Christmas branding is a great opportunity for companies to engage with existing customers as well as reaching out to potential new ones.

Evoking an emotional response helps cement a brand in the minds of existing clients and is a great way of attracting new engagement!

A seasonal Christmas-themed business logo and branding campaign is a clever way to create that all-important emotional connection.

According to Creative Boom, the trend for 2023 in Christmas advertising is a focus on “home comforts, cheesy music and zero worries about the cost of living”. They go on to say that most big brands are carefully side-stepping the reality of the cost-of-living crisis, using imagery of tables piled high with traditional Christmas fare and plenty of expensive presents for everyone. At the core of the advertising trend for 2023 Christmas holiday season though, is an emphasis on “the little things that matter…sitting around a table, having a laugh, enjoying each other’s company”.

One of the most important things to think about when designing festive branding is the target audience and the demographic you are communicating with so you make appropriate choices.

An example of where this has gone wrong in 2023 is with the choices made by UK department store M&S (Marks & Spencer) for their 2023 Christmas holiday season. Traditionally M&S have gone for feel-good ads that regularly become a highlight of the Christmas season for many. This year M&S decided to change tack. Multiple publishers have latched on to stories of controversy and disenfranchisement of large sections of the M&S customer base caused by their 2023 holiday season branding campaign. M&S 2023 Christmas ads include a spot “featuring expensively dressed celebrities “hilariously” attacking Christmas traditions”. Piles of Christmas cards being blowtorched, a board game being upturned, and an Elf on the Shelf being attacked with a roll of wrapping paper are some of the unpopular scenes used.

Creating a Christmas version of your brand’s logo in a simplified way would be to rely on colours traditionally associated with Christmas such as red, green, white, and gold and include things such as foil effect. Engaging a professional graphic design artist will ensure the Christmas version of your logo remains professional rather than tacky or cliched which can potentially harm your brand’s image and standing in the market!

If you are excited to explore new variations of your existing branding that keep up-to-date with the holiday seasons whilst also protecting and maintaining your unique brand values, then contact us at Fresco Creative.