Waitrose Christmas: Plus Points

This week's Campaign magazine takes a look how well retail brands performed over Christmas after the now annual festive advertising blitz.

 "Christmas 2013 was the first time that UK advertising got the Super Bowl treatment" said the magazine in its overview, with Stuart's work for Waitrose's campaign featuring prominently. 

Note the boy in the hat from "Community Matters" and the 3.1% increase in sales from 2012, driven by their festive marketing and three Stuart-helmed spots. Catch them below and get back in that rosy-cheeked Christmas sentimentality.

Some of our recent Christmas work went down exceedingly well with the magazine and its online readers in a poll to find the most-loved Christmas campaigns of the year.

Nice Shirt were the only production company to have two spots in the top ten, with Stuart the only director to have helmed two spots this year's top picks.

Waitrose "The Story of Giving Back" made the Top Ten, despite being not the main focus of Waitrose's Christmas campaign this year (for that, you can see Heston weave his magic here). 

It polled 0.97% of all votes - a relatively small number one might think, but when I tell you that Hungary's rate of inflation remained at a 40-year low of 0.9 percent for the second month running in December, I think we all know the significance of the number. 

Debenhams "Wishes Made Fabulous" came in at a very respectable number three. 

Not quite Christmas Number One on Top of The Pops, but when you're up against the behemoths of Sainsbury's and John Lewis (Westlife and Bob The Builder to continue the Xmas POTP connection), third sounds pretty good to us. 

Waitrose"The Story of Giving Chocolates with a Hidden Surprise"by Stuart Douglas

The last of three festive Waitrose spots directed by Stuart is the most magical; with culinary genius Heston Blumenthal turning wizard master confectioner.

"The Story of Giving Chocolates With A Hidden Surprise" centres on Heston's preparations for his enticing Chocolate Story Box in time for Christmas. It's not your average box of chocolates and Heston is not your average Milk Tray Man - in Stuart's captivating film we see him and his assistants conjuring up delights with mandarin, pistachio and gold leaf, all with lashings of dark chocolate.

Stuart expertly crafts a charming story showing the intricate preparation that goes into making each sweet treat. His beautiful composition and ability to make even a piece of twig look enticing are fully employed. The film combines the wildly imaginative delight of a Willy Wonka-estque story with a portrait of the celebrated gastronomer and his wondrous workings. Licking of lips will certainly ensue.

Waitrose'The Story of Giving the Perfect Christmas Dinner' by Stuart Douglas

In the second of three spots Stuart is directing this Christmas for Waitrose, 'The Story of the Perfect Christmas Meal', begins not on the big day itself but many months beforehand. 

Filmed on location at a turkey farm in deepest Lincolnshire, the spot shows the lengthy turkey tending our farmer goes through over the course of a year in the run up to Christmas. The stars of the film are the fowls themselves as they are cared for, fed and watched over by the farmer through rain, wind and snow. We end the spot in the family home, our farmer taking a well-earned rest before sitting down with the family for a delicious and well-deserved Christmas meal. Of turkey of course.

Stuart expertly crafts the farmer's story as we see the months roll by; revealing a wonderfully warm portrait of a farmer's work, aided by Roger McGough's cozy voice-over. The final scene with the family gathered around the table eagerly anticipating their Christmas lunch, will definitely put you in the mood for the fast-approaching festive season.

Waitrose "Community Matters"by Stuart Douglas

Stuart reunites with Waitrose to deliver some early festive cheer in the first of three spots for their Christmas 2013 campaign. 

"The Story of Giving Something Back" draws attention to the work Waitrose and its staff members do for local good causes through their charitable Community Matters scheme. 

A small boy accompanies his Mum to pick up some pre-Christmas groceries and sees for himself the power of the small green coin given to him at the checkout. It's with this token that he chooses which local cause will receive the support of the Waitrose store - in this case the fantastic work the Waitrose partners do to help with providing a festive meal for the elderly folk of Dibden in their weekly lunch club.

Stuart famously directed Waitrose's TV campaign throughout the 2000s, establishing a distinctive look and feel for the brand with a series of films applying Stuart's signature impressionistic photography and intimate storytelling. His reunion with Waitrose has been heralded by DavidReviews, with the site opining that the two are the "Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton of advertising... both Waitrose and Elizabeth Taylor always looked at their most radiant when attached to their one great love".

Keep tuned to see more of Stuart & Waitrose's love affair very soon.