The Best Christmas Ads of 2022

From John Lewis to the return of Will Ferrell as Elf at Asda, here’s a list of the best Christmas ads in 2022 from around the world.

 

As the holiday season approaches, brands around the world are releasing their much-anticipated Christmas ads.

From heartwarming stories of family and togetherness, to hilarious and lighthearted takes on the holiday season, this year’s batch of Christmas ads includes everything from the return of Will Farrell. as ‘Buddy the Elf’ to cinematic ads directed by Taika Waititi, Michael Gracey and more.

Check out the fill list of 2022 Christmas ads that reflect a year full of change, hope and joyful optimism:

 

John Lewis – The Beginner

 

Another year, another heartwarming ad from John Lewis, the ad follows a middle-aged man as he attempts to learn how to skateboard. What’s all this in aid of: a mid-life crisis? No: when the doorbell rings, we learn that he has been prepping the arrival of Ellie, the young girl it looks like the couple will be fostering over Christmas (and who loves to skateboard).

 

Lidl – Lidl Bear

 

The supermarket chain – Lidl’s marketing campaign is a stuffed toy in a branded jumper, named “Lidl Bear”, an adorable teddy bear dressed in an accidentally shrunk-down Lidl knitted jumper. The bear becomes a roaring success after being spotted in a supermarket, eclipsing even Paddington’s star as he climbs the giddy heights of fame. But later, he realized what really matters and got back to his young owner, who’s been missing him.

 

Boots – #JoyForAll

 

Boots’ ’Joy For All’ campaign follows Holly, played by actor Lydia West, who finds a pair of magic glasses on the bus that let her see the hidden ’joy’ all around her. Lydia effortlessly carries the entire thing and leaves the kind of warm, fuzzy feeling that only the best Christmas ads can conjure.

 

Sainsbury’s – Once Upon a Pud

 

Sainsbury’s supermarket chain tells a fantasy story depicting an English countess’ Christmas dinner as chefs prepare their creations. Everything goes smoothly until the young chef who prepares the pudding is disappointed by the countess, since she confesses that she has never liked pudding. It is then that the cook leaves to create a new recipe for the popular Sainsbury’s dessert that the countess may like.

 

Asda – Have your Elf a Merry Christmas

 

Will Ferrell, Buddy the Elf is once again spreading cheer for all to hear. Using footage from the hit Warner Bros film, Asda recruited the lovable character as a festive colleague. Ferrell’s Elf proceeds to charm old ladies with his smile; put behind the microphone he starts singing. And of course, he manages to decorate the store to the nines once everybody’s gone home.

 

Argos: Avalanche

 

Argos is celebrating the chaos that sometimes ensues when family and friends get together at Christmas time. In their latest ad viewers see a couple nervously anticipating the arrival of their guests – a few visitors according to them, but as a huge crowd of neighbors began to make its way to the couple’s home.

 

Amazon – Joy is Made

 

There’s no festive flex quite like getting Taika Waititi to direct your Christmas marketing. Set to the obligatory indie song, this year’s offering tells the story of a dad whose daughter is obsessed with a snow globe. So, for Christmas, what better gift is there for this strange child than for dad to make her a life-size snow globe of her very own?

 

Heathrow – The Gift

 

When you’re living far away from your family, what would be your dream Christmas present? London’s Heathrow knows the answer, and the result is this tearjerker of a short film.

 

M&S – Gifts That Give

 

Inside each home something unusual is happening … every time an M&S gift is opened, there is an unexpected occurrence that disrupts family Christmases and draws them to the street outside to find it taken over by real-life community groups who will benefit from M&S donations – from bikers with hearts of gold to brass bands. The ad is Directed by the filmmaker Michael Gracey, (The Greatest Showman).

 

Age UK – Fred’s World

 

Taking viewers on a journey through the decades, Age UK’s new film follows the relationship of football fan Fred and his wife through the lens of the World Cup years, starting in 1966.

 

Have a Christmas ad you would like to run in cinema? Contact us for more information on advertising across our circuit in the GCC.

FIFA | Integrated Cinema Campaign | UAE & KSA

FIFA booked an integrated cinema campaign through Universal Media (UM) Qatar to promote the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022™ at select locations of VOX, Reel, Muvi, AMC cinemas in UAE and Saudi Arabia.

 

The on-screen campaign included a 30 sec. commercial booked for a period of 4 weeks – 27 October 2022 to 23 November 2022, at select locations of:

UAE – VOX and Reel

KSA – VOX, AMC and Muvi

 

The commercial follows La’eeb (the official mascot of the FIFA World Cup 2022) as he auditions to fulfill his destiny as the tournament’s mascot. La’eeb encourages everyone to believe in themselves and spread the joy of football to everyone, through the catch phrase ‘Now is All’.

 

 

The off-screen component of the cinema campaign included the distribution of 50,000 FIFA branded popcorn tubs featuring La’eeb, to moviegoers at select VOX locations in UAE and KSA starting 10 November 2022.

 

FIFA Cinema Campaign

 

Contact us for more information on branding options and integrated cinema advertising opportunities across the Middle East!

 

 

Related Articles:

Armani Code | Integrated Cinema Campaign | KSA

AMC Cinemas Opens at Garden Mall in Hail Saudi Arabia

AMC Garden 5 – Hail offers luxury auditoriums, best-in-class projection, sound and seating, and is the latest effort by AMC in an ongoing program to provide state-of-the-art cinemas across KSA.

 

AMC Cinemas has opened its eleventh location at Garden Mall in Hail, KSA. The 5-screen cinema with a total of 549 seats, which includes a PRIME at AMC screen, is another impressive step in the rapid evolution of the cinema experience in Saudi Arabia.

 

AMC Garden 5 Auditorium

 

Following the launch of AMC Garden 5, the cinema exhibitor aims to reach a large number of movie lovers around Saudi Arabia, a goal which is in line with the government’s plan to diversify entertainment content as well as providing new experiences to a range of audiences in several cities and governorates across the Kingdom.

 

AMC presently operates 71 screens across 11 locations in 7 cities of Saudi Arabia.

 

Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of AMC Garden 5, and warmly welcomes this location to our cinema circuit in KSA.

 

Source: AMC Cinemas

 

 

Related Articles :

AMC Cinemas Opens at Ajdan Walk in Al-Khobar

Armani Code | Integrated Cinema Campaign | KSA

L’Oréal booked an integrated cinema campaign with Motivate Val Morgan – through, Universal Media to promote their extended brand offering – Armani Code by Giorgio Armani.

 

Actor Regé-Jean Page embodies the modern, forward-looking rendition of masculinity that sits at the heart of the Armani Code philosophy.

 

The 15 sec. on-screen commercial was booked as a sponsorship spot at VOX Cinemas – Kingdom Centre Riyadh – KSA for a period of 4 weeks starting 10th November, coinciding with the release of Marvel’s blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

 

 

The off-screen component included a sampling activity prior to the screening of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at VOX – Kingdom Centre Riyadh on the weekend of November 10th – 12th, 2022.

 

Perfume samples were placed on the seats, along with an Armani Code flyer, featuring Regé-Jean Page, and a QR Code for the audience to scan and order the perfume online.

 

Giorgio Armani - Armani Code

 

Combining on-screen advertising with sampling at the cinema is an effective strategy when seeking to engage audiences with a new product.

 

Got a product launch ahead? Contact us to know more on how integrated campaigns can help move your brand closer to its target audience.

 

Motivate Val Morgan | Private Screening | Tahit Tahdid Alsilah

Motivate Val Morgan, in collaboration with VOX Cinemas, hosted a private screening of the Egyptian movie Tahit Tahdid Alsilah for our valued advertisers.

 

The screening took place on 3 November 2022 at 7:00 PM (local time) in the UAE – Mall of the Emirates, Oman – Muscat City Center, Bahrain – The Avenues, and Qatar – Doha Festival City.

 

With an attendance of over 220+ invitees across the four countries – a mix of agency and direct clients (and their friends/family members), the screening was a massive success!

 

Private Screening - Tahit Tahdid Alsilah

 

We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank VOX Cinemas for helping us organize and execute the four private screenings of Tahit Tahdid Alsilah, and to everyone who attended the event, thus contributing to its immense success.

 

 

(more…)

VOX Cinemas Announces Collaboration with Celebrity Saudi Chef Mona Mosly

A specially curated menu by Saudi chef Mona Mosly was launched by VOX cinemas on Saudi National Day.

 

VOX Cinemas has announced a culinary collaboration with Chef Mona Mosly which will see the female Saudi Chef elevate the in-cinema dining experience with a specially curated menu.

Moviegoers in Saudi Arabia can now enjoy more than 20 signature dishes at GOLD, VOX Cinemas’ luxury cinema concept, and Candy Bar.

Chef Mona Mosly is one of the region’s most recognisable celebrity chefs due to her role as host and judge on five series of the TV phenomenon Top Chef Middle East. She has extensive experience in culinary art, having trained professionally in Switzerland before attending the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu in London and subsequently honing her craft at esteemed restaurants across the Middle East.

Known for her catchphrase, ‘From My Heart to Yours’, Chef Mona injects passion into every dish and her exclusive menu for VOX Cinemas aims to evoke memories through flavour while featuring her creative take on classic dishes. Highlights on the menu, which has been specially tailored for the cinematic experience, include Saudi Fish & Chips, Mona Shawarma, Khubz Mhalla and Rose Kakadeh.

 

GOLD Menu by Chef Mona Mosly

 

Mohamed Al Hashemi, Country Head at Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment, Cinemas and Lifestyle in Saudi Arabia said: “The Saudi labour market has made unprecedented progress in recent years, with more Saudi women entering the workforce and establishing a strong footprint across various industries. In line with Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s National Transformation Programme, Majid Al Futtaim is committed to hiring inclusively to ensure exceptional employment opportunities.”

“Given her culinary prowess and unique talent, VOX Cinemas is excited to collaborate with Chef Mona Mosly and unveil her as the new face of our in-cinema dining experience. We believe that F&B is an integral part of going to the movies and this collaboration demonstrates our customer-centricity and dedication to providing an unrivalled cinematic experience. This is just the first step in what we believe will be a long and successful partnership and our ultimate goal is to expand this offering to our cinemas across the region” he added.

Chef Mona Mosly said, “VOX Cinemas has set the standard in cinema dining in the GCC and I’m extremely proud to partner with them given our shared dedication to innovation and excellence as well as the outreach to the Arab world that VOX has to offer. I am confident that this collaboration is a recipe for success and look forward to bringing dishes from my heart to yours at VOX Cinemas in Saudi.”

VOX Cinemas’ signature concept GOLD caters to movie lovers who want to indulge in gourmet food. Guests have the option of dining in an exclusive private lounge area or having their food delivered straight to their seats through the in-theatre waiter service. Redefining the luxury cinema experience, the GOLD auditorium features reclining leather seats, plush blankets, and pillows as well as cutting-edge audiovisual technology in a stylish and intimate setting.

Chef Mona is the latest high-profile chef to collaborate with VOX Cinemas. Most recently Michelin-starred chef Akira Back curated a menu for VOX CinemasTHEATRE across UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Chef Mona Mosly’s menu will be available exclusively at VOX Cinemas The Kingdom Centre, and The Esplanade in Riyadh before being rolled out to additional locations including Sahara Mall, Riyadh, and Red Sea Mall, Jeddah.

For more information visit VOX Cinemas

 

Source: VOX Cinemas (Press Release)

 

(more…)

2022 Saudi National Day Cinema Ads

Saudi Arabia celebrated its 92nd National Day on 23rd September 2022, commemorating the birth of the modern Saudi nation.

This year’s theme and slogan was ‘This is our Home’- appreciating the cultural diversity of the country that makes everyone feel at home, whether they are Saudi nationals or expats.

Cinema was a popular medium for brands to convey their wishes to the nation this year. From French multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products – Sephora, to Saudi based telecom provider – Salam, STC and more…  here’s a look at ads that lit up the big screen to honour the Kingdom’s national day:

 

Sephora

The cinema ad by Sephora features Saudi expressionist artist Ghada Al Rabea – a strong Saudi woman, who holds her culture at high esteem, but never shies away from her passion for art.

Commercial Duration: 15 Sec

Locations: Multiple VOX locations

 

 

Monsha’at

The Small and Medium Enterprises General AuthorityMonsha’at booked a national day cinema ad celebrating the nation’s identity, culture, leadership and growth over the years.

Commercial Duration: 127 Sec

Locations: Multiple AMC and Muvi locations

 

 

Banque Saudi Fransi

The Saudi based banking group’s national day campaign celebrates the vision and achievement of Saudi Arabia as a nation in various sectors.

Commercial Duration: 30 Secs

Locations: Multiple AMC, Muvi and VOX locations

 

 

Salam Mobile

Saudi Arabia’s new mobile service Salam mobile in their National Day ad features a virtually performed ballad about the nation’s heroic history by well-known Saudi artists from across the nation.

Commercial Duration: 180 Sec

Locations: Multiple AMC, Cinépolis, Muvi and VOX locations

 

 

Saudi Electricity Company

KSA’s energy provider Saudi Electricity Company in their National Day ad emphasized its commitment to illuminate the nation’s future – “she is home to us, and we are the light for.”

Commercial Duration: 86 Sec

Locations: Multiple AMC, Cinépolis, Muvi and VOX locations

 

 

STC

Saudi Telecom Company commemorates this year’s national day by highlighting the nation’s support and empowerment for the advancement of its people.

Commercial Duration: 60 Sec

Locations: Select AMC, Cinépolis, Muvi and VOX locations

 

 

Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile in a tactical campaign, promoted their ‘National Day Special Offer’ on the big screens of cinemas across the country.

Commercial Duration: 15 Sec

Locations: Select AMC, Muvi and VOX locations

 

 

With National Days of Oman (18th November), UAE (2nd December), Bahrain (16th December) and Qatar (18th December) around the corner, contact a member of our sales team for more information on cinema advertising to mark these special days!

 

(more…)

Movies to Watch in Cinema for a ‘Spooky Good Time’ this Halloween

‘Spooktober’ has finally arrived, and there’s no better way to celebrate Halloween than to watch a spine-tingling horror movie on the biggest screen of them all!.

With a number of new horror releases in cinema this Halloween – from Jordan Peele’s genre bending thriller, the final conclusion to the Halloween franchise, and a good old-fashioned exorcism, both audiences and advertisers are in for a treat.. no tricks!

Check out the movie line-up, and have yourself a bloodcurdling and wicked time at the cinema:

 

Orphan: First Kill

Release Date: now playing
Cast: Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland

 

 

Nope

Release Date: now playing
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun, Keke Palmer

The residents of a lonely gulch in inland California bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

 

 

The Invitation

Release Date: now playing
Cast: Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Stephanie Corneliussen, Sean Pertwee

 A young woman is courted and swept off her feet, only to realize a gothic conspiracy is afoot.

 

 

Jeepers Creepers: Reborn

Release Date: now playing
Cast: Sydney Craven, Imran Adams, Jarreau Benjamin

Forced to travel with her boyfriend, Laine begins to experience premonitions associated with the urban myth of The Creeper. She believes that something supernatural has been summoned – and that she is at the center of it all.

 

 

Don’t Worry Darling

Release Date: now playing
Cast: Harry Styles, Florence Pugh, Chris Pine, Gemma Chan

A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.

 

 

Smile

Release Date: now playing
Cast: Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Jessie T. Usher

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

 

 

Halloween Ends

Release Date: 13 October 2022
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Kyle Richards, Will Patton

Halloween Ends kicks off four years after the events of Halloween Kills, where Laurie is living with her granddaughter Allyson and is finishing writing her memoir. When a young man is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.

 

 

Prey for the Devil

Release Date: 27 October 2022
Cast: Virginia Madsen, Jacqueline Byers, Nicholas Ralph

A nun prepares to perform an exorcism and comes face to face with a demonic force with mysterious ties to her past.

 

 

Contact us for advertising opportunities in cinema.

 

Source: IMDB and YouTube

Highlights from the 2022 UAE Cannes Lions Awards Ceremony

Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan – the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the UAE, hosted an awards ceremony on Wednesday 14th September 2022 to celebrate this year’s winning agencies.

 

The 2022 Cannes Lions Festival received a total of 358 entries from the UAE, of which 61 received shortlists and 22 won Lions – including 2 Grand Prix, 2 Gold, 13 Silver and 5 Bronze Lions.

 

This year’s winners across Outdoor, Print & Publishing, Media, Entertainment for Sport, Direct, Digital Craft, Creative Commerce, Social & Influencer, PR, and Film Craft categories include:

 

Winners of 2022 UAE Cannes Lions for Article

 

Creative heads and their respective team members from this year’s winning agencies attended the awards ceremony for an evening of networking over refreshments, followed by being presented with the most coveted trophies in the advertising industry – the LIONS.

 

Also in attendance were Rebecca Menezes and Eduardo Cesar from Saatchi & Saatchi MEA who represented the UAE at the Young Lions Digital Competition, and Fatma Al Suwaidi from American University in Dubai who represented the country at the Roger Hatchuel Academy student program as part of the Cannes Lions Festival.

 

Highlights of 2022 UAE Cannes Lions Awards Ceremony

 

 

Congratulations to all winning agencies, and we look forward to many more wins at next year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

 

(more…)

Latest Ads on the Big Screen – September 2022

Check out the latest ads on the BIG screen in the month of September

 

With summer holidays drawing to a close, kids back in school and life in general back to its normal routine, September has been a buzzing month at the cinema.

From Indian superhero movie Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, to the return of rom-coms with Ticket to Paradise and psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, the BIG Screen has been delivering a variety of content for all audience types over September.

Our pre-show too has witnessed an array of brand ads. From luxury brands to the world’s largest international airline and Sweden’s very own home furnishing store, check out the ads on the BIG Screen across our network of cinemas in the first half of September:

 

Ikea

 

Agency: PHD Media
Ad Duration: 30 Secs
Campaign Duration: 1st September 2022 to 5th October 2022 (UAE), 1st September to 28th September 2022 (Qatar)
Country: UAE, Qatar
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX locations and Reel Cinemas: The Dubai Mall

 

Louis Vuitton Kids

 

Agency: Spark Foundry
Ad Duration: 1st September to 28th September 2022.
Campaign Duration: 60 Secs
Country: UAE, KSA
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX and Reel locations

  

Hermès – H24

 

Agency: Havas Middle East
Ad Duration: 15th September 2022 to 28th September 2022
Campaign Duration: 30 Secs
Country: UAE, Kuwait, Qatar
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX locations and Reel Cinemas The Dubai Mall

 

Hermès – Terre d’Hermès

 

Agency: Havas Middle East
Ad Duration: 15th September 2022 to 28th September 2022
Campaign Duration: 30 Secs
Country: KSA, Bahrain
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX locations

 

Bahrain Tourism

 

Agency: Direct Client
Ad Duration: 15th September 2022 to 21st September 2022
Campaign Duration: 30 Secs
Country: KSA
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas and Muvi Cinemas

 

Emirates Airlines

 

Agency: UM MENA
Ad Duration: 15th September 2022 to 28st September 2022
Campaign Duration: 30 Secs
Country: KSA
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX,Cinépolis, AMC and Muvi cinema locations

 

Contact us for more information on booking cinema ads on the screens across our cinema circuit in the Middle East.