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Not too long ago, everyone was discussing how email marketing is a thing of the past. Then, digital marketing specialists everywhere realized, and I quote, that "Email marketing is not dead." Frankly, I agree. I've seen firsthand how emails, especially newsletters,...
When it comes to Christmas I always get excited about the idea of wrapping presents, buying gifts for my friends and family, new Spotify playlist, and really good social media campaigns for Christmas. All the time, I cry and laugh by watching them. Some of them are goofy, others are funny, but most importantly, they’re magical.
We thought it’s time to really zoom in on ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ and present the Christmas edition of the best social media campaigns of the year. Our goal is to show you the best examples, ideas and inspire you for the upcoming event. If you still haven’t created a post or campaign for 25th December, then start scrolling 👇. We’ll take you through social media posts from brands such as John Lewis, Samsung, Apple, Costa Coffee, and many many others.
We’ll go crazy and present you the awards by the following categories. And by the way, I’ve gathered the best campaigns from 2019 to date. Because every year comes with a lot of creativity. So let’s start!
This year’s Holidays will feel different, so here are safe for social distancing campaign ideas to get your inspiration juices flowing.
A lot of songs are centered around driving home for Christmas. Here’s a campaign that does this in a cool way: Budweiser Prohibition. The brand created the campaign in partnership with the Department for Transport and its ‘Think!’ initiative. Combining out-of-home and digital ads, it was designed to convince consumers not to drink and drive over the festive period. Cheers to that! *grabs alcohol-free beer*
In 2019, Oreo lunched their first holiday campaign since 2016. And in 2020, it still ran.
Christmas Eve gets an unexpected twist when two new friends connect over OREO cookies. #StayPlayful
— OREO Cookie (@Oreo) November 13, 2020
It appears that the recipe for a successful Christmas campaign includes an elf, festive music, and Oreo cookies. Delicious! The ad features a clerk teaching an elf the proper way to eat an Oreo cookie. You know it, we know it, everybody knows it. Except for the elf. But he eventually learned how to eat the Oreo. 
Miller Lite, on the other hand, decided to make their Christmas campaign about the… elephant in the room. Specifically the pandemic and its consequences. Like the lack of work holiday parties. I’ve got to say, I disagree with Miller Lite on this one because I love my colleagues. However, I get that I’m a co-founder and my case may be a wee bit different than others’.
Regardless, I get the joke and I love it. It’s a bold approach that tackled not one but two potentially sensitive topics: how real we are at work, and how much the pandemic changed our lives. Aaand, they made it funny. Kudos to Miller Lite.
** Also, another pretty cool fact is that those people that look like sculptures in the ads are actually sculptures.
One good thing to come out of 2020?
The end of work holiday parties.
Farewell, work holiday parties #TisMillertime pic.twitter.com/FcPCkGGlOo— Miller Lite (@MillerLite) November 19, 2020
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To continue on the same funny & jolly note, I present you Jose Cuervo. We remember 2020 holidays being a bit different than in other years. Some of us made it to our families, others couldn’t join the party. So Jose Cuervo decided to help in case their customers were in that latter situation. Their way was cardboard cutouts in the shape of the one missing the party. Their customers could enter to win the prize:
If you can’t be with your family for the holidays IRL, be there as a #CuervoDoppeldrinker. Make yours now and enter for a chance to send it home at https://t.co/BM8PhZEMBv. pic.twitter.com/8JTNRmCzCP
— Jose Cuervo (@JoseCuervo) November 16, 2020
Last year we saw Christmas campaigns on TikTok, too. Poo-Pourri is one of those brands whose marketing and campaigns make it viral almost every time. They’ve got their brand nailed down, they got us all to understand it and look forward to each new campaign. Last Christmas they launched yet another hit. Their campaign made us laugh in its classical style with elegance, puns, and stink.
@officialpoopourriLet’s be real…2020 has stunk. But the holidays don’t have to. Watch our new video by clicking the link in our bio. ✨♬ original sound – Poo~Pourri
In 2017, Starbucks launched the “Project Give Good”, which involved offering gift cards to give customers the opportunity to take a break or catch up with a loved one over coffee. To drive some engagement, they also released new cups with lots of white space that consumers could color and personalize for themselves. Starbucks encouraged people to post pictures of their cups under the hashtag #GiveGood.
Voilà! That’s one example of how to get into the festive spirit and encourage user-generated content at the same time.
How do you know it’s Christmas? You spot the Coca Cola truck on your TV screen. Remember that? Of course you do. Last year, they launched The Letter campaign.
Make holidays blissful than ever by giving the gift of love to your dear ones. Add more joy with Coca-Cola & good food. #XmasWithCocaCola
Buy now – https://t.co/CSsdqWFsWR pic.twitter.com/NInrxkuG0n— Coca-Cola India (@CocaCola_Ind) December 11, 2020
And if you’re looking for some social media contest inspiration, we’ve got one. In 2017, the brand decided to do a fun competition in partnership with Laterooms. Users had to explain why they’re the “ultimate Christmas fan” to get a chance of winning a sleepover in the famous Christmas truck. The lucky winners also received presents from Santa, got to watch festive films, and enjoyed Christmassy food to complete their stay.
I know, I know. You’re here because you need some quick inspiration for your upcoming Christmas campaigns. Deadlines are approaching and you need ideas. Stat. Except this task always ends up taking more than you thought because Christmas campaigns are so incredibly beautiful.
Since you’ll be taking at least a few days for this “intensive research” allow me to help with the next task, too. Social media gets crazy before and during the holidays. Each department has something to share, every stakeholder wants you to post something jolly, there are so many messages you have to get across, and so many people to get approvals from.
Oh, and your holidays are coming up too in the meantime so personal life is pretty busy. I don’t want to say I can make all that better for you. But we can save about 30% of your time. That’s 48 working hours. 6 working days. Shortly put: a lot. Add to that peace of mind, and lack of stress?! You’ve got to be at least a bit interested, right?
I’m obviously talking about Planable. We’re a social media collaboration platform where you can get posts created, planned, reviewed, approved, DONE 6X faster. How? I’ll put it super easy for you:
Then, schedule and bam! You’re now free to go buy your mom that ugly Christmas sweater & get revenge for your ichy childhood.
It’s a chain of high-end department stores operating in UK, Ireland, and Australia that has been jing-a-jing-ling since the beginning of December. With each new content created on social media, they have been promoting the #JohnLewisChristmas hashtag to reinforce the upcoming event.
John Lewis managed to balance multiple types of content, such as posts, videos & commercials, and Instagram Stories cross-promotion for this year to bring even more value to their followers. Brits love the annual Christmas spot from John Lewis – like really love. That’s why each year they come up with a new one.
Last year’s story is about the power of giving a little love. It starts with a little boy that lost his soccer ball and a little girl who helps him get it back. It then takes us on a journey of giving back. It’s beautiful.
They love Christmas, and their content is inspiring year after year:
Mulberry is another great brand that loves Christmas. Last year, their campaign was about sharing, kindness, and families. Here’s a bit of #feelgood:
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A few years ago, Mulberry used social visual marketing with multiple creative campaigns using their #MulberryGifts and #MyTrueLoveGaveMetoMe.
I’ve learned so many things from Nordstrom’s epic campaign. They’re a great teacher of the way social holiday campaigning works. Last year, they connected with many world stars to transform the idea of the advent calendar by kicking it off with Celine Dion! I mean, how can it get bigger?
View this post on InstagramThe countdown’s begun – but what’s behind door number 1? #December, we’re ready for you! #fridayfeeling A post shared by Nordstrom (@nordstrom) on
What happens when Cinderella lives in 2017 and has a smartphone? Probably the story would’ve been 10x shorter because you can start a social media campaign just by tweeting the lost shoe, right? Well, that’s exactly what Debenham’s Christmas ad pictures perfectly. It was produced by J. Walter Thompson London and features a pair of followers trying to reconnect with the help of strangers on the internet #YouShall
For 2019, they’ve got their advent calendar ready:
Stop for a second and look at this ad. It’s like a gift wrapped in a designer holiday ad featuring M.I.A., Kristin Scott Thomas, Naomi Campbell, Valerie Morris-Campbell and Matt Smith. All of them in one single beautiful video! For this Christmas, Burberry decided to celebrate love in all its forms.
No wonder it’s tough being an elf on Christmas. You have to make millions of toys, make sure they get delivered, and keep the ultimate secrets, not that much different from a marketer if you ask me. Luckily, our friend elf made sure he remained Santa’s elf.
Some shops simply prefer a different way, and that’s alright, but UO is making sure to focus on both the online & offline presence of the brand. We see a photogenic display on one of their shops in this Instagram post.
And then activating their customers through both Instagram posts and Stories like a true pros.
SEE MORE: How These 3 Awesome Photographers Are Ruling Social Media
Sooo, to spice things up a bit, I thought I’d share a bit of super cool TikTok content that rocked in 2020. Starbucks jumped on the latest trends and fit right in. Here’s some ASMR content from them:
@starbucks Sounds like the holidays. ❤️ #PeppermintMocha #Starbucks #ASMR #HolidayTikTok ♬ Peppermint Mocha ASMR – Starbucks
And yet another one that makes us look forward to next Christmas:
@starbucks Walking in a Cake Pop Wonderland. ☃️🎵 #Starbucks #CakePops #HolidayTikTok ♬ Cake Pop Chorus – Starbucks
I thought that’d be worth complimenting Costa Coffee one more time just for being really active with their Christmas campaign. Because they didn’t forget about Instagram.
Yes, holidays are great but having a friend exploring new skills and getting to the next level of a computer game is awesome, right? Microsoft celebrated Christmas 2018 with an ad about its new inclusive product designed for XBOX.
Nothing says holiday like singing packaging. Amazon continues its tradition of promoting its packaging in every single possible corner of the online & offline world. Can you feel Christmas coming yet?
The British Broadcasting Corporation never fails to deliver the festive feels. It shows what all the fuss around the holiday is about – making & spending time with the loved ones. Well, seems like all we need for a quiet and happy Christmas is to figure out how to stop time, freeze everyone, and finally get that assignment done.
Oh Disney’s great at social media content. And they’re getting into reels too. Here’s what they posted in 2020:
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And what about the best childhood movies & characters? Disney published an Instagram picture with what’s happening in Disneyland. Looks like Micky & Minnie are full-on Christmas mood.
SEE MORE: The 5 Instagram Trends That Will Define 2020
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In 2017, Heathrow introduced us to a snuggly pair of traveling teddy bears, it was very adorable. Now the cuddly couple is back! In 208 they jet home to England (via Heathrow, d’ooh) to reunite with their family over holidays.
Can’t wait to see what they have prepared for this Christmas!
Emirates embraces the festive season with selected lounges and flights for you. They’ve got treats, sweets, and other special surprises this holiday season. Emirates’ holiday video was watched more than 150k times on Facebook alone and was cross-promoted on Instagram and Twitter.
That’s exactly what I was expecting to see from an airline – a travel destination that would make Christmas even more special. British Airways are promoting Cologne for your winter holidays to explore Christmas markets nearby, warm up with Gluhwein, and get cozy.
SEE MORE: [FREE TEMPLATE] Why Your Social Media Proposal Isn’t Getting Results
Erste Group and its campaign for the Christmas 2018 season follow the same viral path (but without being banned). The story about the little hedgehog. A story about the power of love, of believing in yourself, and in the good of others. And no matter how insurmountable an obstacle may seem: love will find its way.
SEE MORE: The Beginner’s Guide To Becoming A Badass Digital Marketing Freelancer
Santa stranded in the middle of nowhere is something you should definitely see this holiday season. Santa’s been found in the outback of Australia. He crash-landed in Woop Woop and was welcomed with open arms by the local community because it’s always ‘the more the merrier’ at Christmas with ALDI.
And have you seen this year’s miracle?
Britney Spears is Tesco’s Christmas campaign theme. “Oops… I did it again!” is Tesco’s way of reminding us that while we may make mistakes, we can chill. There’s no naughty list:
Celebrate your loved ones; not just for what they do but who they really are. This year, get them something that says you get them. See the latest Boots Christmas commercial below.
I love dogs and puppies and I never had one when I was a kid (still don’t). Just look how cute this commercial is, kid shoveling snow all day so he can save up pennies for a pet. Petco offers a full 100% care.
Starring an eight-year-old star giving the performance of her lifetime, all for her mum. Directed by Michael Gracey, the director of The Greatest Showman. The Show tells the story of the North Star overcoming her nerves to deliver a performance of a lifetime, to the amazement of mum. She is supported by a huge cast of 59 kids aged 6-11, all dressed as a variety of Christmas staples – including a turkey drummer and a set of Christmas lights (plug included). The cast all dance and sing along as the stage transforms to reveal a 40ft Christmas tree and a 14ft glitter-filled gravy boat.
It’s the catalog retailer operating in the UK that’s protecting you from the naughty stealers of Christmas magic in their latest ad commercial. Thankfully all you need is to #FoolproofYourChristmas and use Argos for all the deliveries this year.
SEE MORE: Personalized Video Marketing: The Next Revolution In Content Marketing
Well, that was surprising. Did you know that McDonald’s sells carrots (spoiler: it’s from the last year’s holiday commercial). Anyway, they do sell great carrots. Not sure if anyone buys them, tho. Reindeers keep asking for some carrots but seems like nobody cares about them, except the bearded Santa Claus guy. That’s why he heads off to the nearest McD’s to pick out some crunchy carrots for his flying friends.
SEE MORE: Five Biggest Social Media Challenges And 10 Solutions To Them
M&M’s is ready for the festive dinner.
Badass car and Christmas? Yup, sign me in! Mercedes-Benz announces Christmas in style with one of their top notch car and latest model. See this in their latest GIF.
I love a good pun, and Hershey’s managed to use their kisses in the most funny way. Not to mention they got some new flavors. Right on time!
Amazon knows what Christmas is about. Presents, nice boxes, family, and hot cocoa. And they managed to capture it in their Christmas cover photo on Facebook. One of my favorites:
As a publishing house and publishers of bestselling fiction, nonfiction, classics, and children’s books, Penguin Books have always been active on social media. For Christmas, they’ve decorated their cover photo on Facebook with a lovely set of books and illustrations representing the company brand.
The all-known coffee brand has updated their Twitter Cover Photo with a new set of winter holidays cups that you’ll receive while buying a coffee. What do you think, makes you want to drop by soon?
There are two important events in the life of VS’s brand – VS Fashion Show and Christmas – both of them are highly important for leveraging their community and promoting the new products. Since Christmas is almost there they’ve redesigned their Facebook Cover Photo with some of the top models on the page.
A Canadian retail store chain with a primary focus on pharmaceuticals, electronics, housewares, and cosmetics, with a limited selection of grocery items. It seems like in 2018 they’ve followed the trend and changed both the profile picture by adding a ribbon on the logo and the cover picture with a lovely snowman on it.
For 2019, they’ve chosen to focus on their cover photo – smart, savvy, and true.
The eighth-largest department store retailer in the United States did not forget about their online presence for Christmas. Aside from managing to arrange their stores in a Christmas mood, they’ve dressed up the Twitter page with a party-moon-on couple in their traditional white & red ambiance.
The company was recently acquired by The Coca-Cola Company for $5.1 billion and have managed to grow constantly with their online presence. Not only they’re making great coffee but also play with the coffee cups format, size & colors for this Christmas. If you check their Twitter (see here) you’ll see customers sharing this cups online which is an indicator of a successful holiday campaign.
Since I finally joined Netflix last year, I had to make sure and check out their Facebook. Look at what I’ve found last year: Netflix is promoting their latest movie “The Christmas Chronicles”, a story of sister and brother, Kate and Teddy Pierce, whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about.
You can also see Christmas posts by Netflix on Twitter and Instagram.
And last but not least, the award for the best cover picture of Christmas goes to Samsung. They are presenting multiple products in one single photo in a beautifully designed box that you can easily gift to your loved ones.
SEE MORE: How To Tell A Story On Social Media That People Will Share
If you’re interested in reading more, check out these awesome resources
Dropped out of college, moved to another country with 2 of my friends and built Planable (Techstars London ’17), social media collaboration platform, at 19 y. o. Forbes 30 under 30
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