Google has tapped well-known animated characters from the Wallace and Gromit series to promote its Google+ Hangouts feature this holiday season. The new campaign launched by Google and Aardman Animations, the creators of the animated duo, demonstrates that the service helps “get your family together during the holidays, even if you can’t all be in the same place.”

The new promotion features an array of Aardman’s major characters including Wallace and Gromit, Trixie and Captain Cuddlepuss from Creature Comforts, Shaun the Sheep and Ginger from Chicken Run, who (all combined in one creative piece for the first time) are “connecting” with each other via Google+ Hangouts during the festive period. On the dedicated page www.familyhangouts.withgoogle.com, one may find a spot, where Wallace and Gromit are arranging a multi-screen chat with friends (Google+ supports a chat with up to 10 people at the same time). The concept of the spot was developed by Adam & Eve/DDB, and Rehabstudio got behind the website production.

The video also serves as a personalized Wallace and Gromit video invitation to be sent to your family and friends. On the page, there’s also a step-by-step explanation on how to use Hangouts to arrange a video meeting with other users. To add some festive spirit to Hangouts this season, Google has also introduced a special Holiday Effects app to be used within the Hangouts service. The app allows users to put on a Santa hat, reindeer antlers or Wallace’s tank top, turning the experience to be as fun as possible.

“We are thrilled to see Wallace and Gromit use a Google+ Hangout to join the rest of the Aardman family for the very first time. We would love for families and friends everywhere to easily connect over the holidays. For those who can’t make it home this year, they can still spend the holidays together through Google+ Hangouts,” commented Cristian Cussen, Head of Marketing, Google+, Europe, Middle East & Africa.