Neue OTTO-Kampagne: Gemeinsam wird’s Weihnachten

Wrapping up gifts, the smell of freshly-baked biscuits, and decorating the Christmas tree togetherare just a few of the special moments in the run-up to Christmas. But the most precioustime at Christmas is when people come together, irrespective of where or in which situationthey find themselves – and the OTTO Christmas film takes this fundamental theme further.

High in the Bolivian Andes, a bus journey comes to an abrupt halt as a landslide blocks theroad ahead. There is no help in sight, and it begins to dawn on the passengers that this yearthey won’t be spending Christmas at home with their loved ones but with complete strangers.This marks an emotional turning-point in the film and emphasises what Christmas is really allabout. Inspired by a little girl who begins singing ‘Feliz Navidad’ (‘Merry Christmas’), the passengerscome closer to one another: they light candles, share their food and experience theunique spirit of Christmas – ‘Christmas is togetherness’.

“Young and old, friends and strangers – Christmas brings us all closer together. With our campaignwe want to show that the heart of the Christmas spirit is about coming together, beingtogether and standing up for each other. We want our film to remind people of these values,which are more important today than ever before, and with this to help get them in the Christmasspirit”, explains Marc Opelt, Member of the OTTO Management Board for Marketing, and OTTO Spokesman.

The online film can be viewed at otto.de/gemeinsam. A 30-second TV ad is set to run from 21November on all high-reach private TV channels in Germany, with the aim of arousing viewers’curiosity about the complete online film. The film will also be advertised via a range of digitalmeasures, which especially include the social networks. The online retailer OTTO has designeda highly varied package of measures to flank the film on the campaign microsite: forinstance, the Cristmas song ‘Feliz Navidad’ (‘Happy Christmas’) re-recorded by MOKOH Musicfor this campaign can be downloaded here free of charge. A particular highlight is that thereare 50,000 postcards showing stills from the film available for users to send cost-free to friendsand relatives via the microsite. Linking in with the film’s story, the microsite also offers insightsinto Bolivian Christmas traditions.

All the facts on the Christmas film at a glance:

• Online film (3’10”)
• TV ad (30”)
• Campaign period: 17 November – 25 December 2017
• Concept: HEIMAT, Berlin
• Production: BIGFISH, Berlin & RSA Films, London
• Directed by: Danile Mulloy, one of the world’s most in-demand short-film directors
• Postproduction: The Mill, London
• Set photographer: Francisco Odriozola
• Sound design: Studio Funk Berlin
  
• Music: ‘Feliz Navidad’ (1979, by José Feliciano), re-recorded for the OTTO Christmascampaign by MOKOH Music, Berlin