The holiday season is upon us, and that means it’s prime time for Christmas ads! Every year, brands put in effort to create special advertisements for this festive period. These ads are more than just commercials; they tell stories that capture the magic and warmth of the holiday spirit. We’ll see how different brands have used their ads to spread holiday joy and connect with audiences. So, let’s take a look at the best Christmas adverts of 2023!
Snapper: The Perfect Tree | John Lewis & Partners
John Lewis’s Christmas advert captured the hearts of audiences this year. In this story, we meet a young boy who plants a seed, hoping it will grow into a perfect Christmas tree. But to his surprise, the plant turns into a playful Venus flytrap, which he calls Snapper. Snapper loves Christmas and wants to be a part of it, but soon grows too big for the house and is moved outside.
Peering out the window at Snapper, the boy decides to offer him a Christmas gift. When the family notices the special bond between the boy and Snapper, they decide to bring him gifts from outside. In a humorous turn, Snapper starts ‘eating’ the gifts, only to surprise everyone by sorting and delivering the right presents to each family member – a quirky yet convenient talent!
The music in the ad is a special song called ‘Festa’ sung by the famous singer Andrea Bocelli and written and produced by Le Feste Antonacci, especially for the John Lewis ad. The advert ends with the line: “Let your traditions grow.”
John Lewis’s strategy of offering a “Shop the Ad” experience on their exact match .com domain, JohnLewis.com, brilliantly merges brand engagement with customer experience. This approach capitalises on the emotional connection viewers develop with the brand and simplifies the transition from viewing to purchasing.
By integrating the charm and story of their Christmas ad into an interactive shopping experience on their website, John Lewis reinforces brand recognition and loyalty. Owning their perfect domain enhances this effect, ensuring a seamless, trustworthy, and memorable journey for customers from ad to website, solidifying their position as a customer-centric and innovative brand in the retail space.
The World Needs More Santas | Coca-Cola
Imagine a city bustling not with its usual crowd but with hundreds of Santas! That’s the setting of Coca-Cola’s 2023 holiday film. Throughout the ad, we see these Santas doing more than just delivering gifts – they are helping people in small but meaningful ways. The twist? These Santas are actually everyday people showing their ‘inner Santa’ through acts of kindness and generosity. The film concludes with the message: ‘The World Needs More Santas’, reminding us that the spirit of Santa can live in all of us through simple acts of goodwill.
Coca-Cola’s Christmas ads have long been a staple of the holiday season, renowned for their ability to evoke warmth, happiness, and a sense of wonder. Iconic campaigns like the ‘Holidays are Coming’ trucks and the friendly, gift-giving Santa Claus have become synonymous with Christmas cheer and serve as powerful tools in reinforcing Coca-Cola’s brand identity.
Coca-Cola is known for its innovative marketing strategies, with the business owning over 42,500 domain names to enhance brand engagement and customer experience globally. They are related to specific campaigns, products, and seasonal promotions, providing a direct and memorable link for consumers to access relevant content or participate in unique Coca-Cola experiences.
Joy Ride | Amazon Holiday Ad
This year, Amazon takes us on a heartwarming journey with its 2023 ad campaign, celebrating the enduring power of friendship and joy that transcends the years. Their ad, titled “Joy Ride,” features a story about three elderly women on a park bench. As they watch the children play on a sledding hill, their expressions reveal a mixture of nostalgia and longing. One of the women, inspired by the youthful spirit around them, turns to Amazon to order seat cushions for sleds. The arrival of the package reignites their adventurous spirit, and soon, they are reliving the thrill of the hill just as they did in their youth. Accompanied by an instrumental version of The Beatles’ “In My Life,” the ad weaves past and present, showing that some joys last forever.
Amazon’s domain name strategy is a masterclass in foresight and brand evolution, reflecting its journey from a bookstore to a global e-commerce giant.
Initially, Jeff Bezos considered names like Relentless.com for his company, a domain which Amazon still owns and redirects to its main site, showcasing Bezos’s early vision for the company’s relentless approach to business. This choice, alongside other considered names like “Cadabra,” reflects Jeff’s innovative mindset and global vision.
Bezos’ innovative spirit is evident in Amazon’s current domain portfolio, which includes over 433,000 domains, according to Whoxy.com data. This extensive collection serves various purposes, from protecting the brand and its sub-brands, such as Audible and Whole Foods, to capturing direct traffic for key services like Prime.com (yes, AmazonPrime.com as well is owned by Amazon).
Amazon’s strategic acquisition of a vast array of domains underlines its commitment to providing a seamless customer experience, safeguarding its brand, and staying ahead in the competitive digital space. Such a serious domain strategy is a reflection of Amazon’s adaptive growth and its ability to anticipate and shape consumer behaviour in the online world.
Bringing a Dragon to a Snowball Fight | The LEGO Group
Lego’s holiday ad throws us right in the middle of an epic snowball fight, demonstrating that when it comes to play, Lego is the ultimate superpower for kids everywhere. The 30-second spot is a whirlwind of fun, featuring favourite characters like Frozen’s Olaf and a granny who, with the help of Lego Yoda, masterfully dodges a snowball. This ad is a part of Lego’s ‘Play is Your Superpower’ series, first introduced earlier this year, and continues to highlight how Lego turns ordinary moments into extraordinary adventures.
The ad ends with a direct invitation to visit their official website, Lego.com. This simple yet effective call to action transforms viewers’ enthusiasm for the ad into potential online engagement and sales, creating a seamless transition from entertainment to e-commerce.
Lego is named after the Danish phrase “leg godt, meaning “play well”. Lego has a strong domain name strategy supported by an impressive domain portfolio of over 12,000 domains. As the majority of successful global brands, Lego really cares about keeping its online presence safe and making sure that when you search for Lego online, you end up at the right website. Owning a strategic domain portfolio serves not only to protect the business, creative domain uses are also instrumental in advertising campaigns, can be used for different sub-brands and products.. Lego also ranks among the 100 most inspiring brands in Wunderman Thompson’s report, demonstrating the company’s appeal and its ability to ignite generational imaginations.
Bunny Saves Christmas | Duracell
The advert starts with Santa flying his sleigh over a snowy forest led by his red-nosed reindeer. Suddenly, the reindeer’s bright nose loses power and plunges toward the ground. But don’t worry – the Duracell Bunny shows up just in time.
The Bunny finds that the reindeer’s nose is powered by regular batteries and quickly switches them to Duracell Optimum. Right away, the nose shines brighter than ever, lighting up the forest and getting Santa’s journey back on track. Bunny also adds a sack of Duracell batteries for the toys, making sure everything works on Christmas. The ad ends with a clear message: “Don’t risk it, choose Duracell.” It’s a cute way to show how important good batteries are during the holidays.
The name Duracell is a made-up word originating from durable and cell. The company owns the exact brand match domain Duracell.com, an important element in their marketing success. Ads have a very limited amount of time to make an impact and attract attention, so it is vital for companies to drive potential customers to their online platforms quickly and efficiently.
Let’s Make Dreams Come True | Migros and Wichtel Finn
Migros brings back the lovable elf, Wichtel Finn, for another heartwarming holiday adventure in their latest Christmas ad. This year, Finn finds a new way to capture our hearts by helping a young girl achieve her dream of owning a telescope. The commercial unfolds with the girl’s wish seemingly out of reach, as her father faces the tough reality of not being able to afford it. But Finn, ever the resourceful elf, is touched by her wish and springs into action. With a sprinkle of Christmas magic and a dash of creativity, he even attempts to craft a telescope from odds and ends found in the store. In a touching finale, Finn’s efforts lead to the girl winning a telescope on the wheel of fortune, making her dream a reality.
The brand name Migros originates from French – “mi” means half or mid-way, and “gros” means wholesale. Put together, they communicate prices that are halfway between retail and wholesale.
Behind the scenes, Migros reinforces its strong online brand presence with an impressive domain name strategy, owning over 1,800 domain names. This collection ensures brand safety and improves user experience and brand consistency. The main Migros website is hosted on the local domain extension for Switzerland – .ch. Being a global brand, the business has also secured .com for its international audience, as well as other local domain extensions like .fr – for various specific websites for its branches in different countries. As Finn helps dreams come true in advertising, Migros’ domain strategy ensures that their brand does the same for their customers, wherever they are.
La vida es | Suchard 2023
Suchard’s Christmas ad has captured the hearts of viewers as it has already garnered millions of views since its release. This Pixar-style animated short tells the story of two grandparents who travel back in time to Christmases past. As they reminisce, the animation takes us on a journey with them, illustrating the joyous and meaningful moments the family experienced together during Christmas, highlighting the season’s power to bring loved ones together.
Suchard was named after its founder, Philippe Suchard, who started the business back in 1826. Family names are often used as brand names, carrying the legacy of their origins and giving a sense of familiarity and trust.
Suchard operates on an exact brand match domain name, Suchard.com. This ensures the brand is readily accessible, simplifying the customer’s journey from seeing an ad to visiting their website, enhancing the overall effectiveness of their advertising efforts.
Take a Holiday from the Holidays | IKEA Canada
Understanding that the holiday period can often be overwhelming, Ikea Canada highlights the importance of finding moments of peace amid the holiday rush. Their ad takes an honest look at the reality of the season: it’s not just about constant cheer and celebration, but also about the need for personal time to relax. Their ad captures the essence of finding peace amidst the holiday hustle – a quiet reminder that sometimes, we all need to step back and recharge, even if it’s just for five minutes. The commercial is crafted by the creative agency Rethink and soundtracked by Tiffany’s cover of ” I Think We’re Alone Now”.
Just like an IKEA furniture piece is assembled from different components, the brand name IKEA itself is a composite pieced together from the initials of its founder, Ingvar Kamprad (I.K.), and the names of the farm and village where his journey began – Elmtaryd (E.) and Agunnaryd (A.). This mirrors the IKEA experience, where diverse elements come together to create something functional and unique.
IKEA’s domain name strategy reflects its focus on brand consistency and customer accessibility across the global market. Owning over 2,700 domain names, IKEA’s extensive portfolio includes domains that correspond to their diverse product range, regional websites, and specific campaigns, enabling customers to find and engage with IKEA’s offerings seamlessly. Such a strategy is critical for a company with a large international presence, as it helps maintain a cohesive brand identity while also being responsive to local languages and regional preferences.
Kill the Tradition, Not a Turkey | PETA
This holiday season, PETA is presenting a thought-provoking message through a touching animated film, aiming to inspire a new Christmas tradition that spares the life of turkeys. Created with House 337, the film introduces us to Tessa the Turkey, brought to life by the voice of Jane Horrocks. In this story set against the backdrop of a classic Christmas town, Tessa takes us through a series of festive scenes with a twist. She sings “Deck the Halls,” but the words are changed to reflect the holiday habits we observe. The cheerful journey takes a serious turn as Tessa discovers she is part of an old tradition – one that PETA is urging people to reconsider. The film closes with a powerful call to action: “Kill the tradition, not a turkey. Try vegan this Christmas”.
The PETA Foundation has built an impressive online presence with a collection of over 1,400 domain names. Its primary digital location is Peta.org, while the .com domain name is set up to redirect to the main site. This portfolio of domain names includes a variety of country-specific and alternative extensions. Such a strong domain strategy enhances their online visibility, efficiently funnels web traffic to their main site, and crucially, prevents potential misuse of similar domain names that could mislead or divert their audience. You can learn more about the PETA Foundation in our recent report on nonprofit organisations, which provides information about their initiatives and domain strategies.
A Magical Christmas | Lidl
Lidl’s new Christmas advert is a touching story featuring an adorable raccoon watching a family decorate their Christmas tree. But the holiday spirit seems to be in jeopardy when the family’s dog accidentally breaks the little boy’s beloved monkey ornament. The mother tries to make things right by buying a stuffed toy monkey from Lidl but drops it on the way home. This is where our raccoon friend becomes the unexpected hero, going on a big adventure across town to get the toy back. Finally, the raccoon sneaks the toy under the tree, delighting the little boy. The ad shows us how even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference, especially during the holidays.
The Lidl brand name emerged from a clever solution by Dieter Schwarz in 1977. Wanting to avoid the negative connotations of “Schwarz-Markt” (literally “black market”) and unable to use his father Josef’s former partner’s name (A. Lidl) due to legal reasons, Dieter purchased the rights to the name “Lidl” from Ludwig Lidl, a retired schoolteacher, for 1,000 German marks. This decision marked the birth of the now-famous Lidl brand.
Lidl’s domain strategy, spanning the ownership of over 1,300 domain names, demonstrates their commitment to a strong online presence and brand protection. By strategically acquiring domains that align with their brand, product lines and geographic locations, Lidl effectively creates a seamless and localised shopping experience for customers around the world. This approach improves consumer accessibility and plays a crucial role in protecting and maintaining the integrity of the Lidl brand online.
Helping You Become More Christmas | Tesco
This year, Tesco is tapping into the Christmas spirit with an ad campaign titled “Helping you become more Christmas.” With the memorable 90s hit ‘How Bizarre’ by OMC as its soundtrack, the ad tells the tale of a teenage boy who is too cool to catch the festive fever despite the world transforming around him into a holiday wonderland. His family and neighbours embrace the season, turning into Christmas trees, nutcracker figures, and gingerbread biscuits, but he just doesn’t seem to care.
As Christmas approaches, a simple act from his dad, the gift of a paper star from his earlier years, starts to change his mind. He starts to join in the festive fun, culminating in his own transformation into a Christmas tree. It’s a story that reminds us that the Christmas spirit can be infectious, even to those who resist it the most.
Tesco’s brand name dates back to 1924 when Jack Cohen created it by combining the initials of Thomas Edward Stockwell, a tea supplier (TES), with the first two letters of his own surname (CO), resulting in “TESCO.”
Tesco’s domain name strategy involves the ownership of 1,805 domain names. Owning a diverse range of domain names allows the brand to effectively guide customers to the right resources, improving user experience and accessibility. This demonstrates Tesco’s dedication to building a strong digital ecosystem that resonates with its commitment to customer service and market leadership.
Christmas Advert 2023 | Boots
Boots welcomes the festive season with its new Christmas campaign for 2023 called ‘Thank You Santa’. The ad tells a charming story about a young girl and her mother who decide to take a memorable trip to the North Pole to give Santa a present. With a Boots shopping bag full of gifts, they set off on an adventurous journey, meeting kind strangers who help them along the way. To show their gratitude, the girl hands out gifts from Boots – each chosen perfectly for the person helping them. They finally reach Santa and have one last gift: a pair of Boots Travel Flight Socks, just right for Santa’s long journey.
Boots is another example of a family name becoming a global brand. In 1849, John Boot established Boots, and after his passing in 1860, his 10-year-old son Jesse Boot assisted his mother in managing their Nottingham herbal medicine shop. This family business was formalised as Boot and Co. Ltd in 1883 and later became Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd in 1888, or simply Boots as we all know it today.
The Boots advert ends with the message ‘Give joy’ and includes their exact brand match domain name, Boots.com. This approach increases consumer convenience and strengthens brand recognition, making it a win-win for both the company and its customers during the busy holiday season.
M&S Christmas Clothing & Home | 2023 Christmas Advert
Marks and Spencer is getting into the holiday spirit with a special Christmas ad for 2023. The campaign features a great lineup of British stars, including actress Hannah Waddingham, singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, style expert Tan France, and actress Zawe Ashton. Each star is shown in their own home, deciding what parts of Christmas they want to enjoy and what they’d rather skip. Set to a catchy cover of Meatloaf’s song ‘I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)’, the ad is all about making Christmas your own.
Marks and Spencer also boasts a portfolio of 200+ domain names, including MarksandSpencer.com, Marks-and-Spencer.com, MandS.com, among others. The company is featured in our report on companies using personal names as brand names. The report sheds light on the advantages of such a branding approach, such as building trust, creating a more personal connection with customers, and giving the brand a distinct character and authenticity. Personal names have been used as brand names for businesses for many years, and their popularity as a branding strategy is a testament to their efficacy.
This Christmas, One Little Girl Asks One BIG Question | Sainsbury’s Christmas 2023
Sainsbury’s holiday ad this year starts with a moment that would give any parent pause: a young girl’s innocent question about Santa, broadcasted over the supermarket’s tannoy. But instead of “Does he exist?” she’s curious about something else – what Santa likes for his Christmas dinner. This sets off a chain of responses from the supermarket staff, who are played by real Sainsbury’s employees, not actors. The atmosphere is further enhanced by the appearance of 80s pop icon Rick Astley. According to Emma Beesley, Sainsbury’s head of campaigns, Astley is “not entirely unexpected as someone you might find down the cheese aisle at Sainsbury’s”. The ad concludes with Sainsbury’s brand promise, ‘Good Food for All of Us’.
Sainsbury’s, named after its founders John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury, another example of effectively using a personal name as a brand. This approach adds a personal touch and authenticity to the brand, resonating with customers. While Whoxy data indicates that Sainsbury’s owns the domain Sainsburys.com, it’s not currently in use. The company primarily serves the UK market and focuses its online presence on Sainsburys.co.uk.
Final Thoughts
The discussed cases show that holding a well thought out portfolio of domain names is a strategic move for successful companies. This practice is particularly vital for marketing activities, considering the significant investment in advertisement creation. Ensuring straightforward access to the company’s website through an exact brand match domain name is key to the success of these marketing investments.
A premium domain name is a powerful tool for businesses looking to establish a strong and professional online presence. If you’re ready to upgrade your brand and boost your online presence, contact us for more information on our premium domain name options and how they can help your business succeed.
Other resources
Boots branding Christmas ads Christmas adverts Coca-Cola domain domain name domain names domain strategy domains Duracell holiday Ikea John Lewis & Partners Lego Lidl M&S Migros naming PETA Sainsbury's Suchard Suh=chard Tesco
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