Even the “real Christmas” commercials skim over the family tensions that Christmas can exacerbate.Brazilian cosmetics company, AlmpaBBDO and O Boticário have confronted them, head on. Their five-minute Christmas film is a story about a young woman’s experience with family bullying about her weightand the impact that words can have on the closest relationships. The inspiration came from a poll sponsored by the brand, conducted by consulting firm, On The Go. The results revealed that 86% of Brazilians have been the victims of family bullying, but just 17% of them discuss the issue openly.
The film addresses the commonest kinds of family bullying. These are related to comments about physical appearance (50%) and comparisons between relatives (80%).
“It’s not an easy topic to approach, and that’s why it’s so necessary,” explained Carolina Carrasco, director of branding and communications for O Boticário.“With this campaign, we’re able to reinforce just how important positive words can be, especially since 71% of people who’ve been bullied believe that affectionate gestures and comments can positively transform family relationships. That’s why we’d like to invite people to show their love out loud, and to leave marks of love.”
To encourage those behaviours and show the power of words this Christmas, O Boticário has created the concept, Words leave marks – let them be of love. The film shifts between past and present, moving toward reconciliation as it shows just how transformative words can be, when wielded with love and empathy. The conclusion celebrates the impact of forgiveness and underscores how a loving dialogue can pave the way to better family relations.
The campaign premiered on prime-time TV, with spin-off content for social media and initiatives with influencers and content creators.
AlmapBBDO vice-presidents of creative, Fernando Duarte and Henrique Del Lama, commented, “This production is yet another step towards consolidating O Boticário’s reputation as a brand with great stories to tell, one that’s willing to push society to have important conversations, even when it’d be easier to take the obvious, comfortable way out.”
