Primark
Turning the season’s feeling of dread into a joyful win.
YOY sales (16 weeks to 7 Jan 2023)
YOY sales in city centre stores
Christmas 2022 was set to be dismal, to say the least. In a time of ‘permacrisis’, with the pandemic pushing us into a cost-of-living debacle unlike anything we’ve ever seen, how could Primark show off its extensive holiday offering without encouraging over-consumption, and cut through in one of the busiest times of the year for highstreet brands?
Everyone loves a bargain. Whenever anyone pays us a compliment on something we’ve got from Primark, we can’t wait to tell them where we got it from. Whether it’s festive fashion, gifting or homeware, we all love that ‘thrill of realisation’ when we discover amazing finds for less than we thought.
The season’s worst-kept secret’ highlights Primark’s desire to turn this year’s feeling of dread into one of relief. It frames savings as a joyful win instead of a compromise. Characterised by Primark’s cheeky underdog tone, copy is fun, punchy, and minimal.
Visually, bright blasts of colour (inspired by kitsch pop culture and fashion brands such as Moschino) help the brand to stand out from the stereotypical Christmas colour palettes of competitors.
In a world where there’s widespread anxiety and worry, Primark has shown that maybe it is possible to celebrate the holidays without breaking the bank.
By having a solid strategy and an idea with legs and ample outputs, they launched on November 1: clearly, they just couldn’t keep it to themselves.
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When uncertainty and shifting expectations are the new normal, brands no longer need radical transformation. What’s needed is long-term thinking and the ability to adapt quickly.
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