Vodafone’s Elf and Seek AR game returns bigger and better for Christmas 2023

This year, families will enjoy a bigger, more connected experience with hundreds of thousands more digital elves hidden around the country. The UK public, on any network, will be able to access the game from the 11th until 24th December* and are being encouraged to interact with outdoor sites, social posts and custom Pearl & Dean cinema spots.

In a media first, Vodafone will also be bringing the campaign to Ocean Outdoors’s interactive screens at Westfield, Liverpool’s Media Wall, Printworks in Manchester, and The Screen in Nottingham. Guided by brand ambassadors, players can scan the interactive billboards to be in for a chance of capturing additional elves and winning one of the many prizes up for grabs. Users will also be able to secure more elves by interacting through social, by tagging @VodafoneUK and using #ElfandSeek, to ask Vodafone to drop elves near them.

Maria Koutsoudakis, Brand Director, Vodafone UK: “Given our theme for our Christmas campaign this year revolved around traditions, and a clever little twist on the role of the elf this Christmas, we are excited to have our Elf and Seek game back for a second year. This will be our most ambitious year yet, with a longer running campaign, more players, more prizes and of course more elves.  

“It’s a great way of getting everyone excited about Christmas, in a fun light-hearted way, so get playing and find those elves!” 

Chris Davey, Dentsu Creative, UK Head of Creative: “It’s fantastic to see innovation at the heart of Vodafone’s Christmas campaign this year. It’s a perfect example of how brands can move into the gaming space in a way that consumers will find instantly engaging and rewarding.”

The range of prizes include an all-inclusive family winter sun holiday to Tenerife, weekends away, Nintendo Switch consoles, Lavazza coffee machines, entertainment bundles and Amazon gift cards. The game will also give people the chance to donate one of 50,000 SIM cards to those in need, as part of Vodafone’s everyone.connected commitment that aims to help four million people and businesses cross the digital divide by 2025.

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Notes to editors

Users can access the game via www.elfandseek.com from 11th December to 24th December 2023.

Teams across Dentsu have collaborated to bring the campaign to life this year: Dentsu Creative conceived and created the AR game, alongside Carat. Dentsu Entertainment and Carat worked together on media, brokering the partnerships with Ocean Outdoor and Pearl & Dean, ensuring all media drives consumers to the game. Smart Media Technologies delivered the outdoor campaign.

Credits 

Campaign: Elf and Seek 

Client: Vodafone UK 

• Dan Mogridge  
• Sam Ovenden
• Emmeline Manning 
• Eshan Morjaria

Dentsu Creative

• Katie McPherson – Senior Content Creative – created the elves and digital OOH 
• Toby Trees – Senior Account Manager 
• Chris Davey – Head of Creative 
• Neil Drummond – Senior Editor – did the creative for DOOH 
• Aaron Austin – Junior Designer – created the Pearl & Dean ident 
• Elina Karadzhova – Editor/ Motion Designer

Carat 

• Natalie De Cruz – Client Partner 
• Jamie Truscott Howell – Client Director

Dentsu Entertainment 

• Annabel Coombs – Senior client creation executive – project managed the campaign 
• Zeina Addadahine – Account Executive – project managed the campaign 
• Keiron Batchelor – Account Director 
• Julie Vitalis – Agency Partner 

Media partners

Smart Media Tech: 

• Melanie Ballantyne 
• Tashya Caleon 
• Jon Knight 
• Sophie Conway 

Ocean Outdoor: 

• Bruno Jardim 
• Melanie Blood

About Carat

Carat UK delivers an unparalleled capability to unlock real human understanding to connect people and brands by designing powerful and engaging media experiences.

Headquartered in London, with offices in Manchester, Edinburgh and Leeds, Carat is a Dentsu company.

Most recently named a leader among global media agencies by Forrester, Carat is consistently ranked the #1 media agency in the world and serves some of the UK’s most storied and innovative brands, including Kraft Heinz, Kellogg’s, Vodafone, Co-operative Group, Direct Line Group, Virgin Red, Beiersdorf, Mastercard, Microsoft and Santander. 

For more information, visit carat.com/uk or follow @caratuk

About DENTSU CREATIVE 

DENTSU CREATIVE is Dentsu International’s new and sole global creative network that transforms brands and businesses through the power of Modern Creativity. 2022’s Cannes Lions Agency of the Year, it is made for integration with Dentsu’s Media and Merkle networks through Horizontal Creativity.

Led by Dentsu International’s Global Chief Creative Officer Fred Levron, 9,000 creatives across the globe are connected to 34,000 media and CX experts to deliver ideas that Create Culture, Shape Society and Invent the Future.

EMEA is the fastest growing region within DENTSU CREATIVE, bringing together over 2,500 people in 29 markets, including centres of excellence in Brand, Experience, Entertainment and Earned Attention. The UK is the biggest market in EMEA.

About Dentsu International

Part of Dentsu Group, Dentsu International is a network designed for what’s next, helping clients predict and plan for disruptive future opportunities and create new paths to growth in the sustainable economy. Dentsu delivers people-focused solutions and services to drive better business and societal outcomes. This is delivered through five global leadership brands – Carat, Dentsu Creative, dentsu X, iProspect and Merkle, each with deep specialisms.

Dentsu International’s radically collaborative team of diverse creators unifies people, clients and capabilities through horizontal creativity to help clients create culture, change society, and invent the future.

Powered by 100% renewable energy, Dentsu International operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 46,000 dedicated specialists, and partners with 95 of the top 100 global advertisers.

www.dentsu.com