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Christmas ads: Asda on ice, a good cause from Vodafone

Will there be any Christmas ads still around at Christmas? Joining this week’s early November rush we have Asda and Vodafone.

Asda is going the time-honoured Magic and Sparkle route with ‘Asda on Ice’ from Havas, referencing dear old Torvill and Dean with ‘Bolero.’

CCO Vicki (never knowingly undersold) Maguire says: “Given families were forced to put Christmas ‘on ice’ last year, we thought it was only right we did the same this time around – literally! We wanted to go big for our first Christmas spectacular with Asda – and you can’t get much bigger than Boléro, backspins and a giant chocolate bauble for dessert.”

It’s OK, quite nicely done and doesn’t fall on its nose (painful in these circumstances.)

MAA creative scale: 6.

Vodafone, meanwhile, is eschewing tall tales with famous actors for a tie-up with Barnardo’s aimed at alleviating so-called digital poverty with the ‘The Gift of Connection’ from Ogilvy, inviting people to donate their old devices with Vodafone adding six months free.

This will, doubtless, be scrutinised by campaigners to see if it really is generosity or a sales wheeze.

Vodafone UK consumer director Max Taylor says: “This year our Christmas campaign brings to life the joy of giving after an enormously challenging 18 months. We’ve created an uplifting campaign that harnesses the generosity of the nation at Christmas. We want to invite people to join our quest to tackle digital poverty and do so with a motivational and positive message.

“Our campaign gives people an easy way to help someone in need, and we hope many will find their inner-Santa and join us in our pledge to connect one million people by the end of 2022.”

Actually it’s pretty good, a hard-working 40 seconds in what seems a good cause.

MAA creative scale: 7.5.

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