Jung von Matt DONAU and Erste on Reimagining 'Silent Night' This Christmas
For its 2024 Christmas campaign, Erste Group and Jung von Matt DONAU turned to the timeless carol – Silent Night – for inspiration, crafting an ad that delves into the rich history and universal message of hope that the song embodies.
In a competitive season where brands battle to tug heartstrings, the client wanted to instill self belief and imagination into Christmas with the agency opting for authenticity over spectacle, weaving historical moments into a modern narrative.
Speaking to LBB’s Olivia Atkins, Erste’s head of group brand management and communications’ Nina Pentek and Jung von Matt DONAU’s managing director, Michael (Mikes) Nagy, shares the ambitious brief, the creative challenges, and how directors Daniel & Szymon helped shape a film that feels like the true essence of Christmas.
LBB> What inspired you to put out a Christmas ad this year and how does this year’s film align with the core values of Erste Group?
Nina> This year's story is a true 'believe in yourself' story, where a little spark can light up the world and so it fully aligns with our guiding narrative, #believeinyourself.
LBB> What was the brief from Erste Group for this year's Christmas ad, and how did it guide your approach to retelling the 'Silent Night' carol?
Mikes> The brief was simple yet ambitious: create something that truly feels like Christmas – not just tinsel and fairy lights, but the essence of the season. ‘Make us cry’ was the verbatim client brief. ‘Silent Night’ became our touchstone – it's iconic, universally loved, and rich in meaning. Written and composed during a time when the world was in turmoil, it was created to spread hope and optimism. Sadly, we felt its message remains all too relevant today.
LBB> Why did you decide to focus on the story of 'Silent Night' for this year’s Christmas ad, and what message were you hoping to convey to audiences through the recreation of this tale?
Nina> We chose to focus on the story of 'Silent Night' for this year’s Christmas ad because it is a heartwarming and universal story that resonates deeply with people across different cultures and generations. In times like these, when the world is facing numerous challenges, we believe it’s even more important to highlight stories that bring people together and, ideally, also give hope.
LBB> How did you balance historical authenticity with creativity in this inspired version of 'Silent Night'?
Mikes> We approached the origins of ‘Silent Night’ with the utmost respect, even consulting with the Silent Night Association to ensure historical accuracy. The historic scenes – from Tyrolean singers performing for the Emperor, to Silent Night being the first song broadcast over radio, to its role in inspiring a truce during WWI – were all based on documented events. Instead of limiting our creativity, these facts enriched the story. Our goal was to bring out the depth and significance of this history in a way that resonates with contemporary audiences.
LBB> How was the process of collaborating with Jung von Matt DONAU and directors Daniel & Szymon? What was it about their creative approach that made them the right partners for bringing this story to life?
Nina> Collaborating with our creative agency Jung von Matt and the directors Daniel & Szymon was inspiring and worked very well. We were all on the same page when it came to creative storytelling, while also paying attention to historical details and retaining the story’s accuracy.
LBB> What challenges did you encounter in crafting an ad that spans such a significant historical and emotional journey while maintaining its relevance to a modern audience?
Nina> The story has not lost any of its relevance over the last 200 years, we found. We found honouring the original story and maintaining accuracy in the production process was quite challenging but not impossible.
LBB> With Christmas ads being so competitive and often dubbed the 'European Super Bowl' of advertising, how did you ensure this film stood out in such a saturated market?
Mikes> Isn't it ironic that it's only during Christmas that European agencies and brands compete so fiercely for the best ad? Maybe we should celebrate Christmas every three months! But seriously, if you try to compete on spectacle alone, I believe you're setting yourself up for failure. We believed that telling the 200 year old story of ‘Silent Night’ already had a unique emotional resonance to make it beloved all over the world – just like the song.
LBB> What led you to select directors Daniel & Szymon for this project, and what unique perspectives did they bring to the narrative?
Mikes> Daniel and Szymon played a key role in shaping the script, drawing on their strong storytelling skills they have shown for more than two decades as top creatives. I have always known them as being very involved in the filmic process that it felt natural that their next step was going to be directing. Their craft is meticulous and they even went to visit the original church and rooms of Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber, just to give you an example.
LBB> What were the biggest creative challenges in crafting a Christmas ad compared to a typical commercial campaign, and how did this year's project push you and your team creatively?
Mikes> The script had always been ambitious in terms of scale and richness. We didn't want to cut corners and give that global phenomenon of a song the dedication that it deserves. That was only possible through partners such as Arts & Sciences, Daniel & Szymon, Nik Summerer, Black Kite, Grandma Productions, Work Editorial, Neil Smith, Factory Studios, Anthony Moore, KO Music and many more who always found solutions when we face issues.
