Take a look behind the scenes on our Christmas campaign, featuring real Urban staff and therapists.
One frosty morning in November, we invited Urban staff and therapists to pretend it was Christmas for a day at an east London studio. And oh boy did they understand the assignment!
While classic Christmas carols blasted through the speaker and plates full of mince pies waited to be eaten, our staff and therapists took a break from their day jobs and took on the role of models. But these weren’t just any models, they were to become Urban’s Christmas Elves and the face of Urban’s 2021 magical Christmas campaign.
Find an Urban Elf and win!
Throughout November and December, you may notice limited edition therapist profiles with hidden discounts on the app and website. These are our Christmas Elves. If you spot one, go to book a treatment and you could win 10, 20% off or a free massage in London, France, Manchester and Birmingham.
To give you a better idea of how the shoot went and to feel all of the Christmas vibes check out our behind the scenes reel. (And for more content like this be sure to follow us on Instagram and Tiktok!)
So now you know more about our Christmas campaign, we think it’s time you met our Christmas Elves!
Meet the real Urban Elves
Mystery Elf 1
Clue: She’s really an Urban nail pro
What’s your favourite thing about December where you live?
I’m based in London, and the festive season is the best time to enjoy Greenwich market and the Christmas lights along the river, not forgetting a cup of warm mulled wine.
What’s your best festive memory?
A favourite memory of mine is spending nearly every Christmas Eve cosy in pyjamas watching Home Alone, sipping on hot chocolate.
Mystery Elf 2
Clue: This elf knows a thing or two about makeup
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, what are your plans this year?
Yes I celebrate Christmas, this year will be with the family at home and will be extra special as I’m expecting a newborn. I can’t wait for some quality family time.
How do you stay positive during the winter months?
Life is good, surround yourself with good people and positive thoughts, tomorrow is never promised so live everyday as if it’s your last.
Mystery Elf 3
Clue: This elf nails it every time
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, what are your plans this year?
Yes, I do celebrate Christmas and it is one of my favourite holidays of the year. This year’s plans are spending Christmas outside Europe with friends in a summer destination country.
What’s your favourite festive food/meal?
My favourite festive food/meal is roasted lamb with potatoes, tzatziki, cheese platter and red wine!
Mystery Elf 4
Clue: You’ll find this elf giving office massages!
What’s your favourite thing about December where you live?
Definitely not the cold, but it is fresh and kind of nice. I love how everyone becomes more friendly and more giving. More like when you go abroad, not the usual vibe of London.
What’s your best festive memory?
Being younger and still having everyone around. Actually the rare time of spending it abroad in Uganda and how we danced and partied at home. That was differently cool!
Mystery Elf 5
Clue: This elf has worked in massage for over 10 years, as well as being a qualified beauty therapist
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, what are your plans this year?
Yes I absolutely love Christmas! I am going to a restaurant with 14 of my family and after we will come back to mine for a big party that goes into the early hours of the morning. There’s no sitting around chilling for us!
What’s your best festive memory?
It was wanting a doll that blew bubblegum when you moved her arm and I got it on Christmas morning and I was so happy. Also my dad buying me a Christmas tree for my room.
How do you stay positive during the winter months?
I try to always think positive every day of the year. Make the most of every single day as life is precious. Embrace long dark evenings, drinking mulled wine and meeting up with lots of friends.
Mystery Elf 6
This Elf helps office Elves feel their best
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, what are your plans this year?
I do celebrate – I’m always on cooking duties which is fun but requires a lot of planning. I think this year will be fairly quiet but I’m looking forward to the little traditions that we weren’t able to enjoy last year, like meeting up with friends at the pub on Christmas Eve, wandering around Christmas markets and indulging lots!
What’s your best festive memory?
When I was younger, my family and I would always make a point of going to see the lights in Oxford Street and the windows in Selfridges. There was always a house we would drive past on the way which went all out on their decorations each year – inflatable Santa, sleigh on the roof and all. It marked the start of the festivities and was always so exciting.
What’s your favourite thing to eat and drink at this time of year?
Cheese and wine! I love making mulled wine at home (it makes the house smell amazing), and a good cheese board is a staple throughout the festive period – especially as I’m really not a fan of Christmas pudding.
Mystery Elf 7
This Elf is also a candle-maker in their spare time!
What’s your favourite thing about December where you live (and where is that you live)?
I live in Greenwich, London and there’s a holiday vibe here at the best of times, so things really start to ramp up in December. We have lots of little Christmas tree sellers pop up in Greenwich Town Centre which is really cute, it’s lovely seeing people picking out their trees. The ice rink at Greenwich University is really cool too.
What’s your best festive memory?
I spent a year living in Sydney, Australia and having a hot Christmas day spent on the beach was pretty surreal. Everywhere you looked you saw people in bikinis and Santa hats.
What’s your favourite thing to eat and drink at this time of year?
This is a strange one, but I really look forward to opening up a jar of pickled onions on Christmas day. I know, it’s really, really weird. We always had them growing up as kids and I don’t feel like I’m doing Christmas right if I don’t have a stupid amount of raw pickled onions straight from the jar. I blame my Mum for this silly tradition!
Mystery Elf 8
This Elf helps look after all the other Elves
What’s your favourite thing about December where you live (and where is that you live)?
I live in South West London, but I always travel back to my ‘home home’ in Leicester for Christmas. Quite a few of my old friends from school head back to see their parents at the same time of year, so it usually creates a really festive bubble where we catch up over food and drinks.
What’s your best festive memory?
Every Christmas seems to merge into one, but thinking back to times I had around the dinner table with my family when my grandparents were still around will always be some of the best memories.
What’s your favourite thing to eat and drink at this time of year?
Cheese, there’s no competition. I’m always on a mission to find the most quirky cheese possible. Mulled wine too for sure. I’m really not sure why it’s only a festive thing, it’s just so outrageously good.
Mystery Elf 9
This Elf (pictured on the right) makes videos to make people smile
What’s your favourite thing about December where you live?
How cosy and wholesome everything feels. I live in South London where there are so many great parks to walk in. I also always make sure we get a real Christmas tree for the flat. It’s so fun picking one out and decorating it with Christmas music playing in the background.
What’s your best festive memory?
One of my favourite festive memories is when my Grandma would do her annual Boxing Day lucky dip with all of the grandkids. Every year she’d go to Poundland and pick out the most random gifts: from de-icer to stick-on nails. It was always hilarious watching everyone trying to bargain and swap their gifts with one another.
Feeling festive? Join in the Elf hunt!
And be in to win a free massage. Just download the Urban app and look out for the Urban Elves when you go to book your next treatment.*
Here’s a reminder on how it all works!
Urban Elves will pop up at random times in the Urban app until Christmas Day.
Just go to book a treatment and browse therapists. If you see an Elf, tap their profile to discover a secret code. Merry Christmas!
*T&Cs: Promotion ends 24/12/2021. Prizes include 10% and 20% off discounts, plus a free treatment equivalent to a 60-minute massage in your city but valid on all in-person services. One use per user only. Urban reserves the right to amend this promotion.