Christmas is upon us at last. And that means the return of the Christmas ad.
Christmas ads have become synonymous with Christmas in the past decade, with audiences eagerly awaiting the premiere of the John Lewis Christmas ad each year.
Research from Kantar showed that 59% of people say they ‘love’ Christmas TV ads, with 56% adding that they were ‘really looking forward to seeing Christmas ads on TV’
A successful Christmas ad can boost a brand’s standing, but equally a bad Christmas ad can have the opposite effect.
Here at Marketing Beat, we have rounded up a selection of our favourites from this year’s offerings.
Where’s Wally looks for peace in the crowded festive rush
In what is probably our favourite Christmas ad this year, Etsy’s Christmas advert, featuring Where’s Wally’s titular character, offers insight into what it means to be lonely in a crowd.
Devised by creative shop Orchard Creative, Wally searches for meaning and connection amongst the crowd, finding it eventually in a heartfelt gift from of course Etsy.
John Lewis invokes nostalgia for Christmases gone by
No round-up of Christmas ads would be complete without John Lewis.
The John Lewis Christmas ad has become synonymous with Christmas since 2007.
This year’s offering features Victoria and Death in Paradise star Margret Clunie as trying to find the perfect Christmas present for her sister.
In her quest to find the perfect present, she travels back in time to meet with various iterations of her sister.
Developed in collaboration with the retailer’s agency of record Saatchi & Saatchi ‘The Gifting Hour’ marks the final instalment in the department store’s festive trilogy.
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Familiar favourite returns
From Luxury retailers to budget-friendly supermarkets, Aldi is next on the round-up of Christmas ads 2024.
Aldi’s offering stars the familiar favourite animated character Kevin the Carrot, this time as a spy in an escapade reminiscent of ‘Mission Impossible.’
In the spot, the Carrot has been tasked by Santa Claus to rescue the Christmas Spirit out of the claws of kidnappers.
The campaign was conceived by creative agency McCann UK.
It can wait until January
Beloved pop brand, Pepsi’s latest ad celebrates the magic of the festive period.
Developed by the brand’s in-house creative agency Sips and Bites, the integrated campaign titled ‘It Can Wait’ features a remix of the festive hit It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.
The ad reflects the opinions that many of us hold that life’s usual obligations – such as work, gym sessions, and studying – can be postponed until January.
‘Top Secret’ delivery
Babybel might not be the first brand you think of when it comes to Christmas but its festive advert marking the return of its viral dairy treat – the maxi Babybel- is full of festive cheer.
The ad, developed by PR agency Popcorn PR, showcases the hijinks of two security guards overseeing a ‘top secret’ delivery of a giant Babybel cutout.
Mrs Claus does it all
Despite the controversy of how “woke” the Boots ad was this year, it remains one of our favourites.
Devised in partnership with VML’s dedicated creative agency for the Walgreens-Boots Alliance, The Pharm, the blockbuster ad features Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh as Mrs Claus, the hero behind Christmas.
While Santa sleeps, Mrs Claus and her team of elves are busy preparing the gifts for the big day. The gifts are of course from Boots and if you fancy playing a game of Where’s Wally, but with Boots products, see if you can spot the 55 beauty brands, the retailer has launched this year
