BIG W brings on Christmas in emotive campaign via M&C Saatchi, Sydney
2020 has been a year like no other and this Christmas will be celebrated in a way like no other. To highlight this, BIG W has kicked off its seasonal campaign via M&C Saatchi Sydney, with a message that it’s time to bring on the lights, the anticipation, the smiles and surprises – it’s time to bring on Christmas.
The campaign launched on air with a 30 second brand TVC, capturing an emotive story; reflective of the year that has been by celebrating our community heroes, and capturing the excitement of the season ahead.
The TVC shows BIG W helping a community bring one boy’s Christmas wish to life this year, after his Dad selflessly gave up Christmas with his family last year to battle the local bushfires. Jack rallies his community together and with the help of BIG W, surprises his family with an incredible Christmas lights makeover.
Says Avish Gordhan, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi: “Any Christmas campaign is big, but this year we had an opportunity to do something different – a meaningful act rather than a traditional Christmas ad. This was a chance to bring on the good vibes of Christmas and we started by doing that for Jack and his family.”
Kristen Linders, general manager, marketing, BIG W, says every day really has been a big day this year: “The anticipation of the festive season is building, and at BIG W we’re doing all we can to make preparing for Christmas a little bit easier for families. We have curated thousands of affordable gifts under $30 for our online Gift Spot, safer shopping experiences with Contactless Pick up, Direct to boot and online lay-by, as well as faster delivery solutions to ensure your special Christmas gifts make their way to loved ones, near and far.”
BIG W’s ‘Bring on Christmas’ TVC forms part of a wider integrated marketing effort across TV, radio, online, social, OOH, SEM and PR.
Client: BIG W
Kristen Linders – General Manager, Marketing
Carly Bowra – Head of Marketing – Creative at BlueDot
Mel McPherson – Marketing Manager
Fiona Harrop – Head of Media Buying, Social Media and Public Relations
Michelle Bartolo – Public Relations Manager
Alice Harrison – Social Media Manager
Aleksandra Knezevic – Marketing Coordinator
Creative Agency: M&C Saatchi
CCO: Cam Blackley
Executive Creative Director: Avish Gordhan & Mandie van der Merwe
Creative Director: Brendan Donnelly
Copywriter: Tom Bradbeer
Art Director: Laura Brown
Design Director: Simone Cherry
Group Head: Ben Greenslade
Senior Account Director: Laura Jones
Account Manager: Britta Fehn-Jeffery
Account Manager: Sean O’Shea
Account Executive: Brianna Morton
Integrated Project Director: Vanessa Millemaggi
Senior Strategy Director: Sabrina Douglas
Social Strategy Director: Emma Parsons
Strategist: Amy Grant
Senior TV Producer: Ros Payne
Production Company: Filmgraphics
Directors: Tourist
Producer: Anna Fawcett
Post Production: Resolution
Music and sound design: Song Zu
PR Agency: R ed Havas Media Agency: Carat
23 Comments
Very good. Nice relevant narrative. Links seamlessly to values of family and commitment to community before ramping up the emotion of Xmas very nicely.
I think you have to be incredibly average to be touched by this sort of advertising, so I don’t have a clue how to react.
Nothing groundbreaking, but real and wholesome.
for a big w ad, I actually liked this.
So much better than other retailer’s. “Low prices for life” anyone?
I usually only cry on Tuesdays, but here we are.
horrid, forgettable
Really enjoyed this! Well done to all those involved.
I get it now. Big White families.
Nice piece of storytelling at a time when we could all do with a little brightness in our lives. Makes you appreciate all the rural fire and emergency volunteer services that put others first year round. Well done Big W on a genuine act.
I wanted to like it but then I watched it.
To convince a woolies company to do something meaningful is a huge effort. Shouldn’t be slagging this at all.
Just lovely. Great work to the Tourist Boys!
What a lovely story told with heart.
Sorry. I can’t believe that this was made. Who is watching this? Why is an audience member spending 2.5 mins to watch this video? the act is generous – but not sure the white family is really zeitgeist casting. What was the production budget on this? Wonder what the kpis are?
Looking forward to see how this plays out in media. Wish I could sit in the meeting where the team tries to spin a CTR of .9% as “good for this category”.
I’m sure about 12 people killed the creative from a good strategy but overall creative like this breaks my heart because it’s a waste of time for the audience and the people who made it, and it won’t make anyone do anything to remember big w. And that was actually what the creative was supposed to do.
I am sorry that you worry so much about KPI’s,CTR’s and ‘zeitgeist casting’-whatever that means.It is just advertising my friend.
I do hope you are planning on a nice break at Christmas.
That’s what it’s supposed to be? It’s pretty average advertising then. Doesn’t want me to buy from the store. And if you’re not worrying about audiences from the advertising, then you are not doing your job properly. If you don’t know what zeitgeist casting means then you’re probably contributing to the perpetuation of the myth that Australia is entirely white. Either way, merry xmas to you.
You wouldn’t be a junior planner by any chance?
Hey Sorry, have you actually seen the ad on TV? Suggest you watch out for it as it might also help muster up some Christmas spirit..
Kudos to Big W for going against the grain and using their Christmas campaign to actually do something nice for a real family after a crappy year
Guessing not many of you naysayers have been to a Big W? It’s a discount department store. In shopping centres. In the suburbs with people that work hard have families and mortgages. This is spot-on for the times. Well done M&C and Big W.
Seems like advertising these days breeds such hasteful disdain on other people’s work. What happened to simply not liking it and providing some sort of constructive criticism without being nasty and sarcastic? Guess we just forget or choose to ignore the time and effort people put in to get work up. I’ve caught myself doing this at times and its actually quite sad. Is it an industry thing? Yes this ad might not be different. Yes it might not make you want to shop at Big W (but then again how many ads truly make you want to do anything these days). In my opinion the story was nice and felt genuine. May even afford Big W some sort of memorable space in audiences’ minds. I’m not white and I didn’t think anything of the casting until it was mentioned in the comments. Guess everyone is entitled to their own sensitivities. Overall I would say nice job to those involved. *thumbs up*
Maybe a tad long but aren’t we all guilty of that! Thought it was nicely done and from a good wholesome place. Got goosebumps and loved the end shot of the mega light art dept job! Nice work guys.
This is the epitome of borrowed interest.