Why Boots’ Christmas Ad Put Feeling Front and Centre
“Who gives presents to Santa?”
The young girl in the 2023 Boots Christmas advert has landed on one of the great questions of human existence, the clever little tyke. What unfolds in the film, created by The Pharm and directed by Rogue’s Sam Brown, is an adventure of generosity.
To demonstrate that there is a present for everyone at the British health and beauty retailer, ‘Thank You, Santa’ tells the story of the girl and her mother on an odyssey towards Father Christmas. On their way, they show others their appreciation too, gradually emptying their bag of gifts from Boots as they meet kind and helpful strangers.
It’s a story of magic and gratitude that befits the season, filling us all with festive joy and reminding us of how Boots can support our gift-giving efforts this December.
To find out more about the campaign, LBB’s Alex Reeves speaks to Boots chief marketing officer Pete Markey and director Sam Brown.
LBB> Christmas ads about finding Santa have come and gone before, but this one manages to feel fresh. What do you think is the key to that?
Sam> I think the difference in the Boots advert is that the mum and daughter don’t want to find Santa at all. They just want to share their appreciation and pop a present down his chimney and steal away into the night like he does, knowing they’ve done something good. I loved it in the script that they never knocked on his door or tried to meet him.
LBB> It seems like a campaign that's deeply strategic and commercially driven. What were the initial thoughts that influenced the campaign?
Pete> The campaign is primarily focused on giving joy. We wanted to remind viewers that, whatever their budget, there is a present for everyone at Boots. We have an extensive range of presents on offer – over 1,300 lines in total in our seasonal gift range – and nearly 50% of those lines are priced at £10 or less. We have packed lots of gift ideas into the campaign, with the young girl and her mum picking out some of their favourites to thank those that help them on their quest to get to Santa, helping us to showcase the choice and value available at Boots this Christmas.
LBB> When it came to putting those goals and ideas into a story, what were the key decisive moments?
Pete> With value top of mind, we wanted to demonstrate how you can give joy without having to break the bank in a light-hearted way that created a touching and memorable storyline. We also chose to focus on the reactions of each person as they received their gift, to emphasise the joy in being appreciated through gift giving.
LBB> From drawing believable characters along the way to selecting the gifts for each of them, every beat feels considered. How did you get the balance right?
Sam> We wanted the characters in the film to be genuinely touched by what they were given, more for the gesture than whether they got what they wanted or needed. That distinction was a bit of a guiding light: It’s not about the gift, it’s about the giving.
LBB> It's all tied together with a human warmth and authenticity to make sure it hits right. What do you think was key to that?
Sam> It’s the looks on people’s faces that the audience remembers. You can do whatever you want with the action and the spectacle, but it’s what characters are feeling that really counts. We wanted to put that front and centre.
Pete> As Sam said, seeing the way the characters react to the thoughtful gift ties back to our core campaign message – to give joy. Christmas is the perfect time to express gratitude to others, and to see how much joy it brings others is the true spirit behind the festive period.
LBB> What were the biggest challenges in making it and how did you overcome those?
Sam> Anything that covers that many different locations is hard, so we had to be adaptable and prepared for anything, which ultimately created an authentic feeling. But the toughest thing was probably deciding what Santa gets at the end, because it’s the punchline to everything. We wanted it to be the only thing they have left in the bag, and something that could go either way. It would either offend him or tickle him. We went through bathroom scales, hair dye and nose-hair trimmers before arriving at flight socks. It made everyone laugh. It’s just so simple.
LBB> What will you remember most about working on this project?
Pete> Working with the mum and daughter, Jess and Maddy, was really great. Watching a real life bond develop, alongside the one we wanted to capture for the film, was truly magical.
