VisualGPS Creative Trends Culture Bringing People Together: The Importance of Showing Social Gatherings

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the return of many social gatherings. While brands across the world focus on togetherness in their holiday ads, our research shows that togetherness is now taking on new forms. Today's consumers seek more relatable depictions of togetherness in visual storytelling. As advertising helps foster the holiday spirit, how can brands embrace togetherness more authentically in video storytelling?

Getty Images’ VisualGPS research shows that 74% of Europeans want to see adults of different ages socialising. If today's audiences want to see more inclusion on togetherness, some of the holiday ads we’ve seen are answering this. For instance, JD Sports’ 2024 'The Family Portrait' film spotlights diverse communities, chosen connections and different types of families.¹ In France, Orange delivered an epic film with a humorous take on intergenerational battle over smartphones.²

If holiday campaigns often tell stories of people coming together through good and bad times,³ our VisualGPS research shows that togetherness is not only a seasonal need. 65% of Europeans believe joy is about building relationships and personal connections, and 62% say spending quality time with friends and loved ones brings the most joy. Yet, brand video storytelling often misses the opportunity of showing togetherness with an inclusive lens.

Over the past five years, videos in the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions showing togetherness have grown by 9%. However, many fall short of capturing the diversity of real‑life connections that people want to see. For example, popular videos tend to focus on white families. Furthermore, only 1% of videos depicting social gatherings include people with disabilities, despite 72% of Europeans wanting to see adults with various physical abilities together in social situations.

• Be mindful and intentional of who is shown together. It is important to be aware of unconscious bias on showing holiday togetherness. Are you focusing on traditional depictions of social gatherings? Who is not shown? What about 'chosen families', mixed age‑groups at work holiday celebrations? People of various abilities, backgrounds, sexual orientation?
• Capture candid moments of togetherness: Consider videos showing spontaneous and humorous moments such as kids having fun around the table, people engaging in deep conversations, funny dancing or a pet looking for attention.

Sources

[1] The Drum
[2] AdAge
[3] University of Birmingham