From www.theguardian.com -TV Christmas adverts battle moves online as shops target social media
Helena Bonham-Carter in Marks & Spencers’ Christmas advert. Viewers are being invited to name her terrier. We have yet to light the Bonfire Night fireworks, but Christmas will begin with a bang over the coming fortnight as major retailers kick off their festive advertising campaigns.
Retailers will spend about £390m on advertising over the last three months of 2013, according to market analyst Nielsen. That is about the same as in 2012, but this year much more will be lavished on TV campaigns and online, where more and more shoppers search for and buy their presents.
Some of the most memorable adverts of the past 30 years have been store chains’ Christmas commercials. The first glitzy celebrity-laden campaign was 1981?s The Wonder of Woolies, which featured stars of the day including The Goodies and Anita Harris. More recently, Antonio Banderas and Take That have turned out for tearjerkers from Marks & Spencer and John Lewis.
Littlewoods, the Co-op and Waitrose have launched their campaigns in the last few days, and John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams will all be screening their first Christmas adverts this week.