Why big shops are trying to sell you a glamorous Christmas

In the dark months of winter, the warm glow of Christmas fairy lights and flickering candles brings some welcome atmospheric respite. And that atmosphere is something many retailers try to capture as they tempt shoppers with their festive marketing campaigns.

The John Lewis Christmas advert for example, has become a seasonal staple^[1], while rival Marks and Spencer has found success with its “Magic and Sparkle” campaign, which plays on the company’s brand name.

There are many more. Christmas is a vital period^[2] in the retail calendar, and the amount of festive advertising can seem overwhelming.

Many of those adverts will feature beautifully wrapped presents, happy faces and snowy streets. But there’s another marketing strategy which is widely employed at this time of year, and involves brands seeking to be associated with the idea of glamour^[3].

Glamour can mean different things to different people. It’s a subjective term, with Scottish roots^[4], and defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as something possessing “magic” and “enchantment” or “bewitching beauty and charm”. Others may associate glamour with luxury or celebrity.

For the author Nigel Thrift, glamour is an aesthetic that creates a more magical world. He notes^[5] that the appeal of sparkling surfaces, one of glamour’s most visible markers, goes far back in human history.

So glamour is a perfect match for Christmas – and a perfect tool for brands trying to enchant consumers.

The high street chain Oliver Bonas, for example, currently has a homeware range that offers “a hint of glamour and a touch of luxe” while its social media posts promote clothing with “daytime glamour”.

The fashion store Whistles hailed a recent winter collection which featured plenty of sequins and velvet as “new wave glamour”. Similarly, Mint Velvet uses the strapline “relaxed glamour” for a range of clothing which it calls “high-low dressing”.

And research I conducted with colleagues into retail branding^[6] suggests some rules that companies should follow if they want to persuade customers of their glamorous status.

First on the list is not appearing to be trying too hard. Effortless glamour – even if the lack of effort is an illusion^[7] – is a vital part of appearing glamorous. It also feeds into what we call glamour’s “affective force” – the idea that glamour is about not just visual aesthetics, but also about how it makes us feel.

We found that The White Company for example, creates a sense of transformation and escape, which is at the emotional core of glamour. To do this, the brand uses expert techniques to make their products seem more alluring, aspirational and appealing.

Its imagery is extremely subtle, benefiting from a monochromatic palate and simplicity, which creates an aura of effortlessness, but it also adds a touch of glamour which serves to elevate the brand.

Other brands seeking to use a glamour aesthetic should also avoid being too heavy-handed, in case their efforts start to veer towards brashness and bling. This removes the sense of mystery and intrigue that is essential for glamour to work as an affective force.

But there are certain familiar props which can help to instil some glamour into a brand. We call these glamour “markers”, and they include things like glass, mirrors, shiny surfaces and luxurious fabrics.

Sparkling light is also particularly evocative of glamour. A crystal chandelier is the most obvious example, but carefully placed candles and table lamps and the addition of sparkling elements can render an object or a setting glamorous.

Then there is the promise of transformation and escape. Aspirational scenes and settings on websites and social media can stimulate customers’ imaginations and escapist fantasies, which heightens their emotional engagement with a brand.

But it’s also important to convey a sense that the lifestyle the brand promises is accessible. By striking a careful balance between the achievable and the aspirational, customers are more likely to believe in the brand offering.

Not everyone is a believer, of course. Some may feel that the magic and sparkle of Christmas is at best illusory, and at worst an excuse for crass commercialism and excessive materialism.

Others will embrace Christmas time as a sparkling light amid the bleak midwinter. And part of that might be lifestyle brands putting on a glamorous show.

They will do their best to attract attention, feed aspirational longing and lift spirits. And ideally, they will make us believe that our lives and the lives of our loved ones can magically be enhanced and transformed – if we just buy a little of the glamour they offer.

References

1. ^{^} seasonal staple (theconversation.com)
2. ^{^} vital period (theconversation.com)
3. ^{^} idea of glamour (www.sciencedirect.com)
4. ^{^} Scottish roots (www.etymonline.com)
5. ^{^} He notes (www.tandfonline.com)
6. ^{^} retail branding (www.sciencedirect.com)
7. ^{^} is an illusion (www.simonandschuster.com)