Austerity Christmas: Hope and traditional values dominate

A qualitative research study that we will publish this week shows how Britons plan to reject traditional consumption and spend Christmas reconnecting with the things and people that matter most to them. The study paints an emotional picture of a traditional Christmas as respondents talk about looking forward to “just spending time” with those closest to them.

Consumers seem less concerned with magic and spontaneity, more with practicality and planning. There is more emphasis this year on planning and buying early as a way of budgeting at a time when thrift has become more than merely a lifestyle choice. Christmas is obviously about enjoyment and escape, and a certain degree of excess is traditional – but, in keeping with the subdued times, our respondents have said that a sense of modesty and restraint is the order of the season.

And in response to the prevailing sense of economic gloom, consumers appear to be responding best to brands that are using their advertising and marketing activity to capture the traditional spirit of Christmas and tapping in to the power and comfort of ritual.

In terms of brand advertising, the spot that was cited most often by our respondents was Coca-Cola’s “Holidays are Coming” ad, featuring a convoy of illuminated Coca-Cola trucks snaking through wintery hills on their way to town. This ad was spontaneously discussed as a signifier of Christmas, and welcomed as enthusiastically as the families in the advertisement welcome the Coca Cola truck.

The John Lewis spot – a playful inversion of the classic ritual of waiting for Christmas Day – has tapped most particularly into our desire for a return to a traditional sense of giving. Even the more ambiguously received M&S advert captures a hope of a future where “dreams come true”.

Five themes emerge from the study which have significance beyond Christmas, long after the decorations have been put away. These are:

1. a profound need for hope;
2. a sense of post-materialism;
3. a focus on people and things closest to us;
4. the comfort of ritual; and
5. the idea of the rewards of practicality, planning and hard work

So what should brands take away from this seasonal analysis? The message from our respondents is quite clear. Articulate hope and a positive long-term vision as consumers are looking for an inspirational light at the end of the tunnel. Reflect the way that consumers have, in some ways, temporarily lost faith in materialism and focus on values rather than things. Focus on the local, facilitate family, be active in communities and, at very least, continue to overtly support the British economy with products created and built locally. Brands should continue to tap into rituals which offer familiarity, comfort and trust for consumers and create promotions which reward planning and effort, as well as “hard to ignore” deals.