Anti-virus software brand Norton showed how multi-part adverts can bring fantastic results with its 2015 Christmas campaign – a series of three 60-second videos in which Santa gets hacked.

The humorous videos appeared across multiple outlets including Mashable, Gizmodo and Lifehacker, and were supported by native articles, infographics and social content.

Why did it work?

Shunning the trend of ‘sadverts’, Norton went with a humorous tone and a sharp script. Using humour attracted a wide audience to the campaign, which actually focuses on a serious subject (hacking), and using Santa, a goodwill figure, makes the valid point that anyone may be the target of hackers over the Christmas period. Cyber-security may not be the main concern of either businesses or the general public over the holidays, but Norton encourages us to think about just how catastrophic it could be.

Releasing the short film in multiple parts generated excitement for the next instalment and kept audiences engaged with the campaign.