Every year, brands engage in a silent battle as the holidays approach. They all seek to capture attention, provoke emotion, and leave a lasting impression. However, few campaigns truly transcend advertising to enter popular culture.
The Intermarché Christmas ad is one of those exceptions.
In this film, the brand does not show a family gathered around a table, a cozy home, or an avalanche of products. Instead, it chooses a winter setting, a snow-covered forest, and an unexpected hero: a lone wolf. Rejected by the other animals, he simply tries to share in the festive spirit. This narrative choice immediately creates a unique atmosphere, far removed from traditional Christmas conventions.
This campaign reached a very wide audience, well beyond the brand's usual consumers. It generated emotion, discussion, and above all, strong memorability. This success is neither the result of chance nor of a disproportionate budget. It is based on precise strategic choices, at the crossroads of storytelling, psychology, and contemporary uses of influence.
In this article, 18h08, France's leading influencer marketing agency, analyzes this advertisement. This helps us understand what makes a difference today in a landscape saturated with commercial messages, and above all, what brands, you, can learn from it for your own campaigns.
1. An advertisement that breaks with traditional Christmas conventions
Most end-of-year advertisements follow a well-oiled formula. They feature families reunited, broad smiles, pleasant music, and an avalanche of products being promoted. These campaigns sometimes work, but they are too often too similar.
Intermarché's Christmas ad took the opposite approach.
No table set, no decorated living room, no overexcited children in front of the Christmas tree. The film takes place in a cold, silent, almost hostile forest. The hero is not a parent, a child, or a grandfather, but a wolf. An animal usually perceived as dangerous, frightening, and rejected. This narrative choice creates an immediate break with the traditional codes of Christmas advertising.
She does not seek to pile up festive symbols. She relies on a simple, almost intimate narrative, centered on a character and a universal situation.
This narrative choice is essential. By avoiding clichés, Intermarché frees up the viewer's emotional space. It does not impose an emotion on them, but leaves them free to feel it. This is a fundamental nuance. The viewer is not guided, but invited.
2. The power of human-centered storytelling
The key to the success of Intermarché's Christmas ad lies in its narrative.
It is not a spectacular story. It is a plausible story that everyone can relate to.
Storytelling storytelling, which is the art of engaging your audience, and the scenario, do not put the brand at the center. They highlight a relationship, an emotion, a lack, a desire for connection.
Throughout the film, the wolf clumsily tries to fit in with the other animals in the forest. He brings a log to feed the fire. He watches the party from afar. He tries to get closer, but each attempt causes the others to flee. The other animals are afraid of him because of what he represents.
This mechanism of exclusion is universal. It refers to situations experienced by many: feeling different, out of place, misunderstood, rejected without having had the opportunity to show who you really are.
In the most effective campaigns, the brand takes a back seat to let the story take center stage. Here, Intermarché isn't trying to be admired, but to be useful. This narrative logic reinforces the perceived authenticity. The viewer doesn't feel manipulated. They feel involved.
3. Controlled emotion, never forced
Emotion is a powerful lever, but a risky one. If overused, it becomes artificial and can provoke rejection.
Intermarché's Christmas ad avoids this pitfall thanks to its restraint. The music, the silences, and the pace of the editing all contribute to this subtlety.
This precision work is also based on a strong production choice. The commercial was shot in France, with real sets and classic cinematographic staging. The wolf is an animated character, but integrated into a real environment, without the use of generative artificial intelligence. This approach gives the film a very organic, almost palpable texture, which reinforces the perceived authenticity perceived authenticity of the story.
At a time when many brands are experimenting with films produced partly or entirely by AI, Intermarché has taken the opposite approach: one that emphasizes time, craftsmanship, artistic direction, and emotion built image by image. This choice greatly contributes to the film's credibility and emotional power.
Nothing is overplayed. The looks, gestures, and unspoken words do much of the work.
This ability to gauge emotion is one of the key lessons of this campaign. It shows that power lies not in intensity, but in accuracy.
4. A brand consistent with its historical positioning
Intermarché didn't come up with this type of advertising out of nowhere. For several years now, the brand has been developing a communication strategy focused on everyday life and responsible choices, with people always at the center. This Christmas ad is fully in line with this approach.
This film reflects the same values as campaigns dedicated to producers, imperfect products, and food accessibility. Intermarché has long been telling stories about ordinary people, simple situations, and everyday choices. Here, the wolf becomes a new character in this narrative universe.
This consistency reinforces the credibility of the message. The public does not perceive the campaign as an opportunistic holiday promotion, but rather as a logical extension of the brand's message.
When a campaign is aligned with a company's DNA, it gains power. The message seems more sincere because it does not contradict previous statements.
Intermarché demonstrates here the importance of thinking about campaigns as chapters in an overall narrative, rather than as isolated actions.
5. Amplified dissemination through the use of influence
The ad made such an impression because it was widely shared, not only by the brand itself, but also by internet users.
Intermarché's Christmas ad circulated on social media, in private conversations, and in the media, without the brand having to promote it.
This phenomenon can be explained by a simple mechanism: a strong emotion makes you want to share it.
As soon as it aired, the ad was widely discussed on social media. Many internet users expressed their emotions, with some even saying they cried while watching the film. Several media outlets ranked it among the best Christmas ads of the year.
The content then becomes a cultural object, rather than an advertising message.
In a context of influence, this type of campaign is particularly interesting. It does not rely on massive partnerships with creators. It relies on organic sharing, driven by the quality of the narrative.
This shows that influence is not limited to paid collaborations. A well-designed advertisement can become a topic of conversation, a point of reference, content that is spontaneously picked up by creators, media outlets, and communities.
6. What brands can learn from this success
Intermarché's Christmas ad offers several key lessons for brands looking to improve their influencer marketing and communication campaigns.
First, she points out that the product does not always need to be the focus of the message. Highlighting a human situation can be much more effective in creating brand preference.
Next, she emphasizes the importance of consistency. A strong campaign is always based on an established set of values. It does not seek to invent a new identity for the duration of a campaign.
It also shows that emotion works when it is respectful. The audience accepts being moved, provided they do not feel manipulated.
Finally, this campaign reminds us that success does not depend solely on format or channel. Above all, it depends on the quality of the narrative and a keen understanding of the audience's emotional expectations.
Intermarché's advertising is not just a feel-good story. It is a demonstration of emotional strategy applied to brand communication.
Conclusion
The success of Intermarché's Christmas ad is not due to a passing trend or a miracle formula.
It is based on a simple story, an endearing character, universal emotional mechanics, and highly accurate execution.
This campaign reminds us that the most successful brands are not those that speak the loudest, but those that know how to connect with their audience. In an environment saturated with messages, sincerity becomes a major competitive advantage.
For brands and agencies, the lesson is clear: creating a memorable campaign is not about doing more, but about better understanding what you want to convey and why.
Advertising then ceases to be a message and becomes a shared experience.
If you too would like to consider implementing your own influencer marketing strategy, contact us. Our team of experts will be happy to answer all your questions.
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