Last year, Leo Burnett UK created Tui’s first every Christmas ad, Happy Holidays, an absurdly fun story about what Santa’s elves do after Christmas, set to Ricki Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca. Clue: The elves board a TUI flight and enjoy a sun-soaked fun holiday so much they even ignore a call from the big boss, Santa himself.
This year, Leo Burnett senior creative team, Matt Wood and Tom Loveless, continues the elves’ story. But this time in an illustrated children’s book, ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas.
Written in rhyming prose designed to capture young imaginations, ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas takes readers on a magical journey with the elves as they swap snowy Lapland for sunny Spain, embarking on a TUI holiday filled with cheeky mischief and seaside fun.
The book transports readers to Mallorca, where the elves are found “relaxing, kicking back, and looking cool” and “building sandcastles together in the beautiful sunny weather.” Like its predecessor, the book captures the joy of family holidays, TUI-style.
Over 16000 free copies of ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas will be available through TUI’s website and stores. For a personalised touch, families can order limited-edition copies featuring children’s names on the cover on TUI’s website, from Tuesday December 3. And a Dutch edition of the storybook will also be available for families in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The book will be promoted through social takeovers including animations with the illustrated elves sharing “holiday elfies” from their beach adventures, brought to life by motion design director, Carmen Perez.
Alongside the storybook launch, TUI and Leo Burnett will reawaken Happy Holidays for its second holiday season. The 60-second film will rerun across TV and cinema in the UK until the New Year.
Mark Elwood, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett UK, commented, “In ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas we’re peeling back the curtain on the elves’ much-needed downtime. It’s a joy to see our elves trading in their workshop for a TUI Holiday once again. We’re offering families a fun glimpse into the elves’ off-duty antics beyond the North Pole.”
Sara Ali, director of brand and content, TUI UK & Ireland, added, “After seeing how much joy Happy Holidays brought to families last year, we’ve loved the opportunity to extend the elves’ adventures further with a physical storybook, ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas. The story captures the essence of what TUI is all about – creating moments of happiness with loved ones. We hope families will enjoy following the elves’ sunny escapes as much as they enjoy their own TUI holidays. It’s been rewarding to create a keepsake gift which children can cherish, and which can represent their own joyful holiday memories.”
Credits:
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett UK
Chief Creative Officer: Mark Elwood
Creative Directors: Rob Tenconi & Mark Franklin
Senior Creatives: Thomas Loveless & Matthew Wood
Senior Planner: Beth Mackenzie – Senior Planner
Motion Design Director: Carmen Perez Jimenez
Senior Project Manager: Charlotte Ager
Senior Account Director: Robert Ellen
Account Manager: Selen Demirel
Account Executive: Ruben Forde
Client: TUI
Director of Brand & Content: Sara Ali
UK Senior Brand Marketing Manager: Corinne Carter
UK Brand Marketing Manager: Alexandra Reed
