A Wonderful World: Serviceplan Neo on Penny’s Heartfelt Christmas Campaign
In a season crowded with festive campaigns, Penny’s ‘Wonderful World’ stands out by focusing on real stories of compassion and community. At its heart is the Förderpenny initiative, a programme empowering local clubs through customer micro-donations.
Christoph Everke, creative managing director at Serviceplan Neo, sits down with LBB’s Olivia Atkins to discuss how his team brought this campaign to life with authenticity and emotional depth, using a reimagined version of Louis Armstrong’s classic track to inspire hope and reflect the beauty of small, meaningful acts.
LBB> How did the idea for this year’s 'Wonderful World' campaign come to life? What inspired the focus on the Förderpenny initiative as the centrepiece?
Christoph> Traditionally, Penny uses its Christmas campaigns to address topics that are not sales-driven but communicate the idea of Penny as part of the everyday life of its customers. The Förderpenny initiative is a Penny project that was founded some years ago. Every single market in Germany supports a local club with micro-donations that customers can contribute with each purchase. The clubs are also chosen by the customers. We wanted to thank all the volunteers who engage themselves in these clubs and raise donations to support their daily work.
LBB> Why was emotion chosen as the primary driver for this campaign, and how did you approach the storytelling so it connected with audiences?
Christoph> We chose emotion simply because the topic itself is very emotional. All the volunteers put their time, heart, and effort into their engagement and try to make the world a little bit better for the kids. They don’t do this for any reason other than their empathy. Since the stories behind these engagements are so emotional in themselves, we didn’t need to create something fictional. We simply had to take a close look and find the stories that happen every day, which makes it easy to connect – they mirror the experiences of real people.
LBB> In a market saturated with Christmas advertising, what strategies did you use to ensure this campaign would stand out and resonate with viewers during the holiday season?
Christoph> Our strategy was to be as real as possible. It’s more of a documentary than a fictional script. Often, Christmas ads try to push emotions too much. We wanted to be honest and close to the lives and experiences of our audience. For example, we worked with real members of the clubs. Everything we did aimed to make the film relatable and accessible.
LBB> What led to the decision to recompose the classic song, 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong?
Christoph> The basic idea behind this combination is the superficial contradiction between the lyrics and the stories. At first glance, the world for a kid with cancer is not wonderful at all – nor is it for a caretaker. But from another perspective, the truth is: there is beauty, hope, and the possibility of making the world better if you truly care.
LBB> Why do you think it’s important for brands to support meaningful causes, especially during Christmas, and how does this align with Penny’s broader values and legacy?
Christoph> This is probably the most important question we discuss every year, both within the team and with the client. Why should a brand support such causes, and where is the link? Our answer is: we at Penny are a brand that is part of the everyday lives of our customers, and we have to prove it over and over again. With products and prices, but also with a true understanding of their lives. Penny defines itself as a ‘Social Discount’ store and engages accordingly. And, of course, we want to talk about this engagement. Why Christmas? Maybe because Christmas is the time when people come together and take the time to talk.
LBB> What challenges did you face in capturing the authentic stories of the Förderpenny-supported clubs, and how did you ensure their representation was respectful and impactful?
Christoph> First, we had to find the stories and clubs that best represent the Förderpenny initiative. Within those clubs, we needed to identify members willing and able to perform in front of the camera. Then, we had to find a production company and a director with the right empathy, experience, and sensitivity for these very special and documentary-style situations – which we luckily found in Akkurat and the directors duo Novemba. Finally, we spent a lot of time talking with the non-professional actors to find the right language and visualisation so they truly felt represented.
LBB> How do you see the campaign contributing to Penny’s reputation and relationship with customers, and what impact do you hope it will have on the broader conversation about community support and social responsibility?
Christoph> We know from previous ads and stories related to the Förderpenny initiative that this topic, this engagement, and the stories around it are highly relevant to customers. That’s one of the reasons we chose it for the Christmas campaign. Of course, it would be a great success if more people became aware of the important work of these clubs and supported them. In the end, we’ll have a very tangible result by December’s end when we, hopefully, can hand over a substantial amount of donations to the Förderpenny.
