With this campaign, bol emphasises that the festive season is about connection and meaningful giving. In the film, directed by Jelle de Jonge (Holy Fools), viewers follow Anna. She has one big wish for Sinterklaas: to celebrate 'pakjesavond' with both her parents, who are no longer together. This request is challenging, even for Sinterklaas. So, he enlists the help of the other festive season expert. What follows is a humorous collaboration between Sinterklaas and Father Christmas to make Anna's wish come true.

Together, during various enjoyable outings, they devise the perfect plan. They aim to bring the parents together on 'pakjesavond' with a special gift. They discover how a meaningful gift goes beyond a surprise: it creates a moment of connection. A warm bond also develops between the two men. Their joint adventure can be followed via various social media channels throughout the campaign.

Fiona Vanderbroeck, Director Consumer & Marketing at bol: “The magic of the festive season revolves around togetherness, caring for one another, and sharing meaningful moments. Giving and receiving gifts that truly matter is part of this. At bol, we understand better than anyone that giving a gift is about much more than the gift itself. It is about the feeling you give someone. A gift brings people closer together. It says: 'I thought of you and chose this especially for you.' The special friendship between Sinterklaas and Father Christmas also shows what gifts are truly about. They want to make a difference for Anna, demonstrating the importance of feeling connected to one another.”

Ramin Bahari, Creative Director DEPT®: “Gifts are a key pillar for bol. From that perspective, we were able to create a story about meaningful giving. We wondered what would happen if the two mythical figures were to meet. Both Sinterklaas and Father Christmas represent gifts that matter. What would they do together? How would they recognise each other? This is how the story of a magical collaboration emerged, in service of a gift that matters to a little girl.”

The commercial was developed with great care. Bol asked Villa Pinedo – the foundation that supports children with divorced parents – to review the commercial at an early stage from the child’s perspective. They indicated that the girl’s wish could resonate with the longing many children have: parents treating each other with respect, especially at moments that matter to a child. At the same time, they emphasised that this is unfortunately not the daily reality for many families. With this commercial, Bol wants to acknowledge this hopeful perspective.

Campaign rollout
The platform-first developed campaign launches on Monday, 3 November. It will be rolled out via television, online video, radio, outdoor, social (organic and paid), influencers, creator content, and display ads. All campaign expressions seamlessly align and convey the same message: bol helps you find a gift that matters.

Credits bol
Director Consumer & Marketing: Fiona Vanderbroeck
Head of Brand Marketing: Danielle Snoeij
Brand Communications Managers: Esmee Blom, Sophie Heeringa, Renee de Brouwer
Media Management: Nick Rusman, Kelly Siemons
Digital Advertising: Maegan Verspaget, Erik Frijters, Jim van der Klein
Social Campaign Management: Anne Vonk, Dominique Baartmans, Isaac Diepenhorst

Agency: DEPT®
Account: Sanne Fleur Frencken, Madelon Egbertzen
Project Manager: Robin Bau Santos
Strategy: Jan Govaert, Thom van der Bijl, Anne-Sophie D’Hoog
Creative Directors: Menno Schipper, Paul Wood, Ramin Bahari
Creatives: Sjoerd Wingens, Mitchell Diercks, Rienk de Vries, Niels Bredemeijer
Social Creative: Luca Mascini
Producers: Koen Barnhard, Friso de Ronden, Marloes de Rijke
Socials Producers: Rosa Stamato, Isabel van der Kroft

Holy Fools: Jelle de Jonge, Wikke van den Burg, Jan Sencur
Edit: Kapsalon
Grading & Online: Post Office
Sound: Earforce
Music & Licensing: Massive Music