Why brands should chase the Christmas cheer all-year

Opinion

Is the festive idealism of families watching your ads together at risk of becoming a ghost of Christmas past? Not if cinema has anything to say about it, argues DCM’s head of strategy and insight.

From the John Lewis father & son and the Tesco family vignettes to the EE family experiencing Christmas multiple times over, the festive ad season often taps into the beauty of Christmas as a shared family moment. As the young girl narrates for Lidl, one of the joys is that Christmas is “not all ‘me, me, me’ it’s more us.” 

But is the tinsel-tinted vision of a family watching your ads together at risk of becoming a ghost of Christmas past? 

The tech takeover of the home via social media and streaming has helped forge a multi-screen world. One where each person can simultaneously tune into multiple platforms and content, often switching between screens. This poses an interesting challenge for brands: capturing the diverted attention of individual family members.

As BARB data published by Thinkbox revealed, c.10% of YouTube impacts are solo viewing experiences, compared to c.50% for TV. With AV budgets continuing to diversify further into online video and social, is the chance of your ads being seen by families together increasingly slim?   

To compound this problem, REDC’s Families@Home project found that, while social media can be valuable for discovery, there remains significant concern: two in three parents are worried about their kids accessing harmful content, especially on specific, widely used platforms. Indeed, this scepticism could pose challenges for brands active in these spaces.

Shared experiences

Is it all doom and gloom, or does the ghost of Christmas present offer an alternative?

While the way families consume media continues to evolve, parents still value experiences that bring the family together, and this remains true beyond the festive season. 

Cinema finds itself in a unique position, one pitched between screen-based entertainment and shared family experiences.

In fact, in our recent study with REDC, cinema was ranked among the top five paid leisure activities for families, alongside Swimming, Soft Play, Theme parks and Live Events. For activities “enjoyed by kids and their parents,” it was ranked #1.

While perceptions of potential harm may challenge other media, cinema is a safer haven for parents and brands, with 67% of parents agreeing they are “less concerned” about both the ads and content “my kids see at the cinema vs other platforms”. 

It is no surprise that a brand like LEGO, with its ad showcasing how two siblings can be in the house together but worlds apart, has chosen cinema to be a part of its media plan.

Cinema remains one of the last bastions of phones away, no-distraction, together viewing that delivers high attention for brands to maximise their impact.

However, the gift of cinema advertising isn’t exclusive to the festive season, as our new research highlighted, cinema is the top-paid family activity that parents consider year-round throughout all school holiday periods.

‘Tis the season and beyond 

What would the ghost of Christmas future (2026) have to say?

Well, it would likely be a reflection on a big year for cinema that saw the return of true family entertainment behemoths – and likely, that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April), Toy Story 5 (June), and Minions 3 (July) delivered over 15m admissions at UK cinemas. 

As well as being box-office hits, these huge IPs will no doubt capture the wider cultural imagination, with brands vying to benefit from the brand equity of these beloved titles.

Of course, cinema will host these films, but there’s also a massive opportunity for brands to connect with families through partnerships and experiences.

For brands, don’t lose Christmas momentum come the New Year; take inspiration from the season’s ethos and connect with families in a context they value all year round. 

Michael Tull is DCM’s head of strategy and insight