Sometimes a tradition needs a good, healthy, norm-bending reboot. Sometimes the dire need for a reboot isn’t even realized until it is actually executed and people are then offered a real opportunity to actually view, engage, and interact with the subsequent result. Sometimes even our most treasured and celebrated traditions can benefit from a thorough and contemporary update.
Consider Santa Claus, for example. It’s Christmas, right? There is no better example – especially during this time of year – of a cultural tradition that could use a serious reboot than Santa Claus himself. Since the 19th Century, Americans have imagined Santa Claus to be an elderly, white-haired, seriously overweight man who joyfully sports culturally appropriated and seriously misplaced fashion. Have you really considered the practical quality of an oversize, heavy, red suit trimmed and highlighted with puffy white collars and cuffs? What about the hat? Is that the best he can do for warm headgear in 2008? Is that outfit really necessary? Is it even practical today?
At any rate, that is the immediate image conjured up when we – a majority of Americans – hear the name “Santa Claus.” That’s the image of Santa that happily lived in my head for as far back as I can remember. From the very first Christmas I can remember, Santa Claus was an obese guy with a very loud, semi-obnoxious laugh who piggishly gorged himself every Christmas Eve on tons of cookies and thousands of gallons of milk lovingly left for him by well meaning children everywhere. This traditional image probably would have safely remained intact for many, many years to come, had the marketing and advertising gurus over at Palm Centro™ not presented me – and the world – with their own image reboot that is not only totally believable, but hip too! Hip sure doesn’t hurt anything either.
Santa Claus needed a reboot! Do we really need an overweight, gorging Santa? Do we really need a Santa who stubbornly wears an archaic outfit from an age already past? Do we need a perpetual grandpa Claus? Do we? I used to think so, until Palm Centro™ rebooted the whole concept. That is some more genius holiday marketing, right there.
So, which Santa do you prefer? Are you still hanging onto the traditional image of Santa? Or are you a fan cheering for Claus, the Palm Centro™ reboot? that’s a deeper question than it appears to be, initially. So, take your time.
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Hi Shawn,
My name is AJ from the Palm outreach team. It’s nice to hear that you like the new Santa (we call him Claus, like blouse) and the “reboot” that he went through. I thought the term “reboot” was very clever. It’s a great way to describe the it.
If you want to check out all of our ads, you can go to our YouTube channel… http://www.youtube.com/user/santasgonecentro
I posted your article to Digg. if you have any questions, let me know.
AJ
Clause is awesome. Your team did good work, for sure. Thanks for the links to the video too.
I think my biggest problem with both this Palm reboot and Thomas Nast’s 19th-century reboot is that neither one truly captures the spirit of Nicholas of Myra. From Wikipedia:
I’m not impressed. Palm’s Claus seems to be nothing more than Nast’s version experiencing a mid-life crisis.
Sorry, I prefer traditional Santa Claus. I actually wrote a brief post about this just now and came across your site while searching for some sources.
It’s not that I wouldn’t be opposed to a “reboot” of Santa Claus, but it needs to be tied to something with substance (not just the product). I watch these commercials and I’m like, “Thats great, they made Santa skinny and ‘hip”. That seems to be it, and it makes me cringe a bit since its changing something for the sake of changing it.
A novel concept perhaps, but not really resonating. Just my opinion.
Granted, the new image is very much linked to the Centro, but I think it works for what it is worth. I agree, it would take a much deeper effort to “reboot” the Santa concept completely, but I’m pretty sure that isn’t what the Palm people are trying to accomplish. Beyond their commercial efforts (which is what we are talking about here) I agree with you 100%, Jason.
I think Thomas Nast actually accomplished what you are getting at…
Thanks for the prompt reply! I see what you’re saying; I know I don’t speak for everyone, it’s just that when I see those commercials that’s all I can think about, so in my eyes it doesn’t work. I don’t expect them to change the very idea of Santa Claus, but INHO they could’ve added just a bit more.
I’m not familiar with Thomas Nast but I will look into his work. Thanks again man.