Tesco Christmases with I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here

Client: Tesco Stores

Christmas… a tricky and crucial time for grocers and to the UK’s ‘Superbowl’ for communications, when shoppers pay attention to the ads and advertisers up their game creatively.

Winning the share-of-voice battle isn’t enough. At Christmas, the objective is simple for Tesco – generate buzz and talkability… year after year, after year. What started as Tesco being one of many sponsors of ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ creating bespoke ads, evolved to Tesco being a deeply integrated partner creating branded content loved by audiences. We replicated sets, signed talent up whilst locked away in camp, and turned content round in less than 48-hours with viewers asking, ‘How did Tesco do that?!’ The secret? Firstly, through a strategic commitment to blend culture, context and deep show integration to entertain the nation and get them talking. And secondly by Tesco, MediaCom, ITV, BBH and Somethin’ Else collaborating and pushing one another to create the most integrated ongoing TV partnership ITV has ever attempted. Every year it got better – not just in terms of entertaining the nation and cutting through the Christmas clutter but also with results – talkability increased by 42%, ROI grew and there was double-digit absolute sales growth at Christmas over the 4-years. An absolute Christmas cracker of a long-term strategy!