Hafod Hardware Holiday Ad 2019

I say this all the time but I’m not sure that many believe me…small brands can be just as impactful as big ones, sometimes even more. And here’s an amazing example.

Hafod Hardware is a small family-owned hardware store in the UK. It’s an independent small business and it just released its holiday advert that totally rivals the big guys. Totally.

#BeAKidThisChristmas

Amazing storytelling. An amazing piece of marketing shot on a very small business budget. The business has been around for generations, and this spot features some of those generations. Amazing.

Just for reference, here’s the annual spot from the UK’s mega-retailer John Lewis. We can count on John Lewis every single year to give us a big production delight, and the brand didn’t disappoint this year either.

I’m betting sales of Edgar the Dragon plush toys are through the roof. An annual plush toy at John Lewis is also an annual tradition.

I show these two holiday adverts in the same post to make the point: a small business brand can do things just as grand as a big brand. No doubt.

What’s your experience? JIM

PS - I leave you with what I consider to be the best holiday advert from John Lewis, from 2014. This penguin plush toy sold out in a matter of moments that year.