Milano's Christmas ad reimagines Santa as a cool urban flâneur

Milano & Partners, the official promotion agency of Milan, launched a Christmas advertisement for 2021 that breaks with tourist clichés. The spot, created by Wunderman Thompson's Milan division and produced by Movie Magic International, follows Santa Claus as he transforms from a traditional red-velvet figure into a contemporary flâneur exploring Milan's cultural attractions: the Pinacoteca di Brera, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a trattoria for panettone, a club for electronic music, and La Scala for a performance of Macbeth. The soundtrack features Italian-American rapper Duncan. The slogan is "Milano. It changes more than just your look." The article contrasts this high-quality production with other Italian tourist ads, criticizing the 2020 Calabria region spot directed by Gabriele Muccino with Raul Bova, the 2021 Sicilian region "See Sicily" campaign with Dimartino, Colapesce, Nicole Grimaudo, Eleonora Abbagnato, and Carlotta Ferlito, and Rome's Expo 2030 candidacy video with a typo "My names is Roma." The author praises the Milan spot for its intelligence, technical quality, and contemporary aesthetic, noting it avoids celebrity endorsements and relies on a compelling story.