Shelby Ross on the Rules of Christmas Campaigns

Why do you think holiday ads have become such a big part of popular culture in recent years? 

Holiday ads are a time when brands are ‘allowed’ to be emotional, honest and show a broader range. Sentimental holiday ideas have the ability to stay true to the brand promise (no matter the budget) and that’s when ideas permeate, become trends, gain eyeballs and sometimes even win awards.

What potential, if any, do you think brands and agencies have in influencing popular culture with their Christmas/holiday campaigns? It seems like it’s one of the few times that the public actually pays attention to advertising… 

Holiday campaigns give brands the opportunity to be a bit more playful, communicate a sentiment or brand. Our recent work and creative executions revolve around holiday innovative, immersive content, festive communications. It’s been a rollercoaster couple months for the country, and as the holiday approach, we all take a breath and look with hope toward the future, our chin up and the elf now on the shelf.

A lot of people have argued that Christmas/holiday ads have become predictable… do you think there’s a winning formula, and if so, what is it? 

Here at Sibling Rivalry we are motivated by the idea that there is not one specific ‘winning formula’. Rather creative teams (from all walks of life) create original ideas that inspire, motivate and move us. Some will make us laugh and some will make us cry...and along the way we will create work that is innovative and evergreen.

Every year, brands invest more into their holiday ads, how much do you think this helps the industry progress creatively? 

Moving the industry forward and investing in holiday ads does not always go hand in hand, big spenders want to be seen during the holiday. Stating the obvious, it’s no longer just about the traditional ad dollars but more about using creativity in innovative ways to reach a greater population. Investing in new ways of thinking, communicating brand sentiment and creative innovation are as important as investing in ‘holiday’ advertising.

Finally, give us your top three campaigns from this year or any other…

We tend to be drawn to ads that look at the holidays in an unexpected way. And in no particular order ( not all this from this year, sorry): John Lewis: Buster the Boxer, Apple Holiday Misunderstood (below) and Intu: Your Kind of Shopping.