Santa’s Naughty List Is Canceled This Year, So Go Ahead and Treat Yourself

Tesco, the U.K.’s biggest grocer, has declared that Santa won’t have a naughty list this year—which is really great for those among us who ate too much candy and drank too much wine to get through lockdown this year.

It’s also good news for anyone who stockpiled toilet paper and for parents who skipped teaching their kids the ‘difficult’ subjects like math and science when lockdown made them double as caregivers and teachers, as the retailer’s new Christmas holiday ad shows.

The uplifting 60-second spot by BBH London encourages everyone to give themselves a break—because Santa is tearing up his naughty list this year.

BBH said it developed the ad after research it commissioned suggested 78% of people had some kind of “naughty slip up” this year.

Set to the Britney Spears track “Oops!…I did it again,” with comedian Asim Chaudhry as voiceover, the agency said it wanted to give permission for people to treat themselves with festive goodies this year and take themselves off the naughty list.

The campaign also comprises a series of outdoor ads acknowledging the tough year.

“We want to help customers celebrate and this year that didn’t just mean fabulous food and drink—they told us they were also looking for a bit of joy after a tricky year,” said Alessandra Bellini, chief customer officer at Tesco.

“Hopefully our ad will deliver that, while providing reassurance that—no matter how dodgy that home haircut was—you’re not alone and after this year, you’re definitely not on the naughty list, so embrace the festive treats.”

CREDITS:
Chief Customer Officer: Alessandra Bellini
BBH Creative Team: Daniel Seager & Steve Hall
BBH Creative Director: Tom Drew
BBH Tesco Head of Art: Uche Ezugwu
BBH Strategy Director: Lucy Moody
BBH Strategist: Harry Guild
BBH Business Lead: Samantha McLeod
BBH Account Director: Matt Sims
BBH Account Manager: Claudia Richardson
BBH Account Executive: Victoria Azubuike
Film Credits:
BBH Producer: Joe Pawsey
BBH Assistant Producer: Kurtison Bailey
Production Company: Somesuch
Director: Raine Allen-Miller
Executive Producer: Seth Wilson
Producer: James Waters
Marketing Communications Director: Emma Botton
Head of Campaigns: Sarah Parmar
Campaign Manager: Megan Ash and Jordan Beedles
Campaign Assistant: Gabriella Fenwick and Suzannah Kirton
DoP: Lasse Frank
Post Production: Untold Studios
Editor/Editing House: Matt Newman @ Trim
Sound: Sam Ashwell & Ben Gulvin @ 750MPH
Lead Music Supervisor: Hywel Evans
Music Supervisor: Black Sheep Music
Talent and Licensing Consultants: Issy Wedlake @ The Bourne Consultancy
Print Credits:
BBH Account Director: Nicola Lentin
BBH Account Manager: Oli Mitchell
BBH Art Director: Laura Canciglia & Nick Thompson
BBH Copywriters: Steve Hall & Josh Haines
BBH Producer: Chris Sellier
BBH Assistant Producer: Beth Mechem
Photographer: Myles New c/o Rare by Trayler
Rare Producer: Kay Edwards
Food Stylist: Sal Henley
Prop Stylist: Tony Hutchinson
Social credits:
BBH Creative: James McComb
BBH Account Director: Luke Abbott
BBH Account Manager: Laura Huber
BBH Account Manager: Francesca Somerville BBH Producer: Karen Harban
Media agency: Mediacom