Mog’s Christmas Calamity

Read the campaign story

For Christmas 2015, Sainsbury’s brought Judith Kerr’s Mog into an original festive film. AMV BBDO’s award entry describes a chain of accidents that ruins the Thomas family’s Christmas, followed by neighbours sharing theirs. Framestore documents its work with director James Rouse to adapt the illustrated cat for the screen and confirms the November UK television release and Save the Children connection.

Framestore reports that associated merchandise across the wider campaign raised more than £1.5 million for the charity. That is a production partner’s reported fundraising outcome, not an independently isolated sales effect for the film. Its account links the activity to literacy and shared stories. The case belongs to this particular Mog execution, rather than every use of Sainsbury’s Christmas-sharing platform.

Editorial reading: The narrative makes the proposition necessary. Sharing is not a moral added after a decorative Christmas scene. The story creates a problem that neighbours can solve only by contributing something of their own. The brand thought therefore becomes the resolution. Viewers need not remember a formal argument because the plot has already demonstrated it.

A familiar character also brings an existing relationship with the audience, but that relationship creates obligations. Adaptation must preserve recognisable behaviour and emotional texture. Borrowed affection can be lost when a character becomes merely a spokesperson. Here, the useful strategic question is how the character’s established limitations or habits can generate a new story that naturally reaches the brand idea.

For smaller teams, this does not require licensing a famous figure. A recurring customer situation or a carefully developed original character can provide continuity. Begin with a modest problem, make the chosen value visible through action, and let the ending earn the message. If a charity extension is involved, connect its purpose to the story and explain the contribution transparently rather than relying on seasonal sentiment.

Write the resolution first

Define the behaviour you want people to associate with the brand, then create a situation that genuinely needs it.

Respect borrowed affection

When using established characters or communities, involve the rights holders and preserve the details audiences care about.

Connect the cause to the story

Choose a partner whose purpose fits the narrative and specify how purchases or participation support that purpose.

A small test for another brief

Make a short original-character film in which a useful act of sharing resolves a believable problem.

Measure unaided recall of the behaviour and completed participation, separately from video views.

Rework if viewers remember the character but cannot explain what changed or why the brand belongs.

• Write a six-scene story with a concrete setback.
• Test whether the ending communicates the value without a slogan.
• Film simply and publish with one relevant participation action.