# Beards as Christmas Metaphors Coca Cola's Hobo Holiday Ads By Cowbag | Published 2008-11-28 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coca-colas-hobo-chrismas-2008-festive-advert-out References: [freshcreation](http://www.freshcreation.com/entry/anyone_can_be_a_santa/) It’s almost Christmas, so it’s time for some festive [Coca-Cola](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-world-needs-more-santas) commercials! The 2008 Coke Christmas adverts are out, and so far, there are no light-covered trucks, or tacky traditional music this year. Instead, they use [Santa beards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cushelle) as metaphorical images to show how you can “spread The Christmas Spirit.” The music is pretty strange and very slow, and as of yet, I am undecided if I like it or not! The creative messaging is that anyone can be a Santa. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 15% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Festive Advertisements:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore creative ways to use holiday imagery to convey the spirit of a brand or product. - **Metaphorical Imagery:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize symbolic representations to effectively communicate complex concepts or emotions. - **Personalized Experiences:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop campaigns that emphasize inclusivity and encourage individuals to participate in creating memorable moments during the holiday season. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Advertising:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate storytelling techniques and unconventional visuals in advertising campaigns to capture consumers' attention and create a lasting impact. - **Entertainment:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with brands to incorporate symbolic imagery and interactive elements into holiday-themed entertainment content, enhancing audience engagement and emotional resonance. - **Retail:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement personalized shopping experiences during the holiday season that evoke emotions and create a sense of community, allowing customers to feel like active participants in the festive spirit. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Kindness-Encouraging Soda Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-world-needs-more-santas.md) - [Community-Focused Christmas Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/real-magic-at-christmas-campaign.md) - [Health-Conscious Holiday Drink Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tenzing-christmas-ad.md) - [Virtual Brand-Backed Christmas Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-santa-visits.md) - [Seasonal Soda Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/olipop-christmas.md) - [AI-Generated Holiday Soda Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coca-cola-holidays-are-coming.md) - [Virtual AI Snow Globes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piccadilly-lights-1.md) - [Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cocacola-family.md) - [Remixed Music Soda Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pepsi-max-christmas-refreshed.md)