Festive cheer? Harvey Nichols joins Christmas ad race with cards to instruct loved ones on which presents they should buy you

 
The spirit of giving: a shot from the ad campaign which shows the protagonist giving her aunt one of the demands

The festive season is all about the joy of giving - if most Christmas adverts are to be believed.

But today Harvey Nichols has revealed its festive campaign for this year with a rather different message.

The retailer’s tongue-in-cheek “Could I Be Any Clearer?” campaign encourages shoppers to send e-cards to their loved ones with messages telling the recipient exactly what they want for Christmas.

As an example, one reads: “Seasons Greetings… will be very awkward if you don’t get me a pair of Charlotte Olympia silver Octavia sandals. They’re the platform ones with the 6” heel. Size 4 ½, or a 5, if that’s all they’ve got.”

Shoppers can design their own cards at harveynichols.com or via the “Could I Be Any Clearer” app. The cards, which can feature any item on the retailer’s site, can then be printed, emailed or sent via social media to friends and family. Packs of cards where people hand write their item of desire may also be bought in store and online.

The campaign, which includes a film by Eric Lynne of movie production company Partizan, is a stark contrast to other Christmas adverts such as John Lewis’ 2014 seasonal offering Monty The Penguin.

The advert, which follows a young boy’s mission to find the perfect present for his lonely CGI penguin, has the strapline “Give someone the Christmas they’ve been dreaming of.”

Previous Harvey Nichols festive campaigns have attracted controversy. The retailer faced a number of complaints for its 2011 “Walk of Shame” Christmas television advert - which showed a number of women walking home after a night out. Just one, a Harvey Nichols shopper, still looked great despite a heavy night on the town.

Some deemed it offensive, accusing the company of stereotyping women who have casual sex. However, despite calls for it to be banned, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled it neither sexist or demeaning to women.

The store also made headlines last year with its self-indulgent “Sorry, I Spent It On Myself” campaign which encouraged shoppers to spend less on others and more on themselves.

Harvey Nichols said this year’s campaign had been inspired by unwanted gifts which, according to research by the store, were worth up to £808 million nationally in 2013.

Could I be any clearer? One of the specially designed cards

The research of over 2,000 people suggested that in London alone 52 per cent of people were disappointed with their Christmas gifts with 25 per cent returning them. Some less-than-inspiring gifts received last year included a colander, windscreen wipers, a shower matt and a vacuum cleaner.

Shadi Halliwell, Group Creative & Marketing Director of Harvey Nichols, said: “This year, we everyone to wake up on Christmas morning and love the presents they get from their nearest and dearest.

“With our ‘Could I Be Any Clearer’ app, you can cheekily spell out that stylish gift you’ve always wanted, making sure you end up with that Lanvin silk dress rather than the iron to steam it with.”

For more, go to www.harveynichols.com

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