CONSUMERS DON’T GET TIRED OF ADS, ONLY MARKETERS DO

8. 12. 2023 | 14 min read Data shows there’s no such thing as advertising ‘wear-out’, so save your new campaign budget and spend it on making your current ads effective for longer.

CHRISTMAS BY “UNUSUAL” HEROES. HOW HAS CHRISTMAS ADVERTISING MOVED FROM NOSTALGIA TO MODERNITY?

8. 12. 2023 | 16 min read Christmas advertising has changed over the years. To some extent, it could be argued that the dominance of Santa Claus and other traditional Christmas characters has ended. They have been replaced by somewhat unusual heroes who, on the contrary, we do not a priori associate with the festive season. However, they do not only bring a festive atmosphere but also complex stories in which tradition as well as important messages that are fully in line with the trends of today play a role. It is not necessarily a stolen Christmas - on the contrary, it is an annual gift of distinctive creativity. CHRISTMAS BY CHEERFUL VEGETABLES One of such “unusual heroes” is the most frequently mentioned mascot of this year’s Christmas season, which is in the spirit of the comeback of the character known as Kevin the Carrot. The character has been closely associated with the British-Irish retail chain Aldi since 2016, and given that Kevin is essentially an animated carrot, this is a very telling example of how the Christmas advertising market is shifting from the familiar and traditional to the more experimental.

TOOLKIT: MARKETERS GEAR UP FOR A BRIGHTER 2024

7. 12. 2023 | 3 min read Despite very real concerns about the economy, the majority of marketers around the world are optimistic and expect business to be better next year than this, according to a new WARC report. The Voice of the Marketer 2024 is a deep dive into The Marketer’s Toolkit survey data of 1,400+ marketers worldwide. Key findings Marketers are optimistic despite economic worries Two-thirds (64%) of marketers indicated that economic recession will have the biggest impact on marketing strategies in 2024, while 41% highlighted inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

DON’T SHELVE THAT CHRISTMAS IDEA TOO SOON, STUDIES SUGGEST

6. 12. 2023 | 4 min read A growing body of evidence indicates that ideas and advertisements enjoy a much longer shelf life than many have assumed, with vintage favourites like Coca-Cola’s Holidays Are Coming and Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot outperforming the market – so it may be time to rethink how to approach Christmas. Why wear-out matters There is no evidence to suggest that ads become less effective as they age, but it may feel like they do, especially when as a brand or an agency professional you are watching the same piece of creative for the millionth time by mid-October.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: THE MOST FELINE-FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS ADS

4. 12. 2023 | 7 min read A Christmas ad must be emotional. An overly commercial approach during the holiday season can backfire for marketers. Each brand approaches the task of bringing emotions into its Christmas campaigns in its own way. Best practices include children, touching stories and, of course, animals. While one might expect exclusively cuddly puppies, frosty little birds, or adorable bears in Christmas ads, many feature cats as the main characters. Why is that, do you think?

BVOD SHOULD BE FIRST ON THE PLAN

3. 12. 2023 | 5 min read Thinkbox’s Matt Hill questions ViewersLogic’s interpretation of BVOD’s impact – pointing out that basing planning decisions on viewing time alone is a flawed approach. Quality is crucial.

JOHN LEWIS’ 2023 CHRISTMAS AD: NEW AGENCY, NEW TRADITIONS

1. 12. 2023 | 4 min read The first Christmas campaign for John Lewis created by Saatchi & Saatchi delivers a new message about adapting to change.

STUDY UK: FOCUS ON ATTENTION, CREATIVE AND SPEED IN ADVERTS

30. 11. 2023 | 3 min read Attention, creativity and speed are the three most important factors driving brand return on investment, according to an advertising effectiveness study.

LET’S KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED, IT’S A STRANGE TIME, SAYS PRIMA GROUP’S CCO, VLADIMÍR POŘÍZEK

30. 11. 2023 | 4 min read Despite the global crises and mixed expectations, the advertising market grew moderately in 2023 in all media types, says Vladimir Pořízek, Prima group’s CCO. He also talks about how the warm autumn weather has affected the number of viewers in front of their screens or why tv stations have to increase the price of advertising.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: THE BEST IN CHRISTMAS ADS OR THE MAGICAL ELIXIR OF FESTIVE EMOTIONS

27. 11. 2023 | 6 min read The Christmas atmosphere is unique and irresistible, deeply tied to powerful emotions. People are eager to open their hearts - and wallets -while searching for the most beautiful gifts for their loved ones. Companies that strike an emotional chord through their Christmas campaigns have wide-open doors to viewers and thus, potential customers. Our Christmas series of articles will explore various highlights and “bests” of Christmas TV ads.

HBBTV HAS A FUTURE. ITS BENEFITS ARE APPRECIATED BY VIEWERS AND ADVERTISERS ALIKE

27. 11. 2023 | 7 min read More than 20 years have passed since the birth of HbbTV. This technology combining broadcast TV and internet services has opened up a new world for viewers and advertisers, one that continues to evolve and improve. The interactivity that hybrid broadcasting technology puts in the hands of people in front of TV screens has elevated the possibilities of TV advertising to a higher level.

HOW CAN TV ADVERTISING DRIVE GROWTH BEYOND ‘PERFORMANCE’ B2B MARKETING?

13. 11. 2023 | 5 min read We spoke to Matt Hill, Director of Research & Planning at Thinkbox, the marketing body for TV in the UK who help advertisers get the best out of today’s TV. We explore exciting opportunities for companies to reach targetted, localised businesses through low-cost TV ads.

STUDY UK: RECORD AD SPEND PREDICTED FOR CHRISTMAS SEASON

9. 11. 2023 | 1 min read Advertisers are set to spend a record £9.5bn during the Q4 Christmas season, according to new data released by the Advertising Association (AA) and WARC.

THE BEST TIME TO START THE CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN IS ON BLACK FRIDAY

7. 11. 2023 | 1 min read Christmas campaigns start a few days earlier every year. However, according to a poll conducted by Broadcasting+Cable SmartBrief, the best time to start a Christmas advertising campaign is Black Friday.

AVOIDING ‘BETTER YESTERDAYS’: THE TRAP OF NOSTALGIA

3. 11. 2023 | 4 min read Nostalgia is a comforting temptation for consumers and brands, explains Trajectory’s Tom Johnson, but there is greater opportunity to be found by looking ahead.

USE MORE VOICES TO SELL PRODUCTS IN VIDEO ADS

3. 11. 2023 | 3 min read The persuasive power of a video ad can be enhanced when its spoken narration uses more voices, finds a new research paper.

WHY COKE LEANED ON ITS HERITAGE THIS YEAR TO CREATE SANTA-LADEN AD

2. 11. 2023 | 6 min read We catch up with Coca-Cola’s global head of creative strategy to hear how the soda brand thinks there’s a little Father Christmas in all of us.

BREAKFAST WITH NOVA AND PRIMA. TV CEOS ON CZECHFLIX AND LICENCE FEES

2. 11. 2023 | 22 min read Two CEOs of billion-dollar media houses at the same table: the head of Nova, Daniel Grunt (right), and his counterpart from Prima, Marek Singer, care about your entertainment and agree that we are living in the golden age of TV. Only this acronym no longer stands for television but for total video.