And the countdown begins.

 

This week two of the the UK’s four big major supermarkets released their Christmas commercials for 2012. Each taking a different strategic approach to the past few years. Perhaps not so surprisingly given the economic climate.

 

Tesco

 

 

Tesco has launched the first phase of its Christmas marketing activity with a TV ad to support its Clubcard Voucher Exchange.

 

The Voucher Exchange allows Clubcard members to redeem their loyalty vouchers for double their value.

 

Matt Atkinson, Tesco group marketing and digital officer says the focus of Tesco’s Christmas advertising is “delivering what matters to families and making it better”.

 

It hopes to treat Christmas “as a feeling not a season” with a series of ads tackling different aspects of Christmas. The next stage of the Christmas activity will focus on gifting, its Finest food range and its Click & Collect offer.

 

Waitrose

 

Waitrose has shunned the expensive Christmas TV adverts typical of the festive period in favour of a stripped back campaign emphasising the season of goodwill.

 

The grocer said it has “broken with convention” with the ad and is donating to charity nearly £1m it has saved in production fees that would have ordinarily spent on a more festive campaign.

 

The advert, which launches, features celebrity chefs Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal who waived their appearance fee for the ad.

 

 

Sainsbury’s

 

Sainsbury’s is running a research-led campaign focusing on the small moments that make Christmas, in its first festive ad since brand ambassador Jamie Oliver parted ways with the brand.

 

The supermarket has carried out research to uncover the small events fundamental to a successful Christmas for its campaign, which will be made up of 14 different TV spots.

 

Creative marks a shift in strategy from last year’s festive activity that showed Jamie Oliver making a feast in a theatre for a crowd of famous characters from pantomime.

 

All 14 ‘Christmas Days’ ads will be set to the ‘Through Frozen Forests’ track by Aaron Espe.

 

Sainsbury’s is also running its first interactive outdoor campaign, which will be based around the moment the Christmas tree lights are checked to see if they will last another year.

 

The public will be invited to “test” the poster’s lights by pushing a switch next to a giant plug and socket.