Spain's National Lottery adds immigration to the Christmas mix

The ad campaign for Spain's Christmas National Lottery is as eagerly awaited as the retailer John Lewis' is in the UK, unofficially marking the start of the festive run-up. Known as 'El Gordo' (the fat one), it always manages to deliver a heart-warming message of hopeful humanity while acknowledging the challenges of everyday life. What do you think of the 2022 edition? Titled 'Vika', it is one of a trilogy with different themes, and was filmed in a former steel factory. It's garnering praise for its focus on friendship, but some are concerned that it's gone a bit too far in the meaningful or dark direction: comments so far include complaints that it's a downer, - with one particularly disappointed viewer suggesting it's more gloomily appropriate to Halloween in tone than to the joyousness of Christmas. Though the name 'Vika' is indeterminate, some are relating it to the ongoing Russia/Ukraine conflict. While some believe we don't need to be tackling thorny issues like migrants/refugees in a festive campaign, the lottery ad has also sparked praise for opening up the conversation in this way. Spain is a primary destination for forced migrants within Europe, and images of people in small boats washing up on its shores are a familiar sight on TV, with hundreds every year dying in the attempt to cross the seas to its coasts. It's also a popular migration nation, with working-age men and women from Morocco, China, Ecuador and Colombia forming the main intake, while asylum applicants are currently mainly from Venezuela, Colombia, and Honduras. The 2022 El Gordo offers a pot of some €2.52 billion in total prizes, with €720 million for the lucky winner - very often a village, company or other association whose members have all pitched in to buy part of a shared coupon.

Keywords: Loteria Nacional anuncio 2022, El Gordo anuncio 2022, Christmas ads 2022, Spanish National Lottery ad, Contrapunto BBDO