Google Pixel has launched “It’s Pixel, actually”, a new social campaign designed to win over audiences during the festive advertising season by cleverly leaning into the enduring cultural pull of Love Actually – the Universal Pictures and Working Title holiday classic that continues to dominate UK Christmas viewing.
As the most-searched Christmas film in UK history, Love Actually has long been a favourite reference point for brands. Waitrose recently tapped into its nostalgic power by featuring Keira Knightley and recreating an iconic scene in its holiday ad. Now Google Pixel is putting its own twist on the tradition, enlisting fellow cast members Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Martine McCutcheon to front a fresh festive film inspired by the beloved movie.
The creative nods to several of the film’s most iconic moments, using them to spotlight the cinematic power of the Google Pixel 10 – with a particular emphasis on its standout Pro Res Zoom technology.
In “It’s Pixel, actually,” Brodie-Sangster revisits his iconic bench moment along with several other fan-favourite scenes, each reimagined to demonstrate how the Pixel 10’s advanced camera system allows anyone to capture cinematic detail and festive charm with ease.
Produced in collaboration with WPP Media Futures Group and Universal Products & Experiences, the campaign seeks to engage audiences with a fresh, shareable and emotionally charged reinterpretation of a modern holiday classic.
The campaign also playfully weaves in references to some of the film’s most unforgettable sequences, from the school concert drum solo to the now-legendary lobster costume, celebrating the humour, warmth and cultural legacy that have cemented Love Actually as a holiday classic.
As Eileen Mannion, VP of Marketing at Google UK, explained, the festive ad season is ultimately about emotion and attention – about creating moments that resonate. She noted that their ad taps into the timeless charm of one of the nation’s favourite holiday films to illustrate how the Google Pixel 10 enables anyone to capture scenes with cinematic flair.
The campaign will roll out across social platforms, digital channels and SVOD services in both the UK and the US. Audiences will see a hero long-form film alongside various shorter edits, reinforced by a coordinated wave of PR, social content and influencer activity
