As children, Christmas felt different: the joy of decorating the Christmas tree, the gifts wrapped in anticipation, the carol singing, the letters addressed to Santa, they all worked in our favor to make this time of the year truly the most magical and memorable one. And every year, the holiday seemed to begin with Coca-Cola’s “Holidays are Coming” ad, in which the trucks signaled that the holiday magic was just a few days away.
Unfortunately, not every child experiences Christmas the way we once did or the way many children enjoy it today. For millions of children around the world who face hunger and poverty, live in conflict zones, and have no roof above their heads, the festive season feels completely different. For these kids, Christmas isn’t about gifts or Santa; it’s about food, shelter, warmth, safety.
Whether intentional or not, the UK branch of Save the Children follows a storyline similar to the classic Coca-Cola ad. But unlike the 1995 one, the charity’s campaign is adapted to reflect the harsh conditions millions of kids are living in. Teaming up with Ace of Hearts, the organization presents “The One Delivery that Matters,” a global initiative implemented to raise awareness and encourage people to gift these kids the right of childhood — on Christmas and every day of the year.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a 45-second-long film, which is very similar to the one that has become a Christmas staple: Glowing trucks driving through the snowy landscapes, kids catching sight of these sparkling lights, and rushing to them in anticipation of some holiday magic. At first, the story feels instantly familiar. But as the narrative progresses, it becomes clear that the trucks are not loaded with gifts but rather with life-saving essentials and supplies for the children who need them most.
Commenting on the campaign, Kate Hewitt, Director of Brand and Creative at Save the Children, said: “This Christmas, we’re asking people to pause and reflect on what generosity really means. It’s about giving hope to children who need it most and reminding ourselves what this season is really about. This campaign is a reminder that the real spirit of Christmas isn’t found in sparkle or spectacle but in solidarity and compassion. That’s what truly matters.”
The campaign marks Ace of Hearts’ first set of global work since it launched five months ago. Besides the film, which will run across TV and cinema, the multi-channel initiative includes PR Ambassador-driven activity, a ‘tap-to-donate’ digital fundraising truck, social content, OOH, and an in-store retail activation.
Richard Brim, Founder and CCO at Ace of Hearts, continued: “This is a very special moment for us. It’s our first piece of work and it’s for such an important cause. It’s been a huge team effort and a total pleasure working with the team at Save the Children, and this is just the beginning. I’m incredibly proud of the team that pulled this off.”
“The One Delivery that Truly Matters” builds on a recent study commissioned by the charity, which concluded that 88% of parents feel pressure to buy more to make Christmas magical. Simultaneously, 92% of children report they’ve received gifts they didn’t want or wouldn’t use, and 73% say they would give up a present to help another child in need. In the UK alone, nearly 1 in 3 children face poverty this Christmas. Globally, 33 kids are born into hunger every minute. These figures highlight why deliveries containing food, warm clothes, and other life-saving supplies matter more than any other gift.
CREDITS
AGENCY: Ace of Hearts, London
FOUNDER & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Richard Brim
FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Polly McMorrow
FOUNDER & CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER: Martin Beverley
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Dalatando Evans de Almeida
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mike Hughes
PARTNER (STRATEGY): Siân Iles
PARTNER (BUSINESS): Charlie Poole
PRODUCTION LEAD / PRODUCER: – Shananne Lane
PRODUCER: Sabrina May
PARTNER (OPERATIONS): Sam McGeorge
CLIENT: Save the Children
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC IMPACT: Alison Bain
DIRECTOR OF BRAND & CREATIVE: Kate Hewitt
CREATIVE LEAD: Lucy Titterington
HEAD OF BRAND & STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: Emma Cooke
BRAND MARKETING & INTEGRATION LEAD: Sophie Stephenson
SENIOR BRAND MANAGER: Melissa Winterbottom
HEAD OF PR, ARTISTS & BROADCAST: Sasha Nicholl
PR CONSULTANT: Jo Campbell
PHOTOGRAPHER: Anna Sass
CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER: Alice Kirkham
DESIGN LEAD: Emily Hawkerr
SENIOR ARTISTS & INFLUENCERS MANAGER: Del Conboy
PRODUCTION COMPANY – Biscuit Filmworks, UK
DIRECTOR: Dan DiFelice
PRODUCER: Adam Oyejobi
DIRECTORS ASSISTANT: Ollie Watts
FOUNDING PARTNER: Shawn Lacy
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Rupert Reynolds-MacLean
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Daisy Mellors
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Emily Atterton
MEDIA: Medialab Group
SERVICE PRODUCTION COMPANY: Radioaktive Shelter, Georgia
FOUNDING PARTNER: Albert Zurashvili
HEAD OF BIDDING: Marina Karmolit
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Gena Shevchenko
LINE PRODUCER: Yulia Foster
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Vlas Laushkin
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Salome Sokhadze
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Ana Aphakidze
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Alex Kryshtal
1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: David Podgornik
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Omar Gelashvili
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Mariam Iakobashvili
CASTING MANAGER: Shoka Shon & Sopho Gagua
COSTUME DESIGNER: Kato Gelashvili
MAKEUP ARTIST: Anna Gadelia
EDITING COMPANY: Trim
EDITOR: Steve Shaw
PRODUCER: Tatyana Alexandra
POST STUDIO: Selected Works
POST PRODUCER: Nicola Simmons
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Alex Fitzgerald
COLOURIST: Nielson Bohl
VFX SUPERVISOR: Austen Humphries
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Francois Roisin
POST STUDIO: Selected Works
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Alex Fitzgerald
POST PRODUCER: Nicola Simmons
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Francois Roisin
LEAD COMPOSITOR: Theajo Dharan
COMPOSITOR: Valeria Scalamandre
COMPOSITOR: Mahesh Chandrasekaran
ONLINE COMPOSITOR: Nick Sze
DIGITAL MATTE PAINTER: Jordan Haynes
COLOURIST: Nielsan Bohl
SHOOT ATTEND: Austen Humphries
SOUND HOUSE: Factory Studios
SOUND DESIGN & MIX: Mark Hills
CREATIVE DIRECTOR (AUDIO): Anthony Moore
AUDIO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Deborah Whitfield
MUSIC SUPERVISION: LELAND
MUSIC SUPERVISION: ABI LELAND
COMPOSER/ARRANGER: LUKE ATENCIO
DESIGN STUDIO: King Henry
FOUNDER: Carolyn Henry
FOUNDER: Ian King
DESIGN DIRECTOR: Alex Fairman
DESIGNER: Dan Forde
HEAD OF CGI: Charlie Townsend
SENIOR CREATIVE ARTWORKER: Sam Stabler
