“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” sang Andy Williams to ring in Christmas, and while his song referenced carolling out in the snow, New Zealand and its summer-weather don’t miss out on the fun. One of the local celebrations setting the Christmas tone is the Farmers Santa Parade.
Browsing: Santa
To help Santa take requests for Kiwi kids’ wish lists, Spark, with Colenso BBDO and PHD, has brought in a group of retirees to man the Santaline.
Greenpeace is getting into the Christmas Spirit with a spoof of a Coca-Cola Christmas ad. But, not all is as happy as it appears.
It’s not Christmas until New World’s heart-warming Noel character makes an appearance, and this year he’s back to confuse more children, and even the police, in a madcap journey by 99.
Can you remember the excitement of writing a letter to Santa and getting a response? New Zealand Post has been spreading cheer by sending letters to and from ‘Santa’s Workshop, North Pole 0001’ for many a Christmas, and this year it’s been given a digital makeover.
When Coca-Cola stuck Santa on its products to inspire more brown beverage consumption in winter (and in so doing largely created the image of the fat, red-faced man we now know), it obviously realised the commercial power of old Saint Nick. But things have come a long way since then. And anyone with such a high-profile deserves a sophisticated brand identity. Thankfully, UK writing shop Quiet Room is here to help and has created this brilliant, jargon-filled festive brandbook for the jolly old chap.
Fedex USA and BBDO NY have embraced the Christmas spirit by showing what Santa Claus does to those who are naughty rather than nice. PLUS: see what special package Mr Scrooge can expect this year.
Just as humans will always react strangely when they see themselves on the big screen at the cricket, it seems they will also react strangely when they have the chance to see their name on a can of Coke, something the Share a Coke campaign has tapped into, first in Australia and now in New Zealand with the help of Ogilvy. And, continuing its long association with the festive season and adding to the more than 200 popular Kiwi first names (as this chap found out, Osama wasn’t one of them) and colloquial terms like Mate, Sis, Bro, Mum and Dad that have taken the place of the brand’s cherished logo, Coca-Cola has released another limited edition set of cans featuring the names of Santa and his nine reindeer.