All I want for Christmas is a perfume ad.

I don’t care what anybody says, there’s nothing better than a good old, over-the-top, extravagantly produced, super-star studded, feature-length, bonkers bit of nonsensical but sensational loveliness than a perfume ad - especially at Christmas. I love ‘em! They make me smile. They are often draw-dropping. They stop me in my tracks. They are always totally mad. And, most importantly, I remember them, usually for years. That’s powerful.

Perfume ads are the perfect case study in making the most of your distinctive assets. Name, logo, bottle and a tone, look and feel that encapsulates everything the brand wants to be. Chuck in a super-model or Hollywood actor, a top drawer director and a killer bit of music and you’ve got yourself a stand out bit of advertising. Yeah, it’ll cost a bomb, but it will endure like an intense and musky cologne.

In many ways perfume ads are the purest form of brand marketing - and it’s what interests me.

They exude the brand. And I admire the commitment, craft and high production values.

For many, perfume ads are probably an evil. The epitome of consumerism, creating false fantasies that mean companies can whack extortionate prices on a scented spray. But then you realise that’s really the same for most advertising you see at Christmas. Despite some of the convoluted moral messages, they’re all selling us something and hoping for us to feel nice and fluffy about their brands.

You can keep your John Lewis ads. Weirdly, I think there’s an honesty in a perfume ad. Yeah, they’re usually total lunacy, but that’s what makes them what they are. I can enjoy them without the need to look for layered messages, meanings or stories. Some will say they’re pretentious, but for me it’s the ads that try so hard to tell us an emotional story above and beyond what they are trying to sell that lose me. Most Christmas ads have disappeared up their own chimney and I’d rather have it the William Morris way: useful or beautiful. And perfume ads are the bit of beautiful magic I crave this time of year.

At L-E-A-P we love brand. We also love talking about brands and advertising. If you ever want us to find the beauty in your brand or find the useful nuggets that will give your brand a chance to fly (or just pick up this conversation about what makes a knock-out Christmas ad), give us a shout and say hello@l-e-a-p.com.