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Time to get Festive with Christmas Voice Apps

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and one of the most exciting advancements you can take advantage of over the holidays has to be voice technology and the festive apps that come with it. So, we’ve picked out the top five apps you and your family can enjoy to get in the spirit:

  1. Santa (Alexa Skills)

This voice app is available on Alexa and is full of exciting activities for both young and old to enjoy, from silly workouts and light meditation to jokes and cooking mince pies. There’s even a news and weather update from a reliable source at the North Pole.

 

  1. Santa Tracker (Alexa Skills)

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) has been Santa tracking for 65 years and its preparations are fully underway to make Christmas extra special for children and families across the world.

 

For those who don’t know, on Christmas Eve, NORAD provides up-to-date information on where Santa is. In the meantime, it can also provide top secret Santa facts for those eager to learn more.

 

  1. Advent Calendar (Alexa Skills)

Launching today (1st December), families across the country can ask Alexa to open a box where she will provide you with a cheery surprise, raising a smile on those gloomy winter days.

 

  1. Christmas Quiz (Alexa Skills, Google Actions)

As office parties and family get-togethers may be a little different, don’t worry you can still enjoy a Christmas Quiz with your smart device.

 

On the Google Device, gather the whole family together and test your knowledge on how much you truly know about the holidays. The Alexa alternative is a one-to-one quiz between you and your smart device, compiled of five multiple choice questions.

 

  1. Christmas Stories (Alexa Skills, Google Actions)

There’s nothing better than cuddling up and listening to a Christmas story to get you in the spirit. Alexa can use ten names of your choice and compile a festive tale for the family. In addition, your Google device will tell you one of three tales; The Snowy Day, Twas the Night Before Christmas or Swan Lake.

 

If you’re interested in hearing about how voice technology can benefit your brand, then take a read of our blog post, ‘Voice Search: A rare opportunity for brands to be heard’.

‘Tis the Season for the Big Advert Battle, by Gemma Wilson

Christmas, a time of goodwill and great advertising, is here again and for retailers across the UK it’s time to unleash the year’s biggest media spend.

Like the glow of twinkling lights and the first chill in the air, awaiting the launch of John Lewis’ campaign has become synonymous with the start of the festive season. But have this year’s biggest retailers left us feeling merry enough to march straight to the nearest till register?

The answer – most likely yes, but campaigns for Christmas 2017 have not been without controversy. From racist remarks in response to Tesco’s ad to Amazon’s attempt to steal Santa’s limelight, it’s been a bumpy ride for brands facing up to the often angry mob that resides on social media.

My personal favourite ad features the lovable Paddington Bear. Thank you, Marks and Spencer, for giving us bags of Christmas cheer. Move over Moz the Monster, for me Christmas this year is entwined with the marmalade-loving movie legend, as he helps to deliver a sack of stolen presents.

But far from the silver screen, or even TV sets, for brands and their borrowed film stars, scoring PR success comes from making an impact digitally and racking up views on mobile devices. PR Week reported the Marks and Spencer film had an impressive two million views in just four hours on the brand’s Facebook page. The campaign has been supported with a #LoveTheBear hashtag complete with a unique paw print emoji and social media monitoring tool Brandwatch reported 97 per cent of social media mentions were positive.

To date, one week after its first release, the ad has achieved more than 5.6 million views on its YouTube channel.

Treat yourself to a little seasonal magic, courtesy of Marks and Spencer: