BBC One is a brand that can sometimes feel disconnected from its audience. So we were briefed to create a Christmas film that reflected the real lives of a modern, diverse Britain, which would resonate with the whole nation regardless of age, location, or social group.

With our audience’s lives becoming busier and busier, we set out to create a film that encouraged the nation to cherish the moments you get together at Christmas, no matter how fleeting. Our creative solution was to exaggerate a single moment of togetherness - when you’re with the ones you love at Christmas, it really does feel like time stands still. We used simple techniques with minimal post work, to retain a British independent film style, adding to the feeling of realism, and to our brand’s rich storytelling tradition.

The strategy was to connect with a mass audience through a story of togetherness. We aimed show that BBC One understands and celebrates the important moments that matter to our audience, bringing warmth and connection to a brand that can sometimes feel disconnected from their audience.

The 2 minute film launched on prime time on national television, after Strictly Come Dancing final on BBC One. The film was also launched online, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. A extended version was released on our online player. Later, a 90 second cutdown was heavily rotated on TV. We also created 5 unique 30 second films set in the world of the film, which were used as idents on the channel throughout the Christmas period.

The film was overwhelmingly well received by the public. On air, the film reached 15% of UK adults on its first airing, and it was viewed over 4 million times online in the first week, being shared tens of thousands of times. It spawned countless articles in the national press, and news reports on TV, the most prominent of which reached a further 1.5 million people.