.png)
Words by Les Amurao and Krista Rebolledo
Art by Krista Rebolledo
Christmas is just around the corner once again! Day by day, we see more of the usual festivities and themes we look forward to at the end of each year.
Likewise, we also see brands left and right adapting their marketing strategies to the season. Come to think of it, these brands do not merely promote themselves through these catchy and inventive jingles and ads. By instilling the spirit of the holidays, and showcasing the jubilance and uniqueness of Filipino Christmas, they show, beyond doubt, that this is really the season to be jolly!
As we let ourselves feel this merriment over the break, let’s also take the opportunity to look at how marketing reflects and shapes how we celebrate Christmas.
Introducing the Season
Who said Christmas is on Dec. 25? In our culture, festivities begin as early as when “-ber” season comes to town!
As soon as the clock strikes midnight on the first day of September we instantly hear a familiar tune: "Whenever I see girls and boys selling lanterns on the street..." as sung by Jose Mari Chan, the ‘Father of Philippine Christmas Music’. Likewise, his reign also covers our social media feeds in the form of silly posts and memes in welcoming the holiday season.
With an identity that welcomes the merry season, marketers also adapted Jose Mari Chan as the face of their holiday activations. He has been the holiday ambassador for Uniqlo, Mcdonald’s, and IKEA where he kicked off the store’s shopping ad with a live rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear.
And who said all the fun ends then? Here, our Christmas celebration that extends to as long as five merry months! As Taylor Swift would sing “We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January…”.