Suchard's Christmas ad is stop motion magic

Although times change and modernise, Christmas remains a bastion where tradition continues to prevail over passing fads.

 And if there is one deeply rooted tradition, it is that of Suchard as an iconic brand during this time of year. Its presence at many Christmas celebrations and tables continues to be one of the customs in Spanish homes during the holidays.

This year, the brand has decided to focus on its chocolate format as a way of adapting to new times and celebrating Christmas without losing the traditional flavour of Suchard. In its effort to reclaim traditional flavour as an essential element of Christmas and, at the same time, the importance of adapting to new times, the brand has decided to show this duality between modernity and tradition in its iconic 2025 Christmas commercial. After two years of working on its commercial using innovative digital animation techniques, this time the brand is returning to traditional stop-motion animation, a legendary technique that revolutionised cinema in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, long before computers transformed the film industry.

Stop motion animation is a laborious and meticulous process that involves photographing and physically manipulating objects in each frame. When the sequence of images is played back, the technique creates the illusion of movement. Its secret lies in the magic that happens between one frame and the next, and it was used decades ago in legendary titles such as Jason and the Argonauts, The Adventures of Sinbad, Clash of the Titans, The Empire Strikes Back, Willow, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Corpse Bride. To revive this meticulous art, the brand is committed to local talent and keeping the value of craftsmanship alive, a philosophy that Suchard shares.

The new commercial, entitled Son todas navidades”(“It's All Christmas”), reflects some of the many ways of experiencing Christmas in Spain, showing that today each family celebrates it in its own way: at home or traveling, with traditional customs or new ones added to them. Because even though the ways of celebrating may change, if there is love, affection, and Suchard, it is always Christmas.

The campaign features Mafalda Cardenal, a rising star in music who is very popular among Generation Z and is making her acting debut. Her performance brings enormous emotional weight to the story and the song at the heart of the commercial, reinforcing the connection between Suchard's tradition and contemporary music. In addition, Suchard's original jingle, a key element of the brand's identity, has been revived and given new life with Mafalda's voice, adapted to reflect how Christmas has evolved so that new generations can also enjoy it.

This creative evolution stems from the same concept that has inspired the entire campaign: Christmas changes, and Suchard also evolves with it, just as its portfolio has evolved over recent years, with varieties such as chocolates and Minis.

In the words of Cecilia Rosi, Brand Manager at Suchard: "For generations, Suchard has been part of Christmas for many Spanish families, filling their homes with flavour, excitement, and tradition. We know that these traditions evolve and vary for each person, but it is always the most magical time of the year. This year, we want to keep that magic alive by reviving a technique that, in addition to being a tribute to handmade products, conveys the care, dedication, and authenticity that characterise this time of year, showcasing a variety of contemporary Spanish Christmas traditions."

In the words of Víctor Vázquez, creative director at Ogilvy Spain: "The challenge of making Suchard's Christmas ad, a campaign that so many people look forward to, was enormous, especially given that this year's Christmas message focuses on diversity. We wanted to highlight that there are as many ways of understanding Christmas in this country as there are people, and to breathe that spirit of change and renewal into the holidays through a new Suchard jingle."

Bringing it to life has taken months of commendable effort, with the creative agency Ogilvy and the production company Hogarth collaborating on the project. Knowing that such a special campaign needed the best partners, Hogarth opted for local talent and commissioned the art direction to the Device studio of the BOL production company (Barcelona), while the stop-motion animation was developed by Pangur Animation (Valencia).