Lottie Marriner, Head of Copy at Bandstand, unwraps the best, the bold, and the baffling from this year’s holiday ad blitz.
Ding dong the festive season’s here again. (Is it just me or did it start even earlier this year? Farringdon had the gall to turn on their lights before Halloween which is not okay.) Everyone seems to do a Christmas TV ad these days - why, Duracell, why - but here’s a round-up of some of the ads that have caught my eye, and been buzzing around the studio, so far.
Selfishly, I don’t acknowledge Christmas until the 25th of November because my birthday is the 24th (narcissist much), but my cold little heart was warmed by Tesco’s offering this year. The (lengthy) film is based around the insight that Christmas can be a last-year’s-lights-tangle of emotions, particularly when grieving and anything and everything reminds you of that loss - which is where we find our hero, unable to stop thinking about his nan.
The spot could have been as sickly as the giant gingerbread house in the final scene, but it struck a poignant and human note, the shooting was slick, and the gingerbread transformations were incredible and considered (Calvin Klein gingerbread man for the win). Extra, jelly tot-covered tick for the Gorillaz track choice.
TK Maxx Christmas recycling last year’s ad actually feels simple and confident (especially since, cha-ching, they’ll be monetising the animals in-store). But I’m keeping my eyes peeled for the Sylvanian Drama collab because, tonally, it feels bang on for a brand who’ve happily carved out a deliciously weird space for themselves. It also hails an interesting shift for the brand away from TV and onto social – perhaps we’ll be watching the 2025 ad on TikTok?
As for Aldi – oh look, Kevin’s back. At the risk of being a Grinch, even Jim Broadbent can’t save this overcooked carrot. Cold, trite (boob jokes ugh) and flat.
There is an element of ‘nicking things that people love and then slapping your brand on it’ about many Christmas ads, but I think, because it’s Christmas and we’re all listening to Mariah on repeat, we forgive it. The Sainsbury’s ad, with their ode to BFG, is a prime example of this. Is it cheating? A bit. But the stop-frame animation (with what transpires was a 24-foot puppet) is beautifully done and the scenes are charming. Like an offer of a warm mince pie, I won’t say no.
It might be because I fancy Matthew Macfayden, but I enjoyed the Waitrose ad. It’s a who-dunnit two-parter, so we’re still waiting to see the reveal and find out who the pudding thief was, but the first part gave us a veritable feast of British comedic talent. Food-based Christmas ads can be a bit soulless and shiny, lacking any real narrative (cough M&S cough), but this was watchable and witty and still made me hungry. The dedicated page they built for their website is also a nice touch – carrying on the story while inviting you to shop the ad.
Shelter has a habit of sucker punching us (think last year, and the little girl who tries her hardest to be good so that Father Christmas will give her family a home, only to wake up devastated) and ‘A World of our Own’ is no exception. Cinematic and fantastical, the production value ramps up a gear by taking us into space. The rug pull however, is that it’s not to make the ad look sparklier, but to show where a little girl and her dad escape to, to cope with their bleak situation. It's insightful. It’s moving. It makes me want to give all my money to Shelter. Bravo.
And finally, John Lewis. The only ad that has a slightly obnoxious release date but consistently gets the entire nation talking. ‘The Gifting Hour’ is the most on the nose ad from them I can remember, given that we start in an actual John Lewis department store, and not in a child’s bedroom or an illustrated forest. It soon descends into magical realism, but it doesn’t feel like it bashes you over the head with a Feel Something hammer.
Instead, it’s genuine and whimsical and, well, lovely. The vignettes are tasteful and nostalgic. The production is showy and spectacular but doesn’t get in the way. The music (always the hardest thing to get right in an ad) is perfect, stepping away from the usual cover track. Just the right amount of cheesy, it made me want to message my imaginary sister. There’ll undoubtedly be people who trash it but, for me, it’s a win.
Anyone else got a real hankering for a Christmas sandwich now?