“What do you really want for Christmas?” is the question asked in PENNY’s festive spot conceived and realised by Serviceplan Munich. The ad has struck a chord with the German population and internationally with more than 17 million views on YouTube since launching on 11th November 2021. “The Wish” went viral within 24 hours and people all over the country were talking about it. It was used as teaching material in schools and at church services. The film reached 2/3 of the German population and was featured in leading German newspapers and major German TV stations, while doubling its media value.
To her teenage son’s casual question “What do you really want for Christmas?”, a mother in the PENNY Christmas film has an unexpected response. She wishes him, after almost two years of the pandemic, his youth back – with everything that goes with it. The idea and concept of the film with the highly topical message originates from the lead agency Serviceplan Munich.
The spot is supported acoustically by a world-famous song: arranged and produced by Supreme, at the end of the film, the hit “It’s My Life” (by Bon Jovi) is sung with a new interpretation by the lead actor Julius Gause. In an accompanying major online competition, PENNY is presenting young people with some of the things they have missed during Covid-19: 5,000 intensive adventures and defining experiences. Befitting the campaign’s message, for the first time in its history, PENNY will be giving away six trainee positions together with a free communal flat share.
Sneaking out at night surreptitiously, neglecting school, celebrating wild house parties and having their heart broken – all the things parents, out of concern, would rather save their children from. The mother in the current PENNY Christmas film does the opposite. She would like her son to be able to finally catch up with these experiences that belong to growing up and which he couldn’t have during the pandemic.
Christoph Everke, Creative Managing Director of Serviceplan Munich commented: “During the last two years, much has been said about older people, parents, home office and care, and rightly so – children and young people had no voice. We want to change all that with the mother’s unusual wish, the impressive and sensitive images, the unbelievable acting of the performers and the song which the lead actor sings at the end.”
Marcus Haus, Marketing Director of PENNY, expands: “PENNY is close to people and it is a little tradition that in our Christmas campaign we put the focus on a theme that moves people. As a discounter in the neighbourhood, we have experienced in these challenging times at first hand how difficult the pandemic and its social consequences are, especially for young people.”
AWARDS
This campaign has been awarded at the following major festivals:
– Cannes Lions 2022: Film Craft Grand Prix.
– D&AD 2022: 1 Gold and 1 Bronze in Casting, 1 Silver in Cinematography, 1 Bronze in Sound Design & Use of Music.
CREDITS
Client: PENNY. Agency: Serviceplan Munich. Director: Marcus Ibanez. Production Company: Iconoclast Germany. Cinematography: Paul Özgür. Director of Photography: Paul Özgür. Senior Account Manager: Julia Leibetseder. Agency Executive Producer: Aisha Blackwell. Chief Operating Officer: Stefan Magel. Senior Marketing Manager: Alev Borjans. Marketing Manager: Marcus Haus. Campaign Manager: Thomas Raupach, Werner Hesse-Quack Executive Producer: Tim Augustin. Post Producer: Leonidas Befeldt. Production Coordinator: Flora Mariott. Director: Marcus Ibanez. Editor: Nikolaus Kohler. Production Designer: Tiiu-Ann Pello. Colourist: Sofie Borup. Casting Director: Julia Todorow. Stylist: Larissa Bechtold. Managing Director: Kathrin Heinemann. Managing Partner: Matthias Bauss. Global Chief Creative Officer: Alex Schill. Chief Creative Officer: Matthias Harbeck. Executive Creative Director: Christoph Everke, Alexander Nagel. Creative Director: Matthias Schuster, Moritz Dornig. Senior Copywriter: Alessia Coschignano. Senior Art Director: Rebecca Labiner. Junior Copywriter: Katharina King, Elvira Breit. Junior Art Director: Elvira Breit. Post Production Company: SLAUGHTERHOUSE – VISUAL MANUFACTURING. Grading: Company 3 New York. Sound Design: Red Pipe Studios. Music Production: Supreme Music. Media Agency: REWE Digital, OMD Media. Brand Consultancy: Spark Marketing Entertainment. Casting Agency: Bloomcasting. Sound Designer: Lotta Wirma Music: Bon Jovi – “It’s My Life”, arranged and produced by Supreme. Lead actor: Julius Gause.
