Sainsbury’s ‘Mog the Cat’ is the UK’s favourite Christmas advert
Over a third (34%) of UK consumers have chosen Sainsbury’s Mog the Cat as their favourite Christmas advert, according to research by Instantly, the largest provider of audiences and insights tools. John Lewis: Man on the Moon came in second (21%) followed by the well-known Coca-Cola: Holidays are Coming advert (13%).
Despite Sainsbury’s position at the top with the favourite Christmas advert, Coca-Cola was the brand most associated with Christmas, receiving recognition from a third of consumers (33%). John Lewis came a fairly distant second (16%) followed by Cadbury’s (15%).
In regards to the anticipation for Christmas adverts, brands and retailers may have overestimated the excitement with 86% of consumers saying they do not monitor for Christmas adverts in order to avoid missing out. A quarter (25%) of respondents also said they don’t watch an advert until 48 hours after it has gone live, with only 16% of consumers watching immediately.
Brands and retailers should also bear in mind the format in which consumers view their adverts. Over three quarters (78%) chose TV as the format they first viewed their favourite Christmas advert and 90% chose TV as where they watch Christmas adverts in general. This suggests that despite the focus on video and social sites, a brand’s strongest channel is via TV.
Furthermore, nearly three quarters (74%) said they do not prefer adverts that have a social or interactive element, for example a dedicated website or social profile enabling individuals to explore the characters and storyline in further detail. This further highlights the enduring power of TV advertising over social media, for these particular campaigns.
79% of consumers said they would not buy merchandise related to a Christmas advert, such as the telescope on sale in John Lewis related to the Man on the Moon advert and 76% said Christmas adverts do not make them buy products they wouldn’t usually buy throughout the rest of the year.
Ben Leet, UK MD of Instantly, said: “Christmas adverts have become an increasingly prominent part of the festive season within the media. With delivery platforms constantly evolving and the rise of social media, our research shows that actually TV still has a major part to play in reaching the masses. There is no denying that video and social give these campaigns a broader reach, but brands and retailers must consider what it is that their audiences want in order to make the greatest impact.”
Instantly polled 1,527 people in the UK to explore consumer perceptions around Christmas adverts.
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