Christmas Magic from TV Commercials

week 51 / 18 December 2014

STORIES BUILD BRANDS

Christmas magic from TV commercials

The Netherlands Germany Luxembourg RTL Ventures expands Celebrity portal VIP.de RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg presents interest in children’s launches a new modern Christmas programming learning company Squla magazine-style look ‘Made in Luxembourg’ week 51 / 18 December 2014

STORIES BUILD BRANDS

Christmas magic from TV commercials

Cover Montage with screenshot from the John Lewis ad and RTL Group christmas tree

Publisher RTL Group 45, Bd Pierre Frieden L-1543 Luxembourg

Editor, Design, Production RTL Group Corporate Communications & Marketing

k before y hin ou T p r in t

backstage.rtlgroup.com backstage.rtlgroup.fr backstage.rtlgroup.de QUICK VIEW

RTL Ventures expands interest in Squla RTL Ventures p.11–12 The art of storytelling in TV commercials IP Deutschland p.4–10 VIP.de shines again Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland p.13

Christmas programming ‘Made in Luxembourg’ RTL Lëtzebuerg p.14–15

Big Picture p.16

SHORT NEWS PEOPLE p.17–18 p.19 For its holiday edition, Backstage explains how TV’s ability to engage audiences through compelling storytelling helps advertisers reach their THE ART OF target group creatively. Let yourself be enchanted by TV’s Christmas magic. STORYTELLING

Germany – 17 December 2014 IP Deutschland

How TV advertising enchants Christmas 4 Christmas is coming and people are flocking to relaxation. “We are in a very specific mood when the shops in droves. Countless adverts promise we watch television,” says Scheier. At home, our the perfect gift for your loved ones – especially on attention level and fundamentally critical attitude television. Just switch them off? No! In fact, very few towards the world adjusts itself to a pleasant level. viewers switch channels during commercial breaks. The TV is turned on to switch off. Ideally, however, the viewer doesn’t just have it on in the background, With 97 per cent of European households having but gets caught up in it – as with game shows or at least one TV set and the average adult watching a football match. TV appeals to the emotions; the TV for three and a half hours a day, television images and sounds not only reach viewers, but also provides a powerful environment for placing move and captivate them. And the more emotionally effective advertising campaigns. In Germany alone, involved the viewer becomes, the more attentively 3.8 million ads are served in 200,000 different they watch what’s happening on the screen. time slots on 23 TV channels per year – 700,000 of them on Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland channels. The Christmas formula: exaggerate, move, fantasise This media power can be used to quickly generate demand. “TV sells. An ad goes on air, In an article for the German trade magazine Horizont, and immediately the sales figures go up,” says Communications Consultant Dirk Nitschke looks neuropsychologist Christian Scheier, Managing at current Christmas advertising campaigns and Director of the marketing consultancy Decode, notes a lack of “love of production and the art of who performed a study on the advertising impact of seduction” in numerous ads. He does also highlight television commercials for IP Deutschland. A recent positive examples, which pick up on the full range analysis conducted by the market research institute of passionate Christmas feelings in creative ways – Brand Science on behalf of IP Deutschland also from a desire to be enchanted to detached irony that confirmed that as a key medium, TV remains the shows Christmas as a shopping frenzy and family strongest sales booster in the media mix. survival training. He gives the example of the TV ad for the British luxury fashion label Mulberry. Under The magic formula: relaxation + emotion the slogan ‘Win Christmas’, a family competes to give the perfect Christmas present. Unusual The challenge with the high volume of advertising ideas, like a self-painted portrait, a puppy and on television is attracting viewers’ attention. even a unicorn are surpassed by a Mulberry bag Companies rely on their brands and on psychology that proves to be excellent surprise – and from the to captivate audiences with tailor-made TV grandmother, of all people, who is usually known for commercials. One important aspect in designing giving unimaginative presents. Nitschke explains: campaigns is that television is a medium of “Instead of flogging old clichés, the ad inventively

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Mulberry Christmas ad 2014

Mulberry proofs that grandmas know how to win Christmas

5 and imaginatively plays with them. This is advertising contribute to the quality of the story. In an interview that seduces you and is a temptation in itself – you with the IP Deutschland publication Fourscreen he want to see the ad again, laugh at the punch line explains: “Really good stories have protagonists a second time, get goosebumps again, discover with whom I as a viewer can establish a positive more details or entertain friends with it. Especially relationship, be moved by or even identify with what at Christmas, advertising should dare to return to happens to them or by the motives behind their its very essence: to exaggerate, move, tell stories, actions in some way, or where given the situation in fantasise, overembellish, spread stories that are not which the protagonist find themselves, I can’t guess commonplace or interchangeable.” how the whole thing will turn out for them, and at the same time I feel that it’s somehow personally worthwhile for me to stick with it until the end and just not prematurely switch channels.”

Familiar situations, unexpected plot

Plots can now be condensed so much “that it is even possible to tell a moving story in a 20-second video,” explains Klugius. So new advertising formats with a length of 90 advertising seconds are sufficient “to convincingly convey even advertising messages in productions of a journalistic quality.” Klugius says the great difficulty is not to overstretch the dramatic and thematic arc of 90 seconds: “The more I want to reach my audience not only with emotional brand messages, but also cognitively, the more important it is to pay attention to seemingly simple aspects such Ulrich Klugius, Editorial Director of RTL Explosiv – Das Magazin as linearity and accessibility in the storytelling.” This can be achievied with a minimum of protagonists, For Ulrich Klugius, Editorial Director of few jumps in place, time and storyline, simple RTL Explosiv – Das Magazin, viewers’ identification voiceovers and natural-sounding dialogue. with a commercial’s protagonist – with their thoughts and actions, as well as their goals and conflicts – Next >

The different forms of branded entertainment

6 For a story to fully unfold its effectiveness, Klugius Mann is convinced that advertisers will continue to says that a familiar situation on its own isn’t enough. use stories going forward: “Storytelling is becoming In contrast to the closeness and familiarity that the increasingly important in communication, so in the audience feels, there must also be an unexpected future branded entertainment will play a greater role element: “We are only receptive and attentive when in brand communication. And Mediengruppe RTL our curiosity is aroused. I believe that the greatest Deutschland not only supplies the content for it, but art of storytelling is to relate the hitherto unheard, to thanks to the vast reach of its channels also ensures show the unknown, and at the same time offer much that the content is seen.” that is familiar.” Storytelling is television’s strength: that, and Next Level: branded entertainment augmenting it with products. Focus group participants repeatedly confirm why TV commercials To ensure maximum viewer attention, achieve a different effect than print ads: “One is an advertisers go one step further and use special advertisement. The other is like real life.” forms of advertising with individual concepts – branded entertainment succeeds in integrating brands and products in the respective TV format. According to Lars-Eric Mann, Sales Director THE LEGEND OF COCA-COLA AND Solutions at IP Deutschland, the content design of SANTA CLAUS such elements as product placements is crucial to the success of a campaign. Instead of placing the The figure of Santa Claus originated in New York advertising message as the focus of a TV spot, the based on the Dutch Sinterklaas and British Father important thing is to let the viewer experience a story Christmas. The US cartoonist Thomas Nast coined spontaneously and intuitively, as part of the plot today’s image of Santa Claus in 1863 with a of a TV programme. In the Fourscreen interview, drawing for Harper’s Weekly magazine: chubby, Mann explains the secret to success for branded jocular, with a long beard and the reindeer on the entertainment campaigns: “Success depends on the roof. When Nast was asked to colour his work he design of the content. For example, if you place the decided to use red and white. Shortly afterwards, product in the world of an existing format, everyone Santa Claus was given a list of children ‘bad and involved must be clear that the story comes first, and good’ and moved to the North Pole, where he not the brand. The brand must conform to the format, makes toys. The Swedish graphic designer and not vice versa. If that doesn’t work well, the stories cartoonist Haddon Sundblom used this model in and brand integration quickly become implausible.” 1931 when he drew Santa Claus for a Coca-Cola Company advertising campaign. The character’s Teamwork for the perfect campaign face is said to have resembled that of a retired Coca-Cola employee. With each of Sundblom’s Lars-Eric Mann emphasises the importance of drawings of Santa Claus, which he has fashioned close cooperation between all parties involved in every year until 1964, he consolidated the image the development of advertising campaigns in order of the friendly, chubby man with a white beard and to meet the challenges of branded entertainment: red winter coat. The success of the campaign, “A successful branded entertainment campaign which has continued over decades, caused Santa is never an individual achievement, which is why Claus’ appearance to be attributed to Coca-Cola IP Deutschland brings everyone who has anything to this day. to do with the format and the advertising integration together at a table – from the channel’s editorial team, the production company, the specialist agency, and the creative department. Here we fully leverage our media expertise as part of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland.”

Learn more about the legend of Coca-Cola and Santa Claus

Read more in the Next > IP Deutschland publication Fourscreen

7 Matthias Dang Managing Director of IP Deutschland

“People have always been fascinated by stories, so it’s no surprise that an advertising message, too, is best remembered when embedded into a nice story. Every year Coca-Cola manages to get its advertising perceived as a short film, because they do everything right despite the time constraints: there’s a story with a beginning and an end, plus catchy music. So simple and so effective!”

Scan or click to watch Coca-Cola ad 2014 Dirk Nitschke Brand and Communication Expert

“Marks & Spencer is currently doing an ingenious job with its two fairies Magic and Sparkle, who are sent out to delight people with gifts and surprises. The central theme of ‘Follow the Fairies’ is the communication platform that unites everything from the viral ad and TV commercial to the POS and online shop, linking all channels. Each touchpoint becomes a component in completing the story.

Magic and Sparkle support the archaic human yearning to be enchanted by Christmas, and it is addressed here in an all-but fairytale-like way and with a lot of wit. The campaign conveys values and moral messages and doesn’t ignore the reason for their existence – whetting the appetite for consumption without it having to degenerate into an over-the-top spending spree. Products for a variety of target groups can be harmoniously integrated, ultimately culminating in a supremely humane message that suits the celebration of love: that nothing is worth anything without love.”

Scan or click to watch Marks and Spencer ad 2014 Lindsey Clay Chief Executive of Thinkbox

“My favourite Christmas ad ever is ‘The Long Wait’ for the UK-based John Lewis chain of department stores. The ad follows the story of a little boy counting down the days until Christmas. He is clearly desperate for the time to pass. We see him staring out of the window, watching the clock, sighing and drumming his fingers on the table. Finally, Christmas Day arrives and he springs out of bed but – here comes the twist – he walks straight past the pile of presents waiting for him and into his parents’ bedroom to wake them up with a beatific smile and the Christmas gift he has been longing to give them.

This ad is brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed. There is no dialogue; just a rather soulful soundtrack and a few words on screen at the end ‘For gifts you can’t wait to give’ with the brand logo. We don’t even see what is inside the badly but lovingly wrapped gift. But the ad is no less successful for that. What it does is capture something wonderful about the spirit of Christmas as we would all like it to be and associate that in an incredibly powerful way with the John Lewis brand. It is televisual emotional story telling at its finest. It is not only the most popular advertising in the UK, it is also the most effective and the John Lewis business has seen record sales and profits as a result. Bravo!”

Scan or click to watch John Lewis ad 2011 RTL VENTURES EXPANDS INTEREST IN SQULA RTL Ventures

On 16 December 2014, RTL Ventures announced to increase its interest in Squla, the leading children’s learning technology company. As a result, RTL Ventures’ total interest in Squla will grow by 17 percentage points, from 20.3 per cent to 37.3 per cent. The Netherlands – 16 December 2014

Squla has more than doubled its subscriber numbers from 33,000 in April 2013 to 82,000 to date

Nicolas Eglau, Managing Director of RTL Ventures, says: “The digital revolution is now entering more traditional markets such as education. As a result of technological developments, e-learning is becoming more attractive and online education is becoming more interactive and personal. Squla was a first-mover in this growing market and has become an authority in the field of e-learning for children. Our initial investment demonstrated our belief in this innovative concept and we see great potential for further growth, both in the Netherlands and beyond. We look forward to creating greater value in partnership with the Squla team, as well as with current and future shareholders.”

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11 André Haardt, Founder and CEO of Squla, says: “In the Netherlands, Squla has become a market leader in the field of game-based learning for children at primary schools. Our unique approach, which makes school work fun for both children and their parents, has had tremendous impact. We also see great worldwide opportunities for this concept. With the help of RTL and its international network, we aim to make Squla the global market leader in online education for primary schools.”

Squla has more than doubled its subscriber numbers from 33,000 in April 2013 to 82,000 to date. More than 4,000 Dutch schools are currently using the Squla platform. Foreign markets have also shown great interest in the platform and work is underway to execute Squla’s international ambitions. In 2014, both Squla has developed over 100,000 quiz American and Polish versions of the questions, 400 instructive videos and 20 educational games product (application and website) were launched, aligned to the local curriculum. Further international expansion is also planned for 2015.

FACTS & FIGURES:

Squla is an online learning programme that is developed for use at home. It contains educational quizzes, learning games and explanatory videos aligned to the local elementary school curriculum

Squla launched in 2010 and already delivered positive cash flows in 2014.

Wired UK named the company one of “Europe’s 100 Hottest Startups” in October 2013

Since Squla started it developed over 100,000 quiz questions, 400 instructive videos and 20 educational games

Squla’s products are the most downloaded educational applications in the Netherlands, with 500,000 total downloads

96 per cent of users have said they are satisfied with Squla, 50 per cent of schools recommend Squla for use at home and over 20,000 teachers use Squla during class

70 per cent of subscribers renew their contracts

12 VIP.DE SHINES AGAIN Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland

Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s celebrity portal VIP.de, produced by RTL Interactive, now presents key events from the world of celebrities in an uncluttered, attractive magazine-style look. Germany – 12 December 2014

The celebrity news vertical, which primarily targets a female audience, is structured into sections focused on stars, royals, style, TV, cinema, videos and shopping, each in a different layout and with differing thematic focuses. Large-scale pictures, biographies, background information and interviews give VIP.de readers exclusive insights into the lives of the stars. The modern magazine-style look also enables website editors to engage in a closer connection with users, through individual author profiles.

Matthias Büchs, Head of Online and Member of the RTL Interactive Management Board, says: “The VIP.de relaunch further enhances Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s portfolio of high-traffic, target group- specific sites. We are relying even more on online video, distinctive content, and functionality. At the same time, the users receive the VIP.de portfolio optimised for whatever device they are using, from PCs and smartphones to tablets. We also provide advertisers with new premium advertising space, a strong added value that will pay off in the form of higher acceptance from users and New VIP.de presents celebrity news in an attractive magazine-style look greater efficiency.”

Creating new quality criteria for online advertising is an important part of the VIP.de relaunch. The celebrity news portal is funded by premium advertising: an integrated online store allows advertisers to offer their products and messages in a high-quality environment, and users to buy trendy outfits worn by specific celebs.

Thanks to its adaptive design, VIP.de accommodate to whatever device is being used and is also suitable for mobile use. The new VIP.de site is being promoted with TV commercials on Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s channels and their online network.

13 CHRISTMAS PROGRAMMING ‘MADE IN LUXEMBOURG’ RTL Lëtzebuerg

For the festive season, RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg will broadcast productions from Luxembourg every day from 22 December 2014 to 4 January 2015 including: films, documentaries, programmes from the archives and cartoon series for children. Luxembourg – 18 December 2014

RTL Lëtzebuerg and the Centre National de l’Audiovisuel (CNA) in collaboration with Filmfund and Filmakademie will present a special programme of ‘Films Made in Luxembourg’ to round off 2014, an extraordinary year for the audiovisual production sector in Luxembourg with an Oscar nomination for the animated film Ernest et Célestine and the incredible adventure of Mr Hublot which was awarded the Oscar for Best Short Film. Both these films will premiere on RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg on 25 December starting at 20:00.

The winner of the Lëtzebuerger Filmpräis 2014, the crime thriller Doudege Wénkel (Blind Spot) by Christophe Wagner, which has been top of the Luxembourg box office for several weeks, will be broadcast for the first time, on Friday 26 December at 20:00. Throughout the Christmas holidays, children will be able to enjoy a ‘Made in Luxembourg’ programme specially dedicated to them. Every evening, between 18:00 and 19:00, they will discover a new character wholly created at the ‘Fabrique d’images’ studio in Kehlen (Luxembourg). The first 26 episodes of the De Percy a seng Frënn series will be broadcast from 22 December.

There will be more than one occasion for nostalgia, The history of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg can be revived on 23 December at 20:00 from D’Fifties by Andy Bausch, which will be shown on 29 December, to the repeat of the documentaries Léif Lëtzebuerger on 23 December and Germaine Damar, der tanzende Stern on 24 December at 20:00. D’Engelcher vu Schëndels, a period film directed by Marc Thoma, will also be screened for the first time on television on Tuesday 30 December.

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14 Radio Luxembourg, Antenne de l’Occident will be broadcast on 27 December at 20:00

Lovers of history documentaries will be delighted with two themed evenings, one dedicated to the battle of the Ardennes and a second devoted to selected historical documentaries chosen by RTL from the CNA archives. This includes the short feature, Radio Luxembourg, Antenne de l’Occident, dating back to 1937 which describes the technique implemented to make radio work, as well as the activities of Radio Luxembourg on long wave.

The special RTL schedule also features three other Luxembourgish documentaries. Atelier Luxembourg, the documentary by Yann Tonnar on modern art in Luxembourg, Nak Muay from the Muno brothers and Raoul Schmitz, portraying the Thai boxing champion, Kevin Haas, and finally D’Jongen by Tim Hensgen Mr Hublot which won the Oscar for best short film and Jeff Kieffer, an unexpected documentary filmed in the locker rooms of the Luxembourg national football team.

View the entire holiday programme

15 The Backstage team wishes you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Download your Santa Claus beard SHORT NEWS 1/2

Radio as a social link RTL Radio (France)

For the holiday season, RTL Radio supports for the second consecutive year the association ‘Les Enfants du Canal’ which is organising the distribution of 2,000 non-battery charged radios to the homeless in 40 French cities to fight against exclusion. France – 15 December 2014

A new sporting partnership Groupe M6

Groupe M6 acquired the broadcasting rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup matches to be held in Canada from 6 June to 15 July 2015. W9 will broadcast live the main matches of the competition. France – 15 December 2014

And the winner is… FremantleMedia UK

More than nine million viewers tuned in to watch Ben Haenow crowned winner of The X Factor UK 2014, co-produced by FremantleMedia UK and Syco Entertainment. Sunday’s finale was number one in its time slot with a 35.7 per cent share, outperforming the ITV prime time average by 68 per cent. The X Factor is amongst the five most watched entertainment programmes in the UK. United Kingdom – 16 December 2014

100 million reasons to celebrate RTL Nederland

For the first time in its history, RTL Telekids programmes were viewed more than 100 million times in one year, via the Telekids app and RTL XL platform. The channel’s programmes have gained 24.8 million more viewers than in 2013. 82 per cent of this record viewership has been generated solely by the child-friendly app, available for Android and Apple iOS devices. The Netherlands – 17 December 2014

17 SHORT NEWS 2/2

Unique TV ‘Check-In’ with RTL II apps RTL II

RTL II’s relaunch of the apps for the popular shows Köln 50667 and Berlin – Tag & Nacht gives users enhanced features, an attractive design and increased interactivity. During the broadcast, users can log in to the community chat and discuss what’s happening in the episode with other fans. Germany – 17 December 2014

And the success continues… FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment

UK Broadcaster Cbeebies has commissioned a third season of the hit pre-school action adventure series Tree Fu Tom co-produced by FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment and Cbeebies. The show is currently broadcast in over 123 territories worldwide. Germany – 17 December 2014

Top TV Ranking M6 According to a survey by IFOP and Bilendi for Le Journal du Dimanche, Stéphane Plaza, Karine Le Marchand and Bernard de la Villardière of M6 are among the ten journalists / presenters most acclaimed by French viewers. France – 18 December 2014

From actress to Youtube celebrity UFA UFA and the multi-channel network Divimove have extended their Youtube talent programme Shootrs with soap actress Nicole Mieth. As of 14 December 2014, Nicole has been testing the suitability of ‘life hacks’ for everyday use. Germany – 18 December 2014

18 PEOPLE RANDY COOKE SpotXchange

North America – 12 December 2014

SpotXchange appoints Randy Cooke as Vice President of Programmatic TV.

Cooke is charged with guiding SpotXchange’s expansion into the television market, serving as an advocate for the linear TV business in programmatic discussions, while working to introduce industry-wide operational efficiencies through the eventual building of a holistic video solution for traditional TV and digital video companies.

Cooke brings more than ten years of television industry experience, most recently serving as the Vice President of Research at NCC Media, a leading ad sales, marketing and technology organisation that represents cable, satellite and telco operators in every US market. Cooke will help SpotXchange to anticipate and develop business plans to capitalise on emerging trends within the television industry.

“More than anything, the discussion around programmatic TV needs a narrative arc that starts with the industry challenges programmatic can mitigate, and ends with a vision of a future predicated on the television industry’s embrace of programmatic as an essential tactic, not a strategy,” says Cooke. “I’m excited to be leading that Randy Cooke, Vice President of Programmatic TV at SpotXchange conversation for SpotXchange and look forward to partnering closely with operators to develop a ‘TV first’ strategy for bringing linear into the programmatic space.”

Cooke’s first objective at SpotXchange will be to develop and expand partnerships with multi-channel video programming distributors, content providers, agencies and data suppliers to develop new linear transactional marketplaces.

“Programmatic TV will require both supply-side and demand-side platform solutions,” says Mike Shehan, CEO of SpotXchange. “SpotXchange has been a leader in programmatic technology for the supply-side of the video advertising industry, and we have a great opportunity to leverage Randy’s expertise to collaborate with industry stakeholders, not only to streamline the programmatic linear TV transaction, but also to provide advancements in audience fulfillment and analytics.”

19 Season’s Greetings!

Next edition: Thursday 15 January 2015 The Backstage Weekly Newsletter will be on Christmas holidays.

The first Daily Newsletter will be available on 5 January 2014 at http://backstage.rtlgroup.com

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