opinion column uk

Can Sainsbury's 'Christmas in a Day' rival the John Lewis ad?

Sainsburys-christmas-day-video-2013

Sainsbury's vs John Lewis

Sainsbury's have uploaded a 48 minute documentary called 'Christmas in a Day', directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Scott Free Productions. Can it rival the John Lewis ad and gain more traction in the UK?

John Lewis' ad : 'The Bear & The Hare' was a viral hit and showed an animated fairy tale of Christmas that included the vocal backing of Lily Allen. It cost a whopping £7 million and has been watched 9.3 million times. In stark contrast, Sainsbury's approach to Christmas is much more personal. This in-depth documentary shows families preparing for Christmas and celebrating together, but it also reveals people's personal hobbies and struggles in their daily lives. While Christmas is a time for joy and celebration, there is a reality that some of us are dealing with difficult circumstances, such as health issues including disability.

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On one hand John Lewis portrays the magic, fairytale emotion of Christmas, on the other, Sainsbury's shows how Christmas brings families and people together. They are both very effective and well produced, however John Lewis is likely to retain an edge on viewership due to the length of its video.

As we are accustomed to shorter content, it's highly unlikely that a majority of online viewers will reach the end of Sainsbury's 'Christmas in Day' video at 48 minutes in length although it sends a very caring message from one of Britain's largest retailers.

'Christmas in a Day'

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