Argos Christmas Advert Sees Family Dreams Come True Through The Pages Of The Catalogue

The much-loved Argos catalogue takes centre stage in the retailer's highly anticipated 2019 Christmas advertising campaign, launching tonight to millions of viewers across the UK in what is expected to be the first blockbuster Christmas commercial from a major British retailer this year.

While the catalogue has been a firm fixture with British families for the last 46 years, it has been absent from Argos's most significant annual TV advertisement for the past decade.

This year, however, the Christmas edition of the catalogue plays a starring role in the festive campaign, which celebrates the iconic and long-standing tradition of circling your most-wanted gifts in the Argos catalogue. Spotlighting Argos's Christmas catalogue - renamed as 'The Book of Dreams' for 2019 - the advert delivers on this promise by making a father and daughter's dreams come true.

The heart-warming story begins in a kitchen, where a father sees that his daughter has circled a drum kit in the catalogue. He taps the page with his finger and the kitchen table splits open to reveal the drum kit right there in front of him. Suddenly, the kitchen transforms into his own private gig, with bulbs beaming in the oven and stage smoke pouring from the fridge. Simple Minds' 80s classic Don't You Forget About Me plays on the TV and he drums along.

The father is joined by his daughter - woken by the racket - and suddenly the kitchen is transformed into the gig of a lifetime, with adoring fans chanting along. In a scene-stealing moment, Cubby the Curious Bear - expected to be one of the most popular toys this year - leaps off the stage and crowd surfs.

The advert aired Friday 1 November during ITV's Coronation Street and Channel 4's Gogglebox. It was created byThe&Partnership London and shot by award-winning director team, Traktor.

Dan Elton, Head of Marketing Communications at Argos, said: 'This year we wanted to celebrate a festive tradition that families up and down the country all know and love. The nostalgia of circling your dream gift in the Argos catalogue never goes away and it's still going strong in today's tech-obsessed world.

'Argos is one of the UK's biggest online retailers but the feeling of turning the pages of the catalogue is something our customers love and sets us apart from everyone else. Whether you shop by smartphone on your commute, pop in-store to browse the latest products or love to pore over the catalogue in the comfort of your home, Argos is the place to fulfil your Christmas dreams.'

Yan Elliott, Executive Creative Director, The&Partnership, said: 'The year is one big drum roll to Christmas. Here, Argos have delivered the crescendo. We hope that families, up and down the UK, will not only love the campaign, but will be inspired to revisit this Christmas tradition.'

The launch of the TV advert follows a social campaign that has seen celebrities, influencers and members of the public surprised with their own 'Book of Dreams' from when they were young. The campaign also included the creation of Argos's first ever digital repository of vintage catalogues from the last four decades, which attracted over 1.8 million visits in its first 48 hours. The full 360 campaign encompasses online, television, cinema, brand response, bumpers, out-of-home, social and influencer outreach.