OSLO, NORWAY — All is not well at the North Pole. This year, the Norwegian Postal Service (Posten) took a documentary approach in its holiday campaign, revealing the truth behind Santa’s reindeer and the star guiding his sleigh. No matter how things turn out with Santa and his team of reindeer this year, Posten is fully prepared for the holiday season, as always. The campaign was developed by POL and produced by Bacon.
“Every year, we search for a compelling story, and for the sixth time, Posten presents a unique perspective on Christmas. Whether it’s a portrayal of Santa as gay, a satirical take on Trump, or even hinting that Jesus was actually the postman’s child, we embrace humor and the holiday spirit. This year is no exception,” said Monica Solberg, Director of Marketing at Posten Bring Group.
The rise and fall of a Christmas star
Often, Christmas stories focus on Santa himself. But there are other holiday characters that are even more relevant. Set in a Netflix-style documentary world, this year’s campaign introduces Santa’s reindeer, including a red-nosed superstar whose fame has gone straight to his head (or rather, his antlers).
“This time, we wanted to shift the focus away from Santa and onto those who share our job of delivering gifts. While we won’t interfere with the North Pole’s operations, we are proud to show that Posten has delivered faithfully every Christmas since 1647 – no matter how things are going up North,” explained Hege Barbara Aarhus, Campaign Manager at Posten.
It’s time for a little laughter
“As the world has felt dark for so long, we believe the best gift Posten can give is a touch of holiday laughter. Our satirical documentary, Reinfall, provides a playful look at the celebrity life of Santa’s head reindeer,” said Pia Emilie Lystad and Thea Heber Bjørndal Iversen, the creatives behind this year’s holiday campaign. “The production was a lot of fun. We dove deep into every detail, even using cameras from different eras for the archival footage. Bacon’s team has been fantastic to work with.”
The films, produced by Bacon and directed by Kasper Häggström, premiered online, on TV, and in cinemas.
CREDITS:
Client: The Norwegian Postal Service
Client Contact: Hege Barbara Aarhus – Campaign Manager Agency: POL
POL (Creative Agency)
Thea Heber Bjørndal Iversen – Copywriter Pia Emilie Lystad – Art Director
Simon Karlsson – Planner
Kristin E.B. Scheele – Project Manager Marius Eriksen – Advisor
Benjamin Rodgers – Designer
Ole Jacob Bøe Skattum – Design / Motion
Bacon Production (Film Production)
Executive Producer: Magne Lyngner Producer: Øystein Dyb
Director: Kasper Häggström Cinematographer: Benjamin Loeb Editor: Patrick Larsgaard
Production Manager: Sebastian Andrés Knutsen Costume Design: Nell Knudsen
Production Designer: Astrid Maria Sætren
Reindeer Antlers: Ida Astero Welle, Morten Jacobsen, Regine Gamlem, Nell Knudsen.
Casting: Stella Casting
Locations provided by: FTE Locations
VFX Supervisor: Ola Jacob Nestande
Grade: Julien Alary /TMLS
Sound Design: Andreas W. Martinsen
Sound assistant: Benjamin Nerheim
Music: Andreas W. Martinsen & Benjamin Nerheim
