Lush: Turning Retail into a Destination

Lush is known for its sensory experiences, and last year, they took it to the next level with their Liverpool store. They transformed the space into a multi-room experience, turning their retail environment into a destination experience.

Customers could wander through different themed rooms, interacting with products while being immersed in the sights, sounds and scents of Christmas, bringing the brand to life.

Lush extends this immersive vibe to their website too, featuring slow motion videos of fizzing bath bombs to give that signature experience to their online shoppers. They have mastered the art of creating a sensory journey whether you’re in-store or browsing at home.

Lego: Connecting Through Tech

Last year, Lego pulled off one of the most fun and innovative campaigns we saw with the Transatlantic Snowball Fight. In Leicester Square, London and 5th Avenue, Manhattan, they set connected people through play; half a world apart.

Using influencer marketing to boost visibility, the campaign was all over the media, creating a buzz for Lego in a way that was both playful and family friendly – exactly what you would expect from the brand. By aligning their campaign with tech in a way that felt natural and fun, Lego captured the essence of their brand while connecting with consumers globally.

John Lewis: The Kings of Christmas

No Christmas campaign roundup is complete without mentioning John Lewis. Last year, they blended the classic Christmas Grotto experience with the modern craze for escape rooms. In this immersive experience, kids help the elves solve puzzles to unlock the room and meet Santa.

It was a clever twist on tradition, giving children a fun, interactive way to engage with the holiday season, perhaps accompanied by a subtle message: you don’t just get Christmas handed to you, there’s a little work involved. This campaign beautifully blended the magic of Christmas with an underlying message of appreciation and effort.

The classic Christmas traditions of last minute shopping and sending out holiday cards are fading. The ease of online shopping and next-day delivery has changed how people experience the holiday season. Gone are the days of crowded late-night shopping marathons.

But this creates an opportunity for brands to fill that experiential gap. As physical retail spaces need to go beyond being transactional, how can you make shopping or even something as simple as sending a Christmas card more experiential?

Spin-to-Win: Gamifying your Shopping Experience

During the holiday season, promotions like “3 for 2” are everywhere. But what if we could make it more fun? Imagine after purchasing your two gifts, you get a chance to spin a digital wheel and win yourself a Christmas gift, a reward for your hard day’s shopping. By hosting this on a digital screen, brands could even change up the prizes daily to keep things fresh.

This would add excitement to the shopping experience and with shoppers likely capturing and sharing their wins on social media, it would give the brand extra visibility.

Elf Workshop Conveyor Belt: The Ultimate Festive Challenge

Picture a giant, oversized Santa’s workshop set up in a shopping mall, and a moving conveyor belt covered with toys. Participants can compete in a Christmas themed challenge (think “Total Wipeout” but festive), all while being filmed, allowing you to revisit the memory.

This experience would generate endless raw video content for people to share on social media or with friends and family, spreading the joy and laughter of Christmas. To take it a step further, participants could leave with a physical flipbook of their elf workshop adventure – a perfect keepsake or even a Santa’s workshop Christmas story to read to their kids, adding that extra layer of personalisation.

360 Snow Global Experience: Step Inside the Magic

Who wouldn’t want to step inside a giant snow globe? This idea brings that childhood dream to life. We could fabricate a massive snow globe structure where people could enter, with fans blowing fake snow all around them while a camera zips around capturing the moment. Visitors would get photos and videos of their experience, perfect for social sharing.

This could be set up in retail locations, malls, or even outdoor Christmas markets, offering a unique photo op that will have people lining up.

As Christmas evolves, so do the opportunities to create more meaningful and memorable brand experiences. Whether you’re reimagining old traditions or building entirely new ones, this is the time to get creative. Xi specialises in turning ideas into immersive experiences, helping brands stand out and be remembered!

For more insights and creative ideas on how to make your next campaign unforgettable, contact the Xi team here.

Let’s make this Christmas one to remember!