The next instalments of the Waitrose “who stole the Red Velvet Bauble Christmas dessert” mystery are being played out on social media, with Line of Duty stars Vicky McClure and Martin Compston weighing in on the case.
Agency Wonderhood Makers takes over from Saatchi & Saatchi for this phase. So far, the campaign has done well on social media, with the first instalment attracting more than three million organic views on Instagram and TikTok. Kantar rates the content in the top 6% for “thumb-stopping power” and the top 7% for viewer enjoyment.
There are also various interviews with potential suspects to keep us guessing:
Sarah Hood, head of social at Waitrose, said: “This year’s Christmas campaign has been a real step-change for us and we wanted to make sure we went bigger than ever on social. This is the first year we’ve had dedicated, social-first content around the Christmas ad, and to be able to bring in two of the nation’s most-loved detectives to help crack the case has been the perfect mix of fun and talkability.”.
Amy Downes, creative director at Wonderhood Makers, added: “It’s crucial for brands to meet consumers where they are, and to deliver assets that don’t feel like an afterthought. We are all thirsty for entertainment, and too often brands publish ATL cut-downs on their channels and call it a day. This amplification is proof that investment in talent, concept and execution shouldn’t be reserved for TV, VOD or OOH – and it’s definitely not wasted on social. Audiences deserve and devour quality content, regardless of the platform.”
Is this all too long drawn out? Do consumers really care enough to follow the whole thing? Each vignette manages to entertain while keeping Waitrose centre stage, so even if audiences have lost the plot, they still work as mini ads. Extra points for trying something different – with an incredible cast.
MAA creative scale: 7.5
