Unwrapping the Verdict on This Year’s Christmas Ads
Christmas 2024 is hurtling towards us at the speed of light, or so it feels at this point in December at the very least. It also means that all the brands hoping to cash in on those festive feels have released their yuletide spots. Gingerbread, crime mysteries, an octopus, an anthropomorphised carrot, and Mrs Claus… this year’s offering gives us some new ideas and a few returning ones, too. Brands – and the agencies that work with them – have to walk a tight line every year between delighting consumers with something feel-good and creating ads that don’t all blend into a saccharine sea of sameness. Did the ads in 2024 succeed? We asked UK’s industry experts to discuss this with us – below is their verdict. Indy Selvarajah Chief Creative Officer, Ketchum The Aldi ‘Push The (Gravy) Boat Out’ Christmas ad gets my vote this year. It’s a bit weird, there are mistakes, not taking itself too seriously and, ultimately, it has a warm sentiment, which is what Christmas is all about. I like that it’s the anthesis to most of the ads out there, which all follow the usual classic festive tropes. Instead, this one decides to play on misunderstanding and stupidity (again, something that is prevalent during the festive period in many homes) using great casting, comedy direction and scenes featuring mistakes and dodgy editing – on purpose. I don’t really want to cry at Christmas ads, there’s enough to be getting weepy about in the world currently. So better some stupid, silly fun to brighten the spirits. Neil A. Dawson Founder and creative director at Neil A. Dawson & Company There’s only one winner here and it’s an octopus. Vince McSweeney CCO at McCann Central One of my biggest thrills is sitting at a Christmas table overflowing with vibrant dishes of all kinds. Some, recognisable family favourites. Others, new and bursting with promise. All the colours and aromas dancing in my eyes and in my nose – giving me a taste of magic before I even raise a fork. Later, when I push back away from the table, having consumed way too much way too fast, I reflect on the standouts and surprises. Sure, some things that looked amazing were a little disappointing, but I don’t think I’ve had a year yet where I haven’t found something that fills me with joy. And I guess that’s exactly how I feel about Christmas ads. Hannah Waters ECD at Armadillo
As brands compete for the top Christmas ad, some focus on the short-term, while others adopt a long-term strategy to drive affinity. Boots’ Christmas strategy achieves both. Their campaign has built a story up across the years – widening their audience to invite more and more people into their brand. And this year, they’ve paired fairer representation with a generous competition and the option to sign-up for future journeys. Bravo Boots, because after all, customer value is for life, not just for Christmas.
Guy Swimer ECD at McCann Health London Christmas can be challenging for some, and from a health perspective it’s good to see some of this year’s campaigns tackling wider issues, including mental health challenges. The melancholy joy of Tesco’s ‘#FeedYourChristmasSpirit’ was really interesting, with its willingness to confront the bitter-sweet memories the holidays sometimes bring, as well as an area not often enough broached by mainstream ads - the silent mental health struggles of young men. All with a brand-centric focus on food as a binding tradition between past and present. Plus, a generous sprinkling of frosting and Christmas magic too; A lovely, thoughtful spot. Kyle Harman-Turner ECD at FCB London At Christmas, family rules. So, rather than tell you what I think about this year’s ads, I sat down with my seven-year-old daughter, Ettie, and asked her to pick out her favourite. Disney’s ‘The Boy & The Octopus’ earned her vote. It’s easy for Christmas ads to blur into one visual mash of tinsel and snow globes this time of year, so we liked how the story opened on a beach – summer not winter, sun not snow. The sushi scene, clever use of the hat in the narrative, and the octopus pulling up the eyelid were also sweet moments Ettie noted. From a ‘grown up’ point of view, the casting is lovely and authentic, and the beats of the story are playful. Plus, the four-minute cut also takes it from being a ‘typical’ 30-second ad to a short film, which allows you to appreciate the craft and really feel the Disney magic. It was only as we finished getting our thoughts together, that I realised I was being outwitted by my daughter… yet again. Completely and utterly hustled, she asked if we could go to Disney this Christmas. This was an expensive exercise. Thanks, LBB. Richard Dennison Executive creative director at The Ninety-Niners Christmas is coming. We all know this because our LinkedIn feeds are full of Christmas ads and chat about whether they’re any good or not. But who cares what adland thinks? I thought I’d check out the comments on YouTube for each ad and see what the real world has to say. Let’s start with the supermarket ads. Waitrose’s ‘whodunnit 'is first up. The first few comments posted were pretty negative. But they soon become very positive. “This is by FAR the best Christmas advert I’ve seen,” read one. Tesco’s gingerbread houses are next. It’s another hit with lots of chat about it being comparable to John Lewis. Is that a good thing? I’ll let you agonise over that one. M&S Food has served up Dawn French again. “Love this! Merry Christmas!,” was typical of the comments. Dawn will be back next year I reckon. Sainsbury’s also appear to have a hit with their BFG inspired ad. “Beautiful. Warm, humorous and nostalgic. Well done, Sainsbury’s!” The Morrisons singing oven gloves are getting a few negative comments. To be honest, a lot of them are referring to the cost of Christmas rather than the ad itself. But “This is just the 2023 one but with a different song,” was one. Continuity doesn’t seem to be an issue with Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot though. “It wouldn’t be Christmas without Kevin,” posted one. We all have our traditions! And what about a few of the other regular players? Disney’s mini movie about a boy who makes friends with an octopus is getting lots of love. “As cosy as a warm bed,” reads a comment. The jury is out on the Argos Rockstar T-Rex. “Fantastic,” one said. “Shite,” said another. Some criticism for launching too early as well. Barbour has comments turned off for their Aardman animated Shaun The Sheep ad. I suspect they’re missing out on lots of love. Meanwhile Boots might be wishing they’d turned their comments off. Or maybe they’re loving ruffling a few anti-woke feathers? Either way, “That’s me off to Superdrug then,” was typical of the comments about their Mrs. Claus ‘Make Magic’ ad. Finally, what about the brand that started it all? “And the award for the most confusing advert ever goes to... John Lewis,” was a common thread. And over all, people were not blown away. So there you have it. YouTube does tend to be more positive than the likes of X and Meta. But the emotional storylines, high-quality production values and long running times are going down well on the whole. Personally, my favourite is the Waitrose ‘Whodunnit’ campaign. It’s an innovative idea that got me eager to see part two. The star-studded cast gives it oodles of glamour, and the extra social content makes it richer than the missing dessert. My least favourite? It has to be the Argos ad. I hope they kept the receipt. Merry Christmas everyone. Dan Fleming UK country manager at Tracksuit We saw star-studded Christmas TV adverts land from a host of retailers including Debenhams, M&S Food, Morrisons and Greggs land in the first week of November. There are the inevitable grumbles from some quarters that this is 'too early', but in fact our latest consumer research suggests the contrary. Just under half (49%)* of those who celebrate or mark Christmas start thinking about and planning for the festive season as soon as Halloween is over, and 46% feel that it is acceptable for brands to launch Christmas campaigns in November. However, it is also worth noting that 9% of UK consumers feel that Christmas brand activity any earlier than December is beyond the pale, along with the 7% who don't think about Christmas at all until 24th Dec. Clearly, you can't please all of the people all of the time, but what we do know from our 'Future Demand in Action' research is that to drive future buying demand and long-term brand familiarity, leading with ad spots under 30 seconds puts brands at a significant disadvantage: storytelling is king. This is borne out further in investment in spend allocation – campaigns where production costs were between 30% and 50% of the overall (media plus production) budget are much more effective at driving an emotional connection and long-term commercial benefits. *in a recent survey by Tracksuit of 6,224 UK consumers Matt Bennett Executive creative director at ultra Some brands took risks: Waitrose continued their epic ‘whodunnit?’ (who doesn’t like a board game at Christmas!?); John Lewis went surreal with ‘The Gifting Hour’, Disney gave us a heart-warming tale about a boy and his octopus mate; and JD sports showed us the side of Christmas we never see. They’ve divided opinions but show that while audiences love creativity, they still want campaigns to feel relatable. Humour made its mark too, with the likes of legendary Dawn French appearing for M&S in person, Boots flipping festive gender roles and Greggs adding Nigella Lawson to their campaign for a touch of fun and luxury. It feels there’s been more playful approaches, rather than focus on the sentimental. Even Coca-Cola flipped tradition with an AI-powered version of its classic ‘Holidays Are Coming’. Looking to next year, I think there’s going to be even more tech-driven campaigns (AI isn’t going anywhere), heartfelt kindness, and bolder storytelling. But brands will also likely double down on sustainability and purpose, weaving in eco-conscious or community-driven themes as these issues stay top of mind. The big challenge for next year? Keeping things fresh and optimistic without feeling out of touch. In tighter economic times, audiences want ads that deliver magic and meaning but still feel grounded. So, 2025 could be about brands finding smarter ways to make us laugh, cry, or simply enjoy ourselves without overcomplicating it.
