Fashion and homeware retailer Matalan has unveiled its 2024 Christmas campaign, which aims to honour its customers as everyday family heroes.

The brand’s festive advert, devised by creative agency McCann Manchester, celebrates the reality of familiar family moments and sits under the retailer’s recently launched ‘We get it, we’ve got you’ brand platform.

In a 30-second spot launched during ITV’s Emmerdale and Channel 4’s Married at First Sight (MAFS), viewers meet The Mellings, a family of five meeting at Christmas in their best party gear.

The family’s perfect party moments are interrupted by more relatable everyday scenarios, from tantrums over board games to running out of festive wrapping at the last minute.

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“We’re obsessed with Christmas in our house. As Diane Morgan puts it, ‘It’s the most wonderful time of year… Right?’” said Imogen Tazzyman, executive creative director at McCann Manchester.

“But as most families know, it can feel like a bit of a mission. Capturing those two sides of the same (chocolate) coin was so important to us – and we’re thrilled with the result. All the gorgeous festive chaos, wrapped up in a shiny bow. After all, glitter is for life, not just for Christmas.”

The retailer’s campaign will run throughout December across ITV, C4, Sky and Digital TV channels. 

Matalan director of marketing, Charlotte Dewhurst added: “Grab the popcorn, our Christmas TV ad for 2024 is here! I think we can all relate to the Melling’s where the realities of getting everyone picture perfect at Christmas time are the parts that don’t make it to Instagram! But at Matalan we get it and we’ve got our customers during this fun but hectic season.

“And finally we couldn’t miss the opportunity to give Mat & Alan (our two social media star colleagues who went viral this Summer) their very own cameo – see if you can spot them?”