Twas’ the night before Christmas and Santa Claus was… snoring peacefully by the fire. So, who better than Mrs. Claus to take the reins and fulfil our Christmas wish lists? With a swipe of her No. 7 lipstick and a flick of her wrist, a stylish Mrs. Claus and her loyal army of elves get to work at saving Christmas in fabulous style.
This is the premise of the Boots Christmas advert, which lands on our screens today as part of the Boots Christmas campaign for 2024, 'The Christmas Makeover.' Brimming with festive glamour, the advert stars none other than Bridgerton favourite, Adjoa Andoh, who plays the witty, straight-talking Lady Danbury in the hit Netflix show. But for Christmas 2024, we see Andoh step out of the ton and into a Christmas 'werkshop', where she plays a busy Mrs. Claus tasked with saving our Christmas beauty stockings - and looking glamorous while she does it.
‘I love Christmas, so I didn’t think twice when I was asked to play Mrs. Claus. [I'm that person who] gets the mulled wine on the go, digs out those old bits of tinsel, starts the fire, puts fairy lights all over the house. There’s something about the light in the darkness which I find magical,’ says Andoh.
The advert sees Mrs. Claus strut round the workshop organising her glamorous elves – two of whom are renowned beauty social media influencers, @soph and @snatchedbywill, both helping Mrs. Claus by testing all the amazing Boots beauty products. The workshop is a beauty lovers haven, brimming with all our favourite viral brands, from Bubble to e.l.f, Sol de Janerio to Laneige. The extensive range of gifts are also represented in the different elves beauty looks, from ‘vamp’ and glam, showing there’s a beauty gift for everyone.
‘There was such a range of people in the advert. Elves can come from everywhere and Christmas is for everybody. It is a religious festival for some people, but for others it’s just a celebration of being with your friends and family. It’s a moment to be kind, generous, and joyful together. I love that the advert recognises this,' she says.
For Andoh, beauty is ‘empowering’ because it ‘gives us the opportunity to talk about who we want to present to the world.’ As for her own festive beauty traditions, Andoh opts for ‘absolutely no-make up’ but always makes sure to put on her signature scent. ‘Smell is really important to me – it makes me feel encouraged if I’m feeling a bit low. Christmas day there will be moisturiser and perfume, and that's it,’ she says.
The advert ends with Mrs. Claus and the elves waving off Mr. Claus with a sleigh full of presents. Satisfied with her work, Mrs. Claus says ‘You thought it was all him?’ giving a playful nod those unsung heroes who make Christmas magical. ‘I think that women still tend to do a lot of the heavy lifting around Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries. I love being able to play a character and have a little nod to the audience that says “hello sisters. It’s us again,”' she says. ‘That was a fun part about playing Mrs Claus - I wanted her to be a bit fabulous,' she says.
Part of the advert’s magic is driven by the amazing costumes worn by Andoh and her team of elves. Andoh wears an incredible floor-length red coat designed by Kim Lareau, a blue dress by Rory Andrew and sparkly heeled boots, embellished with a gold B. ‘If you look at the back of a dress, it has a life to it – it floats. As Mrs. Claus marches through the workshop, the dress is undulating. It fits beautifully. I felt fabulous wearing it,’ she says. However, when it comes to her own festive attire, Andoh admits that comfort is king. ‘I will be fully clothed to go to church, then by the afternoon I’m probably in something elasticated,’ she says.
Much like Mrs. Claus, Andoh says she is the ‘Christmas director’ when it comes to her own festive celebrations. ‘The kitchen is not my preserve at Christmas,’ she says. ‘I am in charge of decorating duty. There will not be a space in the house that isn't “chrismassified” in some way. I love the opportunity for us to be silly, and I will insist on Christmas hats for the entirety of the dinner and all jokes to be read,’ she says.
And as for Lady Danbury at Christmas? ‘She’d be exactly like me; except she’d have more control over the drinks. She would not be in something stretchy by mid-afternoon – she’d be in something fabulous until she fell into her bed.'
Pete Markey, Chief Marketing Officer at Boots said: 'As the UK’s favourite beauty retailer, we are on a mission to spread magic and excitement to beauty enthusiasts this Christmas, whilst also recognising the unsung powerhouses who make Christmas so special. This advert is the perfect culmination of both, and I cannot wait to see the reaction and help gift-givers find the perfect gift this Christmas.'