Social appeals in TV commercials: the Christmas messages of Portuguese brands

Resumen

Television still represents an important part of the Advertising investment of many Portuguese brands. Focusing on data about the impact of television on the brands’ Advertising budget and having the Christmas season as context, characterized by strong investment in Advertising campaigns, this study seeks to answer the following question: what kind of appeals are conveyed in the Christmas adverts of the brands that invest the most in Advertising in Portugal? Based on a qualitative methodology, this research focused on the content analysis of Christmas advertisements broadcast by generalist Portuguese televisions (public and private) in 2022 that invested the most in Advertising.
The results suggest that retail brands are the protagonists of Christmas Advertising campaigns in Portugal, producing highly visible productions with expressive messages and large budgets. There were also some particularities: retailers emphasize “family” values through their products, while telecommunications companies, although maintaining a commercial focus, incorporate emotionally charged narratives, exploring themes like loneliness and mental health.