Every year, the spring holidays represent a welcome opportunity for retailers to boost spring sales. It is therefore no surprise that the strongest and most frequent Easter advertisers are mainly retail chains and food brands, particularly supermarkets/hypermarkets and confectionery manufacturers. MediaGuru reports that retailers often promote their Easter range of baking ingredients and gift hampers via TV adverts, and that confectionery manufacturers are among the most active during this period. Looking at the wider Czech advertising market, Lidl, Albert and Kaufland are among the very largest advertisers, so retail is also one of the strongest categories of advertisers for Easter TV advertising.
Easter TV advertising most often combines a mix of traditions, food, light-hearted humour and the feeling of ‘carefree holidays’. Such holidays naturally involve plenty of good food and drink. Recurring elements in adverts represent the Czech take on the holidays, a humorous or light-hearted approach, symbolic animals and mascots, as well as a family atmosphere, children and playfulness. This is consistently reflected in Easter confectionery campaigns: Milka focuses on egg hunts, Lindt on its iconic golden bunny, and Ferrero/Kinder on eggs, games and a child-centred theme. In the retail sector, food frequently appears as a symbol of tradition and festive cheer.
Video: Milka (2021)
Video Lindt - Share the hoppiness
However, the iconic Easter brand is the British Cadbury, whose cream-filled eggs are as much a part of Easter in English-speaking countries as the Easter whip is here. The strength of this brand lies not only in the product itself, but above all in the concept of the Easter advert featuring a rabbit, which has been tugging at the heartstrings of nostalgia and Easter tradition for four decades.
Video: Cadbury - Creme Eggs
However, Czech campaigns have also featured among the creative Easter campaigns of recent years. This year’s campaign by the online supermarket Košík.cz builds on last year’s communication concept, “You no longer have to live in the past” , and develops it further in an Easter campaign featuring Bivoj, who becomes a charming carol singer.
Source: Košík.czThe long-running viral hit featuring Mixiťák the bird and his catchy song, which returns to social media every Easter, has also joined the ranks of popular adverts.
Video: Mixit - KOKO-leda
Penny Market: The “Easter the Czech Way” campaign uses talking animals (Beáta the sheep and Béďa the ram) and focuses on traditional Czech treats such as mazanec.
Video: Penny - Easter, the Czech Way
Singing rabbits dancing to the beat of Hip Hop Hop have also made Bill’s advert a hit.
Easter thus demonstrates that adverts which draw on well-known festive symbols, yet manage to present them in a fresh, imaginative way with their own distinctive style, can still resonate with viewers today. Recurring mascots, playful humour, visually appealing production and audience engagement all have a strong impact. Alongside traditional motifs, however, emotions also play a key role – family values, kindness, nostalgia or the joy of time spent together.
A successful Easter advert is therefore not just a parade of bunnies and eggs, but a clever blend of tradition, originality and a memorable story. It is precisely then that a brand can make the most of the festive season whilst building a stronger connection with its audience.