Hasta La Ideas

Christmas is a time for giving and sharing, and is also an opportunity for ad agencies to compete to create the most inventive Christmas messages. Here’s some of our favourites so far this year…

First up is an interactive Christmas window from Wieden + Kennedy London. Visitors to the Hanbury Street office can join in the fun, while the film above shows Neil Christie, Kim Papworth and Tony Davidson leading the W+K choir.

Over at TBWA in London, the agency windows have been turned into a giant advent calendar where 24 artists are being given the chance to share a piece of work. The artworks revealed so far can be viewed online here. The 24th window space has yet to be decided, and the agency is inviting artists to send in their work to be considered for this. If you have an illustration you’d like to share, simply email advent@tbwa.com with your image and also your wish for 2012.

Another advent site has been created by Blink Productions director David Wilson, who is sharing a new video clip every day until December 25. Visit the site at altadvent.tumblr.com/.

A second choir now, this time all the way from Sydney. Host ad agency has created an interactive piece that is on display at its offices on Butt Street in the city. The film above also shows the Butt St Choir at work for those that can’t pop by.

Saatchi & Saatchi has created Lovemix 2011, a holiday album created by musicians and bands working at Saatchis’ offices around the world. All the songs on the album are original and include an eclectic mix of styles from dance to indie, ambient to calypso. It can be downloaded free at saatchi.com/lovemix.

CHI & Partners has collaborated with illustration agent Agency Rush to host a Christmas-themed exhibition of new work from Rush’s illustrators at the agency, including Kate Jenkins’ crocheted Christmas dinner.

and this from Al Murphy:

A couple of charity-based ideas now. First up is an initiative by Mother in London, called Mother’s Psychic T-shirts. The agency has teamed up with Los Angeles-based psychic Lucinda Clare, who has used her spiritual powers to create a set of 100 predictions for 2012, which have all been written onto T-shirts and are awaiting their destined owners to pick them up. Each T-shirt costs £100, which may seem a lot but hey, destiny predicting don’t come cheap. Happily all monies raised will go to Age UK. Find out more at psychictees.com.

Over at Karmarama, founder and chief creative officer Dave Buonaguidi completed a 24-hour ping pong marathon earlier today, which was also in aid of Age UK. You can still donate to the good cause online at pingpong24.com, where footage of the challenge can also be viewed.

We finish with a couple of Christmas cards: first up the flatpacked Flying Santa card from graphic and product design company Studio 91, which turns into a rather fetching balsa wood aeroplane-cum-Santa’s sleigh. You can buy your own for £4.99 from Studio 91’s online shop.

And finally, this downbeat but funny missive from 3D animation and visual effects studio Kettle in London. Merry Christmas everyone!