The Christmas campaign starting gun is about to be fired and it’s digital department store Freemans racing ahead of its direct competitors with one of the UK’s first festive ad campaigns of 2024.

Going live across digital and social channels on 24 October followed closely by TV slots from 27 October, the campaign is “designed to both inspire shoppers and help customers spread the cost of the big Christmas shop”.

It’s led by a 30-second yuletide commercial that sees the celebrity face of Freemans, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, delivering gifts on the snow-dusted ‘Sleigh Street’. Accompanying her is the brand’s own autumn/winter ‘Style Squad’ “dressed from head to foot in the latest seasonal fashion” from the online retailer.

Arriving in a retro delivery van, the five-strong team hand-deliver a selection of gifts to households, endorsing the fact that Freemans.com “delivers products to homes across the nation”, it noted, while it also stressed that the campaign’s tagline ‘exclusively online’ reflects its shift from catalogue to online pureplay.
 
Highlighted items include a “show-stopping” leopard-print handbag, state-of-the-art LED facemask and childen’s Adidas trainers, “showcasing the vast range of gifts across the online store’s 60,000+ products”.
 
The action-packed feelgood festive campaign is backed by a host of content creators, influencers and stylists who build on Freemans’ Style Squad from AW, “this time offering much requested gift advice to the nation”.

The ad uses Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Freedom of the Night’ track, which the star recently performed on the Strictly results show.

The above-the-line activity will be supported across Freemans owned channels as well as broadcast and subscription video on demand and amplified further with as YouTube, Social and other digital channels and PR.
 
Freemans said it chose to launch the ad in October after research showed 36% of consumers have already begun their Christmas shopping this month, with a further 23% beginning in early November.

Key audiences include “stylish women over 40 aiming to both look their best throughout the festive season, plus busy households who prefer the convenience of buying gifts online for friends and family”.
 
Richard Cristofoli, chief customer officer for Freemans, said: “The two-month Christmas countdown is on and most consumers are starting early to spread the cost of the festive season. By launching now, we have two pay days to go until the big day and we’re offering more help and advice than ever before… making it easier for customers to nail the perfect gift and manage their festive finances.”
 
Mullen Lowe’s creative team developed the new concept with Freemans in-house team and Talent Republic who brokered Ellis-Bextor’s involvement.