John Lewis did it again with a Penguin!

The British retailer, John Lewis, has made headlines for itself since 2006 by putting out an annual short film holiday advertisement. Over the years, the John Lewis holiday ads have become a cultural institution of sort that signals the beginning of holiday season. Critics have questioned whether John Lewis can keep doing its great job. This year, the retailer used a loving story of a boy and a penguin.

There are a few things you can always expect from a John Lewis Christmas ad, said BBC News. Emotive narrative, heart-warming music, vague moral to the story, and most importantly, not showcase anything about the department store itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccscUFY860

This year’s ad featured a young little boy and his pet, a penguin, pursuing daily activities as best friends do– football, trampolining, decorating the Christmas tree, play toys, read books, and go to the park. After watching TV together a few times, the boy discovered the penguin’s longing for a female companion. So, the boy bought a female penguin for Christmas!

At the end of the ad, there is a twist that the penguin is actually a stuffed toy, with the tagline–Give someone the Christmas they’ve been dreaming of. The background music sings “it’s real love” repeatedly.

The ad generated a lot of buzz on Twitter. Most responses for this ad on twitter are positive. “LOVE. John Lewis did it again! Not sure what it says about my state of mind but I shed tears on the bus watching it!,” twitted by Elaine Hallam in one tweet.

Besides the launch of the ad itself, John Lewis did a great of work before and after the launching of the ad on social media, which I think can be a great example of integrated marketing communication. Before the launch, the company introduced a Twitter app called the Twitter Twinkle that post festive messages from fan account.

After the launch, fans can follow the adventures of  @MontythePenguin and @MabelthePenguin on Twitter. John Lewis also offer a companion children’s book, an online game, e-book, and stuffed toys and other merchandises along with the campaign launch.

References:

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-29906347

http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2014/11/06/141106-John-Lewis-Holiday.aspx