When a brand manages to weave authenticity, emotion and consistency into a story, the result is not just an advert but a cultural touchpoint. That’s exactly what the Swiss supermarket giant Migros accomplishes with their annual Christmas film featuring Wichtel Finn. Now in its fifth iteration, the campaign continues to evolve—but what has made it endure? And what lessons can advertisers, agencies and marketing teams draw from it? This is more than just an annual holiday spot; it’s a journey of emotional investment that offers critical takeaways for any brand aiming for sustained relevance.
From the outset, the campaign stakes were high: migrating winter-festive marketing into something more than seasonal decoration. At its heart is a clever narrative device: a father’s small gesture passed down to his son, symbolising tradition, continuity and emotional legacy. The core message, “Weihnachten ist, was wir weitergeben” (Christmas is what we pass on), doesn’t sell groceries; it sells shared human experience. By showing Finn moving through life stages—from child to teenager to adult—the story captures the universal cycle of giving and receiving. In other words: it taps into something deeper than price, promotion or typical holiday cheer.
Emotion plays a pivotal role. One of the creative leads admits that just reading the script brought tears to his eyes. Why does this matter? Because the best branded content doesn’t just communicate a message—it triggers a feeling. It acknowledges that the holidays are not only about family dinners and gifts, but about memory, time, change, absence and presence. By letting in a tinge of melancholy, the campaign becomes richer—without tipping into sadness. It reassures: yes, people and moments fade—but the tradition continues.
But emotion alone is not enough. What the Migros campaign does brilliantly is combine that feeling with brand placement that’s almost invisible: Finn doesn’t appear randomly—he lives under the checkout at Migros, where customers experience everyday life. By embedding the character within the habitual shopping environment, the brand message becomes part of the consumer’s routine rather than apart from it. That’s a subtle but powerful insight: storytelling works best when woven into the fabric of consumer experience.
Another core strength: the multichannel architecture. The TV spot is still the emotional climax—but it is no longer the whole story. The campaign spans online videos, social-media posts, digital out-of-home, print, display ads and even an interactive “Finn’s World” platform for kids and parents. This isn’t simply repetition across channels—it’s extension. Each touchpoint adds a layer: the platform deepens brand-engagement; social posts spark micro-moments of sharing; DOOH grabs attention in public spaces. In an era where attention is fragmented, this ecosystem approach ensures the brand remains present.
Let’s draw out some practical take-aways for your next campaign. First: anchor your story in a gesture, a small human truth. Here it’s a father passing something to his son; your brand might find its own figurative “gesture” that stands for continuity and value. Second: align the story with the environment where your audience already lives. Finn under the checkout isn’t a gimmick—it’s contextually relevant. Third: build your campaign as a system, not a single piece. The TV spot is necessary but not sufficient; think about how it branches into digital, social, interactive. Fourth: allow room for emotion beyond the obvious—you don’t need to overstate happiness; a moment of reflective quiet can make your message linger.
From an SEO and digital-content perspective, the “Finn” campaign also underlines the value of integrated content planning. By creating an interactive platform for children and parents, Migros extends the life of the campaign beyond the initial film release and opens opportunities for user engagement, sharing and linking. For marketers writing blogs, setting up microsites or campaigns with depth pays dividends in brand recall, organic visibility and cross-channel resonance.
How does a campaign maintain relevance for eight years without feeling tired? By treating the character’s life as an ongoing, unscripted reality. Instead of pre-planning a rigid eight-year arc, the creators make a conscious decision each year to push Finn into a new, relatable life phase. They allow the character to “decide” the story, fostering an organic narrative flow. This flexible, yearly evolution is key to generating fresh, compelling content while simultaneously banking the accumulated trust and recognition earned over previous installments.
See other year’s campaigns with Finn:
For advertisers and marketers operating in highly competitive niches, the Wichtel Finn model offers two core lessons: Invest in Character, not just Concept, and Embrace Integrated Storytelling. Don’t just tell a story; build a character that can grow, change, and occupy a unique, indispensable space within your brand’s identity and, more importantly, within the customer’s heart. Emotional advertising works, but only if the emotion is built on a foundation of consistency, continuity, and a true commitment to making the character feel like a member of the family. That is how you turn a seasonal ad into a year-round asset, ensuring campaign longevity and measurable ROI.
In closing: the Wichtel Finn story is more than a seasonal push. It’s a tight narrative, externally human but internally aligned with brand heritage, cleverly placed within consumer routines, and amplified through an ecosystem of channels. For agencies and marketing-teams looking to do more than “just another Christmas ad,” this is a benchmark. The key takeaway is simple: when emotion meets relevance meets structure, the result is memorability and, yes—it sells.
So as you consider your next campaigns—holiday or otherwise—ask yourself: what small gesture can we pass on? Where in our customers’ world do we already live? And how can we build a system of touch-points, rather than a one-off hit? Do that, and you might just build something lasting.
