Kiwis voted Christmas as their favorite holiday, with two-thirds saying Christmas adverts on TV add to the Christmas spirit and would miss them if they weren’t aired, according to news reports research.
The survey, carried out by independent research and analysis agency TRA (The Research Agency), asked a representative sample of more than 1,000[1] New Zealanders on their attitude towards Christmas and what they thought of Christmas advertising before the start of the traditional Christmas retail period.
TRA’s customer service manager Jo Reid said the results made it clear that brands should still view Christmas as a peak time to advertise, but the research also highlighted the need for adverts to be relevant to Kiwi culture and how Kiwis like to celebrate the holiday season.
“Clearly, Christmas is important to New Zealanders, with nearly seven in 10 saying that not only is Christmas their favorite holiday, but it’s the one New Zealanders relate to the most,” said Mrs Reid.
According to the survey results, Christmas brand advertising still has a place in a New Zealand Christmas, with two-thirds of people saying that Christmas advertisements not only add to the Christmas spirit, but that they would miss them if the Christmas commercials weren’t aired. This sentiment was particularly strong in the under-35 cohort, with this group responding more favorably to advertisements that reflect the way we celebrate Christmas in New Zealand.
“You certainly don’t often hear people say they would run out of publicity, which is great support for marketers to continue promoting Christmas brand advertising. However, they should also be aware that the results indicate that Kiwis do not always view Christmas commercials as good commercials,” Ms. Reid said.
Although 62% of people think the adverts reflect the way we celebrate Christmas in New Zealand, around four in 10 people said they thought the Christmas adverts were worse than they had been before and, when prompted, people remembered older ads as the “best” ads. For example, Scorched Almonds being individually wrapped and Vince Martin Beaurepaires Jingle Bells have often come to mind, both of which first aired in the 1990s. More recent examples remembered as “good commercials” included the Air New Zealand’s self-mockery of Kiwi accent and NZ Post Secret Parcel advertising.
“What’s interesting about all the Christmas commercials that are remembered is that they were described in terms of the story of specific Christmas times – gift wrapping, gift lists, family reunions – and they all captured a Kiwi Christmas, with some people describing snippets. like Santa on the beach in shorts,” Ms. Reid said.
“The holidays are an opportunity to tap into the atmosphere of the nation. And the atmosphere is different every year. However, if you can find that neat intersection between the enduring holiday spirit and the nation’s current vibe, that’s how you hit the right spot and connect with people.
[1] *Nat Rep sample of 1000 people as of August 2022.
