W+K Amsterdam Travels Through Time in Charming Milka Christmas Ad

This holiday season Milka is reminding us to make every day special in the brand’s first pan-European Christmas campaign. 

Christmas is the time of the year when wonderful and magical things can happen. A time of excitement and counting down the days in anticipation. In celebration of the festive season, Milka have revealed a new fable set in Lilaberg, the idyllic fictional town at the heart of the brand’s global ‘Tenderness is inside’ brand platform. ‘The Time Machine’ tells the story of a little boy who can't wait for Christmas to come, and of his family who work together to make an early Christmas miracle come true. Because Milka believes there’s no need to wait for Christmas Day to share some special time with loved ones.

Launching today, the 90-second film was created with Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam and acclaimed French Director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, of Amélie fame.  

Jeunet says: "In order to make effective work I need to start with a good story - something that I like, that touches me, that makes me laugh. Something that I can add my own twist and style to in order to make it even better. And this was the case in creating The Time Machine. I have to say the story is perfectly tailored; a Christmas tale rich in atmosphere, a little boy with a gift for inventing things, a surreal machine, and emotion. Basically everything I am fond of. Collaborating with Milka and W+K Amsterdam has been a real pleasure, and I think it’s palpable through the film. It’s actually one of my favourite ads I’ve ever made." 

The film rolls out across Europe from today and in the lead up to Christmas will air in over 13 markets including Germany, France, Austria and Poland. Digital and social executions further accompany the film online in each market. 

Martha Miralles, Milka Europe Brand Lead, says: “Christmas is a very important time of year for Milka. Our products play a big role in seasonal rituals and there is no better time to strengthen the bond between our consumers and Milka’s tender chocolate. With our emotional film and real-life events, our campaign spreads the magic and tenderness of Milka across Europe this Christmas.

Daniel Schaefer and Szymon Rose, W+K Amsterdam Creative Directors, say: “"We hope our little story will warm people's hearts, and reminds them that they don't have to wait for December 24th to experience some of that Christmas feeling with their loved ones. We are so happy we could work with Jean-Pierre Jeunet on this campaign. His incredible eye for the whimsical magic was perfect to bring our Milka world to life."