Here we go again! Christmas is rolling around for yet another year and seemingly earlier than ever before, with a slew of brands releasing their festive spots in the first week of November.
Many of the big players such as Asda, Lidl, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s have all already sent out their final cuts to the masses and naturally, Marketing Beat has asked a range of industry experts for their verdict on this year’s winners and losers.
Many brands have focused on home, family and product this year – opting for stripped, back-to-basic campaigns – perhaps as an ongoing reflection of weak economic growth and stubborn inflation.
VCCP – Ciara O’ Meara, creative director
How good is the work this year?
“This year I think the quality of the ads is astonishing. Production values are so high and this just reaffirms that the Christmas ad season in the UK is the equivalent of Superbowl in the US. There are more and more ‘wow’ moments this time around. Everything seems to have gone up a notch and just got that bit bigger – bigger budgets and bigger celebs.
It’s also really interesting to see this year that so many brands are running teaser ads for their campaigns, advertising the ads – with the likes of Asda, John Lewis and even KFC telling people when their ads are coming. My one caution on that though is whilst it’s great for us, we get to make more content, I’m just not sure how much that means to the general public unless you are in the fortunate position of being John Lewis!
With the whole ‘Superbowlification’ of Christmas it’s led to more brands getting in on the act and everyone seeming to want their own ad and to be heard – even when they don’t have much to say.
Why the focus on product over story this year?
“Ads don’t exist in a vacuum removed from society. I think we need to acknowledge that it is tough for a lot of people this Christmas – everyone’s struggling and they’ll be watching their money. We know from our own research, Hard Times Strong Brands, that people are still keen to keep those special celebrations, traditions and experiences the same – and will invest in those seasonal moments with loved ones.
A few brands – Deliveroo, John Lewis, M&S and KFC seem to be leaning into that sense of experience and creating moments, with messaging that reflects that Christmas is a special time and that everyone has their own way of making it special. M&S have really owned the message with ‘Love Thismas (not Thatmas)’ – they’ve always been good at owning a phrase.
“All this just creates more competition – so people are focusing more on product and experiences – ads need to emphasise the point of difference, why would you buy your mince pies at M&S as opposed to, say, Sainsbury’s? It’s not an easy market and we need to give consumers a reason to come into your store.”
Why so many celeb collabs?
“I certainly think they can be great – but it’s all down to the idea and how a celebrity fits with that. For instance, Michael Buble for Asda just works – he is Christmas and he’ll appeal to the masses which works perfectly for Asda at Christmas. The teaser was spot on too and I think it’s brilliant that they’ve got Taika Waititi to direct – Asda have really stepped up this year.
But they don’t always work. I understand why Capital One may want to have John Travolta in an ad, but I’ve never pictured him as Santa – he’s not very Christmassy for me! I couldn’t understand why Rick Astley was in the Sainsbury’s ad either – what was he doing randomly appearing in an aisle? That was a weird moment, but we understand the power of nostalgia has in creating emotional connection by associating your brand with consumers’ happy memories, as we’ve seen ourselves in our own recent work with Müller.
If you’re going to get a celeb there needs to be a reason for it. The M&S Food ad could have been so good – using Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as a pair of mittens. They’re both huge and incredibly funny, but if you’ve gone to the trouble of hiring talent like that, you need to make the most of them, and I’m not sure the ad did.
Winners and losers
“My favourite ad, and this was a view shared by a lot of my colleagues in the office, was the Shelter ad. It’s a really lovely ad and it stands in contrast to the huge number of OTT ads with insane budgets. When nobody else is really touching on the cost of living, no mind having a home of your own, this is a really powerful ad that hits the right notes culturally.
I don’t like picking a least favourite, but the Heathrow ads didn’t really do it for me. I get the emotional connection between airports and Christmas but it just didn’t feel authentic. Christmas is a big market to play in and you have to go big, either with production or emotion, and this just wasn’t on the same level.”
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System1 – Jon Evans, chief customer officer
How good is the work this year?
“2022 was a tough act to follow, the highest-ever average score in our Christmas Ad testing at 4.2 out of 5-Stars. But so far, 2023 has almost matched that – the average is running at 4.1 Stars. Whatever the industry believes, ordinary viewers know we’re in a golden age for Christmas ads.”
Why the focus on product over story this year?
“A big part of why is Christmas characters like Kevin The Carrot and the M&S Fairy, both of whose ads got the maximum possible score this year. Audiences love these Fluent Devices and they’re a great opportunity for brands to give an emotional lift while focusing a little more on the product – and its testimony to the power of consistency and brilliant craft that we’re seeing these new icons go toe to toe with the Coke trucks.”
Why so many celeb collabs?
“Animated characters are also a great way to sneak a celebrity in – Dawn French was joined by Ryan Reynolds this year for M&S – without them being a distraction from the Christmas magic.
Winners and losers
“It’s an ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it year’ with a big emphasis on Christmas tradition – we’ve not seen so many Santas for years – but there’s still room for brands to gatecrash the typical Top 10. My favourite long-term campaign is still Kevin – Aldi’s ad this year is a storytelling masterclass and the public love it more than ever. But my favourite single ad might just be Morrisons and their adorable oven gloves – fresh idea, stellar execution, it doesn’t look like it broke the bank and it still got the maximum test score. Just g-lovely.”
Kantar – Lynne Deason, head of creative excellence
A bold new direction for John Lewis?
“John Lewis’ hotly-anticipated Christmas ad, ‘Snapper: The Perfect Tree’ marks something of an emotional gear change compared with what we’ve seen from the brand in recent years. It retains the hallmarks we’ve come to expect, but for me doesn’t quite pack the same emotive punch. That said, I think audiences will respond positively to the humour that runs through the ad – our research has shown that brands are using humour more now post the pandemic.
I would have loved for the brand itself to have played more of a central role to drive greater commercial awareness but, given the momentum John Lewis has built around its festive campaign, people will still be looking out for and talking about it.”
“The essence of John Lewis sits at the heart of the story – drawing on the nostalgia of traditions but emphasising how new ones emerge as life doesn’t stand still. This is synonymous with the brand. Shoppers can still rely on it in the way they always have – its fundamental values remain the same, but it is evolving to reflect people’s needs and how they live their lives.
I for one am looking forward to buying my very own Venus fly-trap Christmas tree. The nod – more than a nod! – to the iconic Little Shop of Horrors film is great fun. There’s tough competition this year with many brands landing some of their best work yet, but John Lewis continues to do its own thing and to do it really well.”
The&Partnership – Toby Allen, executive creative director
Winners and losers
“This Christmas, like the Three Wise Men, adland has followed the stars. Buble for Asda, Graham Norton for Waitrose, Shaun the Sheep for Barbour. Elsewhere we’ve had memorable characters. Trevor and Connie returning to strut their stuff for Argos.
An opera-singing Christmas triffid is pretty out there for John Lewis, the new agency putting their stamp on a classic formula and perhaps starting a tradition of their own? In my household, a cast of singing oven gloves for Morrisons wins hands down. The kids are already mimicking it; which is as much as you can hope for from a Christmas ad.”
