Erste Group Brings Donkey’s Journey to Life in Heartfelt Christmas Spot

This year’s Christmas advert from Erste Group, the Central and Eastern Europe banking group, has told a tale inspired by one of the most fabled journeys ever undertaken: Mary and Joseph’s travels to Bethlehem. At centre of 'Carry the light' is a small donkey that goes through hardships – until he plays a crucial role in a story that has become defining for many people across generations and throughout the world.

"Erste’s 2025 Christmas campaign reminds us that hope and gentleness often come from the smallest among us. It’s a story about compassion, determination, and the idea that each of us carries something meaningful to give. In a world like ours, it’s more important than ever to inspire people—to show respect, offer support, and encourage everyone to believe in their own strength,” said Nina Pentek, responsible for the production at Erste Group. “We also want to remind people that no matter how things may seem, they can always find a light within themselves—and that light can make all the difference!”

A Christmas parable -- told through a donkey’s eyes

With 'Carry the Light,' Erste Group builds on its brand platform #believeinyourself and shines a light on an often-overlooked figure: the donkey in the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. In the story, this donkey stands out because he is small and unlucky. His owner dismisses him as unworthy, treating him harshly. Yet, the donkey earns the gentleness of Mary, who chooses him for her travels, and he ends up accompanying them on their journey and symbolically carrying the light.

To bring the ancient world to life, the live-action advert relies on actors speaking original Aramaic, authentic handcrafted costumes, impressive landscapes, and a soundtrack that blends traditional instruments with natural sounds. Special consideration was paid throughout the filming to ensure that the depicted animals did not experience any pain, suffering, harm or distress.

Roll out across Erste Group’s markets

Erste Group’s 'Carry the light' campaign is being rolled out across all the markets in which the banking group is present, including Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Serbia. The campaign will run until Christmas, applies a 360° distribution spanning TV commercials, print, digital, social media and points of sale.

Together, Erste Group’s seven previous Christmas films have been viewed more than 360 million times and received over 39 advertising industry awards. As with these previous Christmas adverts, Jung von Matt DONAU was responsible for the creative execution, once again collaborating with directors Daniel & Szymon from the production company Arts & Sciences.

“The film manages to stand out from the usual seasonal advertising by providing an unusual perspective, strong symbolism, and a timeless message,” added Mike Nagy, managing director and executive creative director at Jung von Matt DONAU.

The new 'Carry the light' spot can be seen on major social and media channels, including TV across the CEE region. The advert has already been viewed over 12 million times across social media channels.