There’s been some notable Christmas PR campaigns over the last 24 months, and here we examine some in detail, and how they could be used as inspiration for any SITA-led activations in the betting industry.

Junior Account Executive Luke Duffy takes a closer look.

EE x Lionesses – “Christmas at Wembley”

EE and Havas Play UK staged a surprise Christmas party at Wembley Stadium for grassroots women’s football heroes, a festive celebration that promoted connectivity. Guests first met Lionesses Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp, and Khiara Keating via Zoom before they dramatically entered the room in person, turning a simple remote moment into a real-world surprise and showcasing the power of EE’s network to bring people together at Christmas.

SITA relevance: For a betting client with strong football credentials, a “Festive Fan Call-Up” could surprise community coaches, refs, or superfans with a Christmas gathering at a stadium or sports bar, starting with a “remote” call from ambassadors that flips into a live appearance. This could be wrapped in a wider “12 Days of Grassroots Gifting” campaign, where each day a different unsung hero is honoured with tickets, merch, and VIP experiences, delivering content that ties festive connection to football fandom.

Lindt – “Bring Back the Stocking”

Lindt’s festive activation taps into nostalgia after research found 45% of adults miss the magic of Christmas past, especially the tradition of receiving a stocking. By inviting people to bring a stocking into participating stores to receive a free Gold Teddy, and donating £1 to Childline for every additional Teddy sold, the brand neatly showcased generosity and charity at Christmas.

SITA relevance: For some of our gambling-industry clients, a “Stocking Fillers for Fans” in-shop or in-stadium activation could reward customers who bring in a scarf, hat, or old shirt with small festive freebies (free bet tokens, merch, or limited-edition treats), while also having a charity donation per redemption. Online, this could extend into a “Digital Stocking” mechanic where bettors unlock daily surprises on an app, turning routine engagement into a warm Christmas ritual.

Paddy Power – “A Shirt’s Not Just For Christmas”

Paddy Power’s 2024 Christmas film, “A Shirt’s Not Just For Christmas, It’s For Life,” turns the classic “first football shirt” moment into a decades-long story of loyalty, with Danny Dyer and Eddie Hearn bringing some festive humour. Following fictional Hardlypool United fan Andy from the ‘80s to the present day, the ad celebrates the lifelong, often painful devotion that starts when a kid unwraps their first (usually terrible) team shirt on Christmas morning.

SITA relevance: For one of our major betting clients, a content-led series like “First Shirt, Lasting Obsession” could invite fans and ambassadors to share their own first-shirt stories, pushing out short films across December that celebrate the emotional stories of being a young fan for the first time. This could sit alongside a social media CTA where users upload old Christmas-morning photos for the chance to win retro kits, VIP tickets, or club experiences, wrapping betting brands in a more emotional, family-and-football Christmas context.