Use Harvey Nichols' Unsubtle Christmas Cards to Demand the Gift You Want

"Could I be any clearer?" is this year's "Sorry, I spent it on myself." Last Christmas, Adam & Eve/DDB London came up with a brilliant idea for Harvey Nichols' holiday marketing -- a range of cheap gifts that came with the snarky message "Sorry, I spent it on myself." (The collection, and the ad showing the gift-giving, were a huge hit, and picked up four Grand Prix awards at the 2014 Cannes Lions festival). This year, the upscale department store is back with another not-so-subtle gifting ruse: customizable Christmas cards that tell the recipient exactly what the sender wants (see slideshow). There's even a helpful picture of the chosen product. Customers can create the cards (a set of six for $9) using an online app or in-store, and can either print them off or send them digitally to their friends. There are six different seasonal messages, including "Goodwill to all men except you, if you don't get me a designer outfit from Harvey Nichols." The campaign's tagline is "Could I be any clearer?" This online film (directed by Partizan's Eric Lynne) demonstrates how it works. The honey-toned voice of the actress and her pastel-colored outfit provide a lovely contrast with the selfishness of the sentiment as she confronts a bewildered aunt with her demand, in a pretty card, for designer silver sandals.

Use Harvey Nichols' Unsubtle Christmas Cards to Demand the Gift You Want

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