Five Brilliant Brands Using Storytelling To Sell At Christmas
Image with permission from Scribble & Daub. Photographer Kim Lightbody
Celebrating Christmas with brand stories full of magic and wonder.
1. ‘Untangle the fairy lights, cue up Mariah, crunch on a candy cane and pour the sherry - Christmas celebrations can officially begin!’
Stationery - Scribble & Daub
‘Scribble & Daub exists to celebrate the joy of giving every day.’
Created by talented illustrator Caroline Kent, Scribble & Daub nurtures meaningful connections, encouraging us to take a moment to write a card and let someone know they matter. The designs inspired by the natural world, are simple, playful and elegant, with wonderfully rich hand-painted colours.
If you’re a Simple Matters Media client, there’s a good chance you’ll have had one of Caroline’s cards. The Christmas collection, which includes paper decorations, is especially brilliant, the lobster makes me smile so much that it now has a permanent place hanging in my kitchen.
‘From Lobsters & Cherubs to Pears and Toadstools. Adorn your Christmas tree in sustainable style with our first collection of beautiful paper decorations…hand-painted with gloriously coloured inks, and strung with pistachio satin ribbon, these heirloom quality ornaments are designed to last a lifetime.’
Follow Caroline's Instagram and visit her website to buy her cards, decorations, prints and commissions. Every home should have a festive Christmas shrimp!
2. ‘Filled with Christmas wonder’
Homewares & Lifestyle - A G Hendy. A shop, a kitchen, house & a school.
‘Lit by candlelight and with log fire crackling, filled with the smells of spiced wine and wood-smoke and decorated with traditional Christmas decorations of blue fir and home-baked gingerbread.’
A fairytale Christmas full of delight and simplicity. A G Hendy is inspired by Christmas past, a time of parcels wrapped in brown paper, tied up with string and decorations made from natural materials. Rooted in tradition and heritage, the shop offers a modern, more sustainable way to celebrate with an honest appreciation of simplicity, form and function.
The Christmas Book is on my wishlist this year…
‘Like entering the pages of a Grimm’s brothers tale…it’s as if the elves have just skipped out, a few crumbs left upon the floor…’
3. ‘A Land where anything is possible.’
Children - Polar Post
‘Children see magic everywhere they look because they are themselves magic.’
Polar Post is a team of elves helping Father Christmas deliver thousands of beautifully handwritten and illustrated letters to children with a little magic.
There’s the nostalgia, delight and wonder of a traditional Christmas brought to life through whimsical and imaginative storytelling.
A world where every child is celebrated and magic is cherished.
4. ‘It's late, the games are out, the after-eight wrappers are discarded on the table, and the raucous fun has begun…’
Homewares - Caro
An old story but one that’s brilliantly told. From Christmas past of ‘21 and the wonderful shop Caro in Bruton, Somerset. The shop is now closed as owner Natalie Jones is focusing on other creative projects (her podcast also called Caro, is a wonderful and insightful listen) but it’s still a favourite example of mine of creating a simple Christmas story to share across a series of Instagram posts that’s memorable, evocative and sells.
The collection of posts celebrates little moments of the Christmas spirit told through the ebb and flow of the day from first waking…
‘We love the thought of a still, warm, country-style kitchen that slowly sees family members creep downstairs to enjoy a hearty breakfast before the unwrapping of presents and celebratory clinking of glasses begins.’
to Christmas lunch…
‘The feast has been eaten and it’s time to take a break. Some are napping, others are around the table chatting over a cognac, nibbling at a gingerbread house...’
and on into the night…
‘We've all had a few too many bubbles so the negroni's are flowing whilst those who are awake jovially argue over whether the dice rolled a six or a four. At Caro we have all the things you need for a fun and playful Christmas.’
The storytelling is so evocative and perfectly captures so many of the universal moments of a family Christmas. The content is still available on the Caro Instagram account. You’ll find the posts starting here.
5. ‘When the humans left…for the festive seasons, the animals came out of the woodland and wondered: “What makes a Christmas?’
Hotel - The Newt in Somerset
A delightful Christmas film weaving a story of enchantment that feels like stepping into Narnia.
‘A tree? Decorations? Presents? Something to eat? They wondered and they wandered…something’s missing…’.
With stunning costumes and videography it’s marketing on a bigger scale and budget but still with a story at it’s heart.
‘They came to realise being together is what makes a Christmas after all.’
Watch the film here.
Want to discover more brilliant brands? The stories continue on Instagram @simplemattersmedia and sign up for our monthly newsletter ‘StoryWorks’