- Give us an overview of the campaign, what is it about and what was your role in the creation?
« When Christmas Feels Like Home » is a new digital service addressed to all those who have to work on Christmas Eve and won't get the chance to attend the family dinner. This innovative service,designed by Romance agency, is available directly in the Uber Eats app. Doctors, midwives, security guards, hotel staff, firefighters, they will be able to get the Christmas dinner prepared by their loved ones, delivered free of charge with a personalized bottle of Coca-Cola, directly to their workplace.
- Was the brief for this holiday campaign any different that than the usual? What challenges did that present?
Coca-Cola and Uber Eats are both powerful brands with strong communication territories. The two brands wanted to showcase their partnership and at the same time come up with a great and magical idea for the Christmas period that would stand up from the clutter and also fit the two brand identities.
- What inspired you to approach the campaign this way?
We did not want to produce just another Christmas heartwarming film. We wanted to think bigger; we wanted a strategic and unique idea that would truly impact and help people during this magical season. This is how we came up with an unusual service that fits both brands DNAs and values. Doctors, nurses, night watchmen and women, hotel staff and firefighters – they are thousands to work on 24th, most of them for the Christmas of others. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank them and bring them the magic of Christmas.
- What’s a “behind the scenes” story that only you know about?
At the end of the film, we see our hero, working on Christmas Eve, discovering that his family sent him the traditional Christmas jumper everyone his wearing at home. When the film came out, France fell in love with this adorable jumper. It became a social phenomenon, everyone wanted to buy the same jumper and it quickly became sold out everywhere online!
- Are there any holiday ad tropes that you think should be retired by now?
To sum up, all the "déjà-vu" Christmas campaigns. I think Christmas is a very crucial period of time for business and hence advertising. We should take this season as an opportunity to not only remind people of the magic of Christmas, but also provide new products, services, help, impact people, entertain them to show that we understand and hear them. Christmas, because of the emotions and magic it brings, is actually probably the best season to do it.
- What is your favorite holiday campaign of all time?
When it comes to Christmas, John Lewis clearly knows how to do it, how to talk to everyone, how to trigger emotions.
Be it "The Journey", "Man on the moon" or the latest "EltonJohnLewis", the brand sends a broader powerful message full of emotions and love.
The retailer succeeded in creating a rendezvous which is a tremendous gain when we know how hard it is to stand out during this period.
- What can we expect from your agency in 2019?
It's in our name, in our DNA. So, yes, Romance will create more emotional campaigns, based on more powerful insights and generate as much surprise as we can. Somehow, winning the French effectiveness Grand Prix (Effie) this year strengthened our belief that emotional engagement is key to boost our clients’ business.
- What do you think the advertising industry's New Year’s resolution should be?
More confidence. Great campaigns are able to grow and remain when clients and their agencies have faith in each other's. We are lucky enough to work with clients that trust their agencies. We deeply hope that will be the same with clients that will join us in 2019.