Rosapark: It's All About The 3 C's This Christmas

Now that we’re coming to the end of the year, how would you describe 2016 for the industry, creatively speaking?

2016 was pretty creative in itself, hard to match that. Not even House of Cards could keep up with reality this year.

Looking at the recent barrage of Christmas campaigns, why do you think Christmas ads have become such a big part of popular culture in recent years?

Part of it is investment - because of the business at stake, serious money goes into production. When you combine that with a great idea, you have something capable of competing with James Corden doing karaoke in a car. Or maybe Christmas is when we distract ourselves from whatever else has happened during the year.

A lot of people have argued that Christmas ads have become predictable; would you agree and do you think there’s a winning formula to festive commercials?

Not sure that the world we see in a lot of Christmas ads even exists anymore. We return to this mystical, ideal universe. That said, the best ones always feel fresh, and about the world we live in today.

What are you most excited about for 2017, workwise or other?

Workwise: growing Rosapark’s international profile through making great work. Otherwise, the first summer BBQ on Rosapark's terrace.

And what are your predictions for the industry in general next year?

Expect to see 2016’s wave of VR ideas replaced by a wave of ideas using chat bots.

Which campaign or piece of work will you remember from this year?

Mark: I looked at buying an air conditioner online, and I’ve been retargeted by it all year. I see it in my dreams now. Does that qualify as the most memorable?

And, with regards to the Christmas spots, give us your top three out of this year’s bunch and a sentence about why you like them.

1: John Lewis, the version with Hillary and Trump. The election summerised in under 40 seconds.

2: John Lewis,the original version. Because it’s funny and not sentimental.

3: Sainsbury’s. Great animation, and a song from a fellow kiwi.

If you had a piece of advice for the creative industry to take from 2016 into next year, what would that be?

Better work comes from not listening to too much advice and doing your own thing.

And, finally, what’s your New Year’s resolution for 2017?

Bring more humour back into advertising. When did we get so earnest?

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