CHI&Partners's Laura Rogers Takes Us Through the Launch of New Argos Ad

Argos's Christmas advert, created by CHI&Partners and directed by Gary Freedman, launched today. Called Ready For Take-Off, the spot is a frantic festive chase sequence featuring an Argos elf and an abandoned present.  

Alongside the 60-second commercial [top], which celebrates Argos’s commitment to super speedy delivery, the campaign also offers children the chance to feature in the ad. 

From Tuesday November 7, parents can visit Argos’s Facebook and Twitter channels to submit an image of their child using the hashtag #ReadyForTakeOff. Three winners will then be selected and their image will appear on national TV in the Argos advert for a whole day each on 10, 11 and 12 November. 

Other kids will get a chance to see their face in a personalised social media version of the advert by uploading their photo on the Argos Facebook or Twitter sites and include the hashtag #ReadyForTakeOff.

Laura Rogers [below], creative director on the campaign, talks us through the concept and how it came together.

Above: Laura Rogers, creative director, CHI&Partners

What was the brief that Argos came to you with for this Christmas?

Argos has every Christmas present you could want. And most can be delivered in just four hours. It takes an epic operation to pull that off, which called for an epic ad.

Last year’s Argos spot was very well-received; how much pressure was there to continue that success and was there ever any thought of reviving the multi-coloured Yetis?

Argos doesn’t pull the heartstrings at Christmas, the season is just too much fun to be schmaltzy. Yetis [below] got your heart pumping and this year’s ad will have you on the edge of your seat.

Above: Last year's Argos offering, Yetis 

Like last year, there’s a strong use of music in the spot; is that a purposeful choice?

We wanted to use a track that drove the narrative and had a festive feel, but wasn’t a conventional Christmas song. Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance had the urgency and the joy we were looking for. We think it could be a new Christmas classic, especially if you want to decorate the tree at lightening speed.

At what point did the social media element of the campaign enter the conversation and how integral is it to get that element right?

We’ve all been that kid who just can’t wait to get that one special thing, so this seemed like a natural way to get people involved. By letting children everywhere become the child in the ad who’s waiting for his or her present, we’re taking our epic story and making it personal.

"The scale of the operation was epic in every respect."

Why was Gary Freedman the right director for this spot?

Gary wanted to create an ad that had both scale and heart. He had a mastery over the technical side of creating an entire elf world with a super-sonic sleigh, but he never lost sight of the characters within it or the story we wanted to tell. He created an advert rich with detail that we hope will keep people interested over and over again.

What was the most challenging element to this campaign?

The scale of the operation was epic in every respect. We had a hundred elves and thousands of presents on set. Throw in some stunts, several overnight shoots and a language barrier and you’ve got a grueling week of shooting. But that only got us halfway. The team at MPC worked tirelessly for several weeks transforming an airport in Kiev into a magical elf world. It was amazing. It was exhausting. We’re all ready for the Christmas break.

Do you enjoy the UK’s fascination with and excitement for the major retailers’ Christmas adverts?

We love tradition. Mince pies. Tinsel. Drunken relatives. And blockbuster adverts. Bring it on!

What are you hoping Father Christmas brings you this year?

I’m hoping for a super-sleigh because it would really cut down my commute time.