“You can also paint the toilet paper red and decorate it with balls”

This year’s Migros Christmas ad is completely different from previous years. No tearful stories, no cute elves, owls or drones, no affectionate motto. No, this year a ghost wants to go to the Christmas party. There are witches, monsters, rainbow swords, walking bread and even a dinosaur group. Let’s stay true to our motto: Let the kids captivate us.

The main characters in the ad, which is oddly funny this time, are the people behind the story. A total of 48 children aged four to eleven took part in its creation. In the offices of the Zurich production company Rosas N Co, Blick meets two small creative minds, who can also be seen in the commercial: Nyah (8) from Basel and Travis (9) from Suhr AG.

Wild Christmas Story

During the conversation, they paint their creations on a piece of paper. Travis’ idea was a rainbow sword that could be used to stimulate the brain. “I would too, it would be good for solving math problems,” says the cheeky boy.

Nyah draws the soul, good German: ghost. But his idea was actually the witch in the tub. “It smells of witches and the bathroom is bubbling like a witch’s potion,” she says, explaining her opinion. The ghost’s clown tricks that entertain other party-goers and eventually make friends also go to his creative calculations. It’s totally accepted when he gets a Santa hat. An idea from Travis. And one of the few references to Christmas.

At the time of the conversation, it’s not entirely clear whether the kids really know how to create a Christmas story. It didn’t seem that important. Claudia Mai (46) from the casting company of the same name says the highest possible creativity is taken care of. Nyah saw the task as another task – she has already appeared in numerous photo shoots and even films.

happy with the finished point

Travis explains that he needed to invent a story based on five keywords: “I sat in my green frog chair for this. Then I was invited to the casting. I was given iced tea when I told my story alone. Someone threw out the empty ice tea pack for me. That was a good sign.”

It really was. Nyah and Travis were given speaking roles in addition to appearing on stage. Even though some of the stories they tell at the beginning are completely different, they are happy with the ending Migros point. “The producers put the story together from all the kids’ ideas,” says Nyah. Would you change anything in the video later? “I wish the monster, the witch, and the grandmother were there at the end of the party,” Travis says, “so everyone should be able to attend.” Nyah wanted grandma to get in the tub with the witch. Why does it remain her secret?

Despite ghosts and witches, family is at the center

In any case, they are signaling that including children is the main Christmas theme for them. They emphasize that they want to spend Christmas “with the whole family.” Travis would get a pet, “maybe a goldfish,” for those who needed some time alone for Christmas. Nyah would throw a separate party for anyone who wasn’t allowed to attend the Christmas party.

Otherwise, the ideal-typical Christmas looks pretty classic for both kids. In the case of Lego, SuperZings or Nyah, they want “a robot that can paint and do homework.” Of course, the Christmas calendar is just as important as the Christmas dinner. Nyah wishes spaghetti. In general, Christmas is the best time of the year for both, especially since their birthdays also fall in winter. But Easter, Valentine’s Day or Halloween are also beautiful. The main thing is a party.

«paint the toilet paper red»

Mention of Halloween will be of interest to those who think the ad is too spooky than Christmas. Who cares? The children’s story shows that, as Travis emphasizes, it’s about being together, “giving as well.” They themselves look forward to the decoration, the snow, the Christmas bag. How the festival is ultimately designed does not have to follow any clear guidelines.

As an alternative Christmas decoration, “painting the toilet paper red and adding ornaments and bells to it would look good,” Travis says. Nyah would have loved to have a huge marble run through the house, “it could ring the bells as the marbles passed”.

While the conversation is still about her classmates’ reactions to the scene and Nyah is no longer sure whether she’s being paid dollars or francs for her role, Travis has already made a ballpark out of colored pencils. Nyah joins the game right away. There is nothing holding the children in their chairs, they turn the interview room into a playground.

That’s okay, Meet the Scenery is as refreshing, unpredictable, creative, and somehow poignant as the commercial. It’s a welcome change in these troubled times. What is the name of the Grönemeyer song? “The world is in the hands of the children – the misery is over.” Migros got this right.