Christmas Is 'Too Good to Wait' for in Waitrose Campaign from adam&eveDDB

Waitrose & Partners is offering shoppers a playful reminder of the role food plays in the rituals and traditions of Christmas in its 2018 ‘Too good to wait’ Christmas campaign, created by adam&eveDDB with media planning by Manning Gottlieb OMD.

Central to the 'Too Good To Wait' campaign is the idea that Christmas is about enjoying great quality food with the people who matter most. But when it’s Waitrose food, you’ll do whatever it takes to get to it as quickly as possible.  

In an ITV first, to tie in with the idea of ‘Too Good To Wait’, viewers will see other television ads fast forwarded until we get to the Waitrose ad as it airs for the first time during the break of the second episode of Coronation Street on ITV1 on Friday 9th November. The ITV partnership was conceived and brokered by Manning Gottlieb OMD for Waitrose & Partners.

adam&eveDDB’s playful approach then extends across the entire campaign, which breaks with tradition by comprising not one standalone Christmas 30-second ad but six – each highlighting the important role food plays at Christmas by showing families and friends rushing through a familiar festive scenario to enjoy their festive fare.

In the run-up to the first TV advert airing, ITV will run a number of teasers for the campaign, during which, the continuity announcer will become distracted by some of the retailer’s delicious food before remembering to announce the next programme.

In the first ad, ‘Carol Concert’, a Christmas choir pianist rushes through a rendition of ‘Jingle Bells’ after the organiser makes the mistake of announcing there are chocolate and cherry mince pies to eat after the concert.

Also breaking on Friday 9 November is ‘Mistletoe’ in which a couple at a Christmas gathering pause under the mistletoe to have a romantic first kiss. On hearing the call from the dining room that the turkey is ready, however, the woman rushes off to eat a succulent Cranberry Burst Turkey Parcel instead.

Both these ads will then run in cinemas starting 16 November, to coincide with the premiere of the new Fantastic Beasts film, The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Other TV executions will promote the Waitrose & Partners party food selection; stollen; cheese and desserts. In total, six films will break between 9 November and 14 December. 

The Waitrose & Partners fine wine range will be promoted in print, as will special Christmas products from the Heston Blumenthal range. There are also TV idents, posters, digital out-of-home work and social media activity plus additional contextual ads such as those featured on the All4 channel suggesting ‘time for a mince pie’ when programmes are paused by the viewer.

Martin George, Customer Director at Waitrose & Partners, said: "Looking forward to the traditions and special moments is what makes Christmas the most wonderful time of year, but there’s also another aspect that adults and children alike just can’t wait for…the food. As much as we all love our festive activities, enjoying delicious food and drink is a priority, and when it’s Waitrose & Partners food, you’ll do whatever it takes to get to it as quickly as possible.”

Paul Billingsley, Managing Director, at adam&eveDDB, said: ‘It’s a wonderfully simple idea built around a genuine customer insight; we all have those Christmas rituals that we dutifully observe whilst secretly wishing we could get straight to the good stuff… in this case, the delicious food from Waitrose & Partners.’