Albert Heijn mental market leader in Christmas season and scores with emotional commercial

The Christmas season has officially begun—judging by the commercial breaks on television. The supermarkets were quick to jump on the bandwagon and are out in force. According to an unwritten tradition, brands use an emotional narrative steeped in the Christmas spirit. In collaboration with Panel Inzicht, Validators not only tested the potential emotional impact this year but also took a closer look at the mental Christmas market as the “icing on the cake.” This analysis shows that inflation is also taking its toll during the holiday season; “affordable luxury products” and “budget-friendly Christmas shopping” are more relevant than ever.

In this article, you can read about the results of the Christmas commercials and the key findings from the Christmas shopping market, which examines the mental market position of supermarkets.

Robin makes Christmas at Albert Heijn magical

Just like last year, Albert Heijn has created a highly successful commercial. Among other things, it’s the one that brings viewers the most joy. The commercial, which features “Robin’s Magical Christmas,” makes excellent use of humor, animals, and smiling children—elements that tap into positive emotions.

In terms of mental market share, Albert Heijn once again ranks highest; the supermarket receives the most consideration from consumers. This comes as no surprise, given that the Zaandam-based supermarket chain is also the leader in actual market share. As a general rule, the more often a brand is considered, the more often it is purchased. The analyses also clearly show how Albert Heijn serves as a source of inspiration for many when it comes to putting a lovely Christmas dinner on the table.

Not entirely surprisingly, the country’s second-largest retailer has also opted for a genuine, emotional brand video. The final shot showcases a variety of products, including a main course, mini-snacks, and a dessert. Thanks in part to this, Jumbo effectively highlights its wide product range, which gives it a psychological edge for people who want to buy everything at a single supermarket or who want a wide selection.

Squeezing every penny out of December

With its message of inclusivity, Lidl is particularly effective at evoking emotion toward the end of the commercial—where the story comes to a happy conclusion. After Albert Heijn, Lidl is the best at striking the right chord. The message “Luxury for Everyone,” which is communicated not only in this Christmas commercial, resonates well; in fact, Lidl has a larger mental market share than its total market share in the CEPs “Affordable Luxury Products” and “Budget-Friendly Christmas Groceries.” Lidl is the most preferred supermarket for Christmas shopping in the “Affordable Luxury Products” category and holds a 51% share in “Budget-Friendly Christmas Groceries.” When consumers are watching their pennies during this expensive month, Lidl will, for the most part, be a logical choice. Aldi has also managed to make a huge mental leap in the “Affordable Christmas Groceries” category, scoring 7% higher than its total mental market share.

CEP Results

Validators surveyed 16 key needs (CEPs) when it comes to choosing a supermarket for Christmas shopping. The most relevant CEP comes as no surprise: people choose a supermarket out of “habit.” So when it comes to Christmas shopping, people primarily consider stopping by their usual supermarket. However, being able to shop affordably, having a wide selection, and finding affordable luxury products also play an important role in the process of choosing a supermarket.

When we look at the most important factors in choosing a supermarket, “Affordable luxury products” ranks highest. In addition, “Affordable Christmas shopping” is also considered very important for Christmas shopping. Given the current climate, where everything is becoming increasingly expensive, both of these factors are an extremely logical choice.

Figure 1: Top 3 most important needs (CEPs) for Christmas shopping

Business Manager at Validators: “Every year, people eagerly await the Christmas commercials, and this year they didn’t disappoint either. At Validators, we enjoy researching the emotional impact and effectiveness of these ads, but we also look a step further. By providing insight into the mental market shares of supermarkets, patterns emerge that brands can capitalize on. The need for an affordable Christmas is more relevant than ever, and a brand’s positioning on this issue says a lot about the influx of customers it can expect. Successful campaigns combine strong creative work with a focus on the right Category Entry Points; both Lidl and Albert Heijn are doing very well this year.”

EmotionFlow & CEP Research

The Christmas commercials were analyzed using EmotionFlow. This neuro-technology tool analyzes viewers’ facial expressions using Facial Coding and Artificial Intelligence while they are watching a commercial. This allows you to conduct neuroscience research with a large sample size, while also having participants take part in the study in a natural setting. Through CEP research, we examine consumer needs and the opportunities for brands to address them.

You can also read this article on MarketingTribune.

Would you like more information? Please contact: business@validators.nl