If there is ever a time of year which reminds you of the power of emotion in advertising, it is Christmas. Whilst the vast majority of brands flood our senses with rational, information based ads, there are those few who invest in creating something a little more spectacular.

This year I think John Lewis has surpassed themselves. Don’t get me wrong, previous years’ attempts have been fantastic including their ‘Shadows’ ad back in 2007 and 2009’s ‘Sweet Child of Mine’.

However, as a proud parent this year’s ad really hit the mark. For me, it is the perfect blend of story and music, evoking emotions that feed off a surprisingly simple yet powerful insight – for gifts you can’t wait to give.

As an IPA member agency, we continue to champion the power of emotion in advertising. Research from the IPA Datamine shows that emotional campaigns are nearly twice as effective as rational campaigns across a whole host of hard and soft business measures. This is a trend that is only likely to increase, as more creative campaigns generate significantly more ‘buzz’ effects which are strongly linked to effectiveness.

The John Lewis ad is proof of this theory, with viewings on Youtube reaching 500,000 in a matter of days, considerable discussion across the social network and even reporting in the national press with regards to the music choice. It also suggests that whilst traditionally it has been the appearance of the Coke ad on our screens that herald the arrival of Christmas, John Lewis are closing fast and next year they are likely to lead the anticipation.

So, before you decide to turn the TV off in the run up to Christmas to avoid the myriad sales promotions and offers, I recommend you hold out because there are some real gems out there which bring not only your emotions to life, but Christmas as well.

Blog by Tristan Morris

If you live outside the world of rugby league, you may not have noticed this brilliant piece of PR and viral marketing from the folks at Love Rugby League.

I ask you to put down your pens for a moment and even if you’re not a sport lover, watch this video… Love Rugby League’s 2011 Season Review…. in Lego.

Uploaded only on Monday (21st) the video has already received over 40,000 hits on You Tube, as well as numerous Tweets and Facebook messages.

Even better, the video also featured on Granada Reports and in The Sun among others, further raising the profile of Love Rugby League, not to mention the sport itself.

Such a simple idea that apparently took two pain-staking months to complete – and it’s proved to be a massive hit.

Can’t wait to see what next season brings!

Blog by Robyn Percy