It’s been a competitive Christmas ad season, with brands pulling out all the stops and providing a series of feelgood festive ads as well as some more emotionally charged efforts (we’re looking at you, John Lewis). But are they really effective?
According to advertising effectiveness company System1, this year’s ads are in fact more effective than ever before, with its analysis revealing that 16 ads scored top marks this year – compared to just two in 2021.
The data also revealed the most effective Christmas ads for 2022, highlighting that Asda, Amazon and Aldi ‘understood the assignment’ as they took the top three spots for ads with the greatest potential to drive long-term growth.
Asda’s was the highest-scoring ad this year, with its ‘Buddy The Elf’ effort spliced Will Ferrell’s character from the classic Christmas movie into its own footage to surprising and magical effect. The ad scored a maximum 5.9 stars on System1’s Test Your Ad scale.
Also scoring top marks were Amazon, Aldi and M&S, which each made their best ever Christmas ad and would have topped the list in almost any other year.
System1’s one to five star scale predicts commercial effectiveness by measuring people’s emotional response to ads and the intensity of that response. Normally, just 1% of ads achieve a five star score; the mark of ads with exceptional potential to create long-term positive associations and grow market share.
This year, an unprecedented 16 ads scored five stars and above.
“Marketers had a tricky job this Christmas thanks to the cost-of-living crisis and most of them got their ads bang on target,” said System1’s chief customer officer Jon Evans.
“We’ve been testing Christmas ads for a decade and we’ve never seen as much five star work. We test Coke’s classic Christmas Trucks ad every year as a benchmark and it usually places in the Top 3. This year it would barely scrape the Top 10.”
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“2022 is still going to be a tough Christmas for many, and Christmas ads won’t change that,” Evans said.
“But marketers have taken the right approach here. They’re quietly acknowledging the circumstances families are facing but also trying their best to make ads that make people feel good, not remind them of their problems. It’s a sign they’ve learned from ads during the pandemic which lost all individuality in an attempt to sound caring.
“As we enter recession it’s really important to maintain a positive presence in people’s minds so they’re more likely to choose your brand when recovery does come. The Christmas ads of 2022 understood that assignment perfectly.”
1. Asda: Buddy The Elf (5.9 stars)
“Christmas movies are a bigger part of Xmas than ever so it’s a genius move to recruit Buddy The Elf for this ad. There’s huge brand recognition too so the elf isn’t doing all the work! The only question is can ASDA follow this up or is this a brilliant one-off – but for now they’re top of the Christmas tree.”
2. Amazon: Joy Is Made (5.9 stars)
“Sentimental storytelling is one of the most popular Christmas Ad tactics and Amazon get it so right here with a genuinely original story of a Dad’s dedication to make a perfect Christmas for his kid. Director Taika Waititi has form here – he did a 5-Star Christmas ad for Coke in 2020. He’s a master at telling a story without dialogue, which is essential for a major global brand.”
3. Aldi: #KevinTheCarrot Aldi Christmas Ad 2022 (5.9 stars)
“Aldi’s consistency at Christmas is phenomenal. This is the fourth year in a row their Kevin the Carrot ad scored 5-Stars and they got a second 5-Star score with the trailer. It’s another brilliant use of Christmas movies with a Home Alone homage – the other thing Aldi are so good at is rewarding multiple viewings with lots of hidden jokes.”
4. M&S: Gifts That Give (5.9 stars)
“The charity Neighbourly feature in two of the top four ads – proving that a bit of purpose at Christmas can work really well. Everyone’s aware how many people are feeling the pinch this year and brands acknowledging that by working with charities are getting a strong response. Great use of Harry Styles on the soundtrack too.”
5. Lego: Holiday Film 2022 (5.8 stars)
“Lego are a strong performer all year round as they have a brand people love and very consistent values around play and creativity. This is more of an inclusive holiday ad than a typical Christmas one which will help it do well globally.”
6. The National Lottery: A Christmas Love Story’ (5.7 stars)
“A beautiful bit of storytelling from the National Lottery which makes the product the hero without distracting from the love story at the ad’s centre. It especially stands out because it’s set at Christmas and has some of the holiday magic but it’s very down to earth and human.”
7. Disney: The Gift (5.5 stars)
“Disney have quietly built up a Christmas Fluent Device – a repeated creative asset like Aldi’s Kevin The Carrot. They’re telling stories every year about the same little girl and her family so their ad feels warmly familiar even before the heartwarming story about a new baby sibling begins. It’s one of the rare 2022 ads which includes and resolves a bit of negative emotion on the way.”
8. Lidl: The Story Of Lidl Bear (5.4 stars)
“If you can’t beat them, join them – Lidl here have a very tongue-in-cheek take on the idea of a “Christmas character” but when you remove the cynical wrapping there’s a very sentimental tale being told. They’ve got the balance just right, and if you can’t have your cake and eat it at Christmas, when can you?”
9. Barbour: One Of A Kind-Ness (5.3 stars)
“Most clothing brands don’t do commercials well at Christmas, which is a missed opportunity given how popular clothes are as gifts. Barbour is an exception, bringing in Paddington Bear again to emphasise their brand heritage and positioning. It’s their first 5-Star ad after several good performances.”
10. Tesco: The Christmas Party (5.2 stars)
“Hats off to Tesco for being brave enough to tackle this year’s miserable economic situation head on with their tongue-in-cheek political party that promises Christmas joy. It could have gone oh so wrong but pitch-perfect execution and an ad stuffed with funny moments mean it landed a 5-Star score.”
11. Cadbury: Secret Santa (5.2 stars)
“Cadbury have been running their Secret Santa campaign for a few years but this is the clearest explanation yet of what it actually is and does. It’s a lovely idea and one the ad really sells.”
12. Boots: #JoyForAll (5.2 stars)
“An example of an ad with a wonderful creative idea – magic specs which let you see Christmas joy in everything – and execution that lives up to it. It really sums up the winning approach this year, taking a positive outlook and trying to spread joy around.”
