A tale of two supermarket Christmases: a battle of symbols and sentiment

It’s Coles versus Woolies in a supermarket Christmas campaign showdown. Mary Winter and Tim Riches unpick the stories, signs and symbols to determine which half of the supermarket duopoly is best tapping into Australia’s festive spirit this year.

It’s Christmas business, but not as usual this year.

Between lingering Covid, lockdown PTSD and a burgeoning cost of living crisis, brands must tread a careful line between the warmth of human connection and the need to balance the household books.

For retailers, it feels like a closing window of opportunity in the face of a potentially bleak 2023. A moment to say to people, “get out and spend now before the interest rates and energy bills really bite”.

And for brands that often struggle to get past price-based advertising, ‘tis the season to double down on emotion, culture and connection. A shortcut way to do that is to lean into Christmas’s rich stories and symbolism.

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Read the full article on Mumbrella 

Mary Winter is Insights Director at Principals.
Tim Riches is Group Strategy Director at Principals.