It’s built by thousands of small acts of help that happen behind the scenes. In Ireland, nobody does more of that unseen work than the Tesco colleagues. They’re not elves. But if you’re six years old and paying attention, you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise.”
The film features an original musical composition by Miink, produced through Curation Music, while the wider campaign extends the creative idea across outdoor, social, print and experiential activity.
Among the outdoor executions is a large-scale recreation of Wild Elves of Ireland, a fictional book belonging to the boy’s grandmother in the film. Created by Irish illustrator Kitty Moss, the book contains the clues that prompt the boy to investigate whether the Tesco employee is really an elf.
The campaign will also feature a series of in-store and consumer activations, including sampling, giveaways and special Head Elf badges for store managers.
A partnership with The Late Late Toy Show, which is scheduled to air on Friday, December 4, will provide a further festive connection.
Media planning and buying is being handled by PHD.
The integrated campaign runs from November 2 until Christmas Day, December 25, across television, social media, outdoor, print, experiential activations and special builds.
Credits
Client: Tesco Ireland
Customer Director: Naomi Kasolowsky
Head of Brand Marketing: Katie Cunningham
Brand Marketing Manager: Cara Millaney
Creative Agency: BBH Dublin
Chief Creative Officer, London & Dublin: Felipe Serradourada Guimarães
Executive Creative Director: Marcos Gemal
Associate Creative Director: Frances O’Rourke
Creatives: Jemma Burgess and Gemina Gil Flores
Designer: Harriet Yakub
Strategy Lead: Darius Pasalar
Senior Strategist: Clare Maunder
Business Lead: Amy Crowe
Senior Account Director: David Carter
Account Manager: Ellen O’Donovan
Agency Production Director: David Lynch
Agency Film Producer: Emma Ellis
Media Agency: PHD
Production: Love Song / Assembly
Director: Elliott Power
Executive Producers: Shirley O’Connor and Sara Wallace
Producer: Rebecca Bourke
Director of Photography: Pat Golan
Editing: The Quarry
Editor: Johnnie Scarlett
Music: Curation
Composer: Miink
Music Supervisor: Sunny Kapoor
Illustration: Kitty Moss
Post-Production: GABHA Studios
Post-Production Executive Producer: Dafydd Upsdell
VFX Supervisor & Creative Director: Daniel Morris
2D Lead Artist: Stephen Pepper
Nuke Team: Sarah Gillet, Razvan Dit and Raimundas Gedgaudas
Post-Production Line Producer: Julie Nixon
Colour Grade: Andrew Francis
Sound: Scimitar Sound Studio
Sound Engineer: Dean Jones
