Bol brings Santa and Sinterklaas together in holiday campaign

Created by DEPT, 'For A Gift That Matters' shares a message from the online retailer to help people create meaningful moments with gifts

By Creative Salon

04 November 2025

In its new holiday campaign "For a gift that matters," Dutch e-commerce retailer bol demonstrates how the platform helps people create meaningful moments with gifts during the busiest time of the year. A well-chosen gift can connect people and help bridge distances. Together with lead agency DEPT®, bol brings two Dutch icons together in this campaign: Sinterklaas (the Dutch gift-bringer) and Santa Claus. For the first time, these beloved holiday figures join forces to fulfil a special, challenging wish. With a mix of humor and emotion, bol shows that a gift is more than a gesture. A gift can mean something special to someone you genuinely love. The campaign goes live today and runs through Friday, December 5.

With this campaign, bol emphasizes that the holidays are about connection and meaningful giving. In the film, directed by Jelle de Jonge (Holy Fools), viewers follow Anna. She has one big wish for Sinterklaas: to celebrate the holiday gift-giving evening with both parents, who are no longer together. Because that request is quite challenging even for Sinterklaas, he calls upon the help of the other holiday expert. What follows is a humorous collaboration between Sinterklaas and Santa Claus to make Anna's wish come true.

Together, they create the perfect plan during various festive outings to bring the parents together for the holiday celebration with a special gift. They discover how a meaningful gift goes beyond a surprise: it creates a moment of connection. A warm friendship also develops between the two legendary figures. Their joint adventure can be followed through various social media channels throughout the campaign.

Fiona Vanderbroeck, Director Consumer & Marketing at bol: "The magic of the holidays revolves around being together, paying attention to each other, and sharing meaningful moments. Giving and receiving gifts that truly matter is part of that. At bol, we understand like no other that giving a gift is about much more than the gift itself - it's about the feeling you give someone. A gift brings people closer together because it says, 'I thought of you and chose this especially for you.' The special friendship between Sinterklaas and Santa Claus, who together want to make a difference for Anna, also shows what gifts are really about: feeling connected to each other."

Ramin Bahari, Creative Director DEPT®: "Gifts are central for bol, and from that perspective, we got to create a story about meaningful giving. We wondered what would happen if the two mythical figures who both represent gifts that matter - Sinterklaas and Santa Claus - met. What would they do together? What would they recognize in each other? That's how the story emerged about a magical collaboration to deliver a gift that truly matters to a little girl.

Campaign rollout

The platform-first campaign launches on Monday, November 3 and will be rolled out via television, online video, radio, out-of-home advertising, social media (organic and paid), influencers, creator content, and display ads. All campaign touchpoints seamlessly connect and convey the same message: bol helps you find a gift that matters.