Case: Learning from the Coca-Cola Christmas Commercial, 4 Practical Tips for Your Creative
When you’ve got Oscar-winner Taika Waititi at the creative helm, anticipate some serious impact for your Christmas ad. Coca-Cola executed this flawlessly, kicking off the holiday season with a potent narrative featuring a father’s epic journey to deliver a heartfelt letter to Santa for his child. Observe the peaks in emotional engagement along with their corresponding scenes above. And learn from our observations below.
1. Elevate Your Narrative Game:
It’s all about crafting an emotionally engaging storyline. The ups and downs in emotional resonance are strategic, aligning precisely with the moments designed to evoke a heartfelt response. While appreciation dips as the father departs home, it soars when his daughter reenters the picture, propelling the story forward. Those trying moments of the father braving the elements? They’re the ultimate build-up to the climax: the reunion of father and daughter, facilitated by Santa Claus.
2. Strengthen the Emotion with Kids and Creatures:
Waititi’s genius in delivering an emotional experience is glaringly evident in the analysis. The entire ad outperforms the benchmark, and here’s the trick – children and animals consistently strike a chord in commercials. The peak is reached when the father leaves his daughter at home, creating an emotional high. An unexpected twist, like the colossal whale leaping alongside the father’s boat, elevates appreciation significantly. Those powerful creatures undeniably leave their mark.
3. Trigger Mirror Neurons and Captivate:
During the father’s arduous journey, there’s a slight dip in audience appreciation. However, when Santa’s residence finally appears on the horizon, you can literally see the relief on the father’s face, and appreciation shoots up instantly. Faces are magnetic; they capture and hold viewers’ attention. Our brains are wired to mirror the actions of others, thanks to mirror neurons. Incorporating expressive facial expressions into your commercial enhances the likelihood of conveying those emotions to your audience.
4. Flaunt Your Unique Brand Assets:
After the climactic moments, there’s a final surge in appreciation when Santa Claus, who’s been conspicuously absent until then, is revealed as the driver of the iconic Coca-Cola truck. Coca-Cola masterfully taps into nostalgia and recognition. Multiple distinctive brand elements harmoniously converge – the Coca-Cola truck, Santa Claus, and the Coca-Cola logo, all in one frame. As the commercial concludes, appreciation reaches its zenith. By showcasing these distinctive brand elements at this juncture, producers increase the odds of leaving an indelible mark in consumers’ memories. Consequently, these elements will come to the forefront when consumers make choices in the soft drink aisle, fortifying their mental market position.
Keen to put your commercial through the litmus test and gauge the distinctiveness of your brand assets? While Coca-Cola has been a brand powerhouse for years, growth is a constant pursuit for brands, irrespective of their scale. Even minor tweaks to your creative can yield substantial results. With Creative Testing Platform you can do comprehensive content evaluations at every stage. Intrigued?
Reach out to Pau.
And hereby the whole commercial, just to get in the Christmas mood: