Mrs Claus Strikes a Chord With Boots’ Audience

There’s nothing parts of the British press like more than spinning up a controversy about Christmas ads. Over the years every retailer has found their ad on the wrong side of writers with a few spare column inches to fill, and normally the “offensive” elements simply don’t register with ordinary viewers. (Remember the scandal of Santa’s vaccine passport in 2021? We doubt it.) This year, Boots’ refreshingly bold Christmas spot got the papers frothing over its defiantly non-traditional approach. It’s a glitzy, glamorous affair mixing a Bridgerton star, some social media influencers and a vintage 00s R&B jam. And what did the actual viewers think? They loved it – particularly the ones Boots really care about.

Let’s look at what’s actually in the ad. It stars Adjua Andoh (Bridgerton’s Lady Agatha Dansbury) as Mrs Santa Claus, working overtime with the elves to pack the sleigh with gifts while Santa himself sleeps. The workshop and the gifts are fabulous, with a look inspired by 19th Century chic given a very Christmassy update, with elves sliding down poles and swinging on baubles. Finally Santa wakes just as the gifts are ready, and flies off while Mrs Claus smiles at the camera.

It’s a delightful mix of new and old, with a charismatic lead performance and an upbeat 00s soundtrack (Eve’s “Who’s That Girl”) tying it together with some sassy nostalgia for Millennial shoppers. The ad is standing out from the Christmas pack, mixing an entertaining story with a showcase for Boots’ range and a unique visual sense that’s perfect for a multi-platform campaign.

The ad performs well with a general audience, above the average for retail ads. But unlike supermarket retailers, Boots has a more specific target in mind for its Christmas range – it’s specifically aiming at women Christmas shoppers, which is why they picked Mrs Claus as the theme and portrayed her as a woman getting Christmas done, firmly in control and having fun with it. Among that audience, the ad hit the maximum 5.9-Stars on the Test Your Ad platform.

“As the UK’s favourite beauty retailer, we are on a mission to spread magic and excitement to beauty enthusiasts this Christmas, whilst also recognising the unsung powerhouses who make Christmas so special.” said Pete Markey, CMO of Boots. “This advert is the perfect culmination of both, and so I’m incredibly proud that our System 1 score with our target consumer achieved 5.9 stars, and the results for the nationally representative sample are also significantly above retailer averages. I’m thrilled to know that the creative has resonated so brilliantly. Boots is so well positioned to help the nation’s gift-givers find the perfect beauty gift this Christmas.”

Why did the Boots creative resonate so well with this audience?

As explained in System1’s Feeling Seen and Wise Up reports, demographic groups often respond better to ads when they see themselves and their lives (as opposed to stereotypes) on show in them. That’s especially true for older women – 40+ women are often virtually invisible in ads or reduced to family roles rather than being strong characters in their own right. It’s no wonder that Boots’ target audience responded so well to a dynamic character like Mrs Claus. Controversial? No – just modern, full of attitude, and very Christmassy.

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