I’ll be honest here, I was tempted to leave it another week to catch a few more stragglers but, given the apparent desire for festive cheer this year, let’s bring it forward and put the year’s most consequential Christmas crackers under the spotlight. So, to save you the trouble of separating the jingles from the jangles, here’s my totally biased, slightly sarcastic guide to the year’s most extravagant holiday commercials.
Argos: The Dino Rocker Christmas
If you’ve been looking to gift your least favourite child a gift that will keep on giving tortuous headaches, Argos has your back. Meet Trevor Talk Back Dino, the loudest, most obnoxious T-Rex toy in existence. The message here? Clearly, Argos wants to keep your home as noisy as possible this Christmas. Girls, apparently, are still stuck playing the silent sidekick. Trump would probably approve. Come on, Argos, if you’re going to invoke rock legend Marc Bolan, at least throw in some glitter and glam!
Zack Gardner, Associate Creative Director @ Collective, thinks:-
Feels like a bit of a missed opportunity not to have more products in the adoring crowd - but this is a fun enough little spot, without shaking the tree too much. The T-rex touches are lovely, and well-aimed at who’ll actually be doing the buying, though I’m not sure the speaker needs to be made in 3D if they’re sat in an actual house.
M&S Food: Dawn French’s Holiday House of Magic
Dawn French is back once again, starring as both a dishevelled Christmas hostess and her very own fairy godmother in this year’s M&S Food ad. With a wave of her sparkly wand, French’s chaotic home transforms into a picture-perfect holiday spread. Her cry of “pork pies!” at the end feels...well, a bit tragic. There’s something delightfully British about the whole thing, but is it a tad cringe? Absolutely. But hey, who wouldn’t want a holiday fairy for those last-minute cleanups?
Zack Gardner, Associate Creative Director @ Collective, thinks:-
Is this avant-garde? Are we seeing Dawn French’s slow descent into madness? Her most ambitious role to date? Forgetting that she’s invited her whole street over. Talking to herself before a fairy DF manifests. Over acting while insulting her guests and seemingly dancing to a different song than anyone else. “PORK PIE” she screams. Full Nick Cage. Still - the food looks class. 5 stars.
Asda: Attack of the Holiday Gnomes
Not sure if gnomes really scream “Christmas!” to you, but Asda’s certainly banking on it. This year, they’ve unleashed an army of gnomes who gleefully march into the store to ice cakes, prance around the aisles like giddy children and generally make us all a bit uncomfortable. The verdict? Less “festive cheer,” more “night shift fever dream.” I will admit, however, that “Driving gnome for Christmas” is a pun for the ages.
M&S Clothing and Home: A Snowglobe Awakening
M&S is branching out, albeit in a slightly baffling way. This year’s ad feels like it stumbled out of a generic fragrance commercial. A little girl endures a family gathering so lifeless that even the Christmas tree has given up. But with a shake of a magical snow globe, the house goes from gloomy to glittery. Charming, right? Well, sort of. Unfortunately, everyone’s still staring blankly, the music feels oddly subdued, and the ad’s vibe is more “stale eggnog” than “decadent Christmas pudding.” Next!
Boots: Mrs. Claus Gets Things Done
Boots has cast Adjoa Andoh as Mrs. Claus, who steps up when Santa’s too busy snoozing to prep for the big night. With a wink and a swish, Mrs. Claus gets her “werk-shop” of (gently) queer-coded elves moving faster than a No. 7 lipstick at a Boxing Day sale. While Santa lounges, Mrs. Claus manages it all. It’s a feel-good ad with a sprinkle of sass – and if it doesn’t inspire Santa to wake up and help, it’s sure to at least boost lipstick sales. Yes, it’s DEI message might be a little on the nose, but in the wake of last week’s election, I’m certainly not going to besmirch a brand largely targeted towards women for pulling out the woke card. We could all use a little more of the woke card right now in a world where “your body, my choice” seems to have become a seriously depressing mantra for mainstream America.
TK Maxx: Fashion-Forward Farm Animals
Forget snowmen or reindeer; this year, TK Maxx is all about…farm animals in fluffy sliders. Yep, our furry friends are strutting the farmyard in designer-inspired gear, from alpacas to ducks, all sporting chic outerwear. The underlying message? Your loved ones can look this good without breaking the bank. After all, nothing says "Merry Christmas" like an alpaca in a bumbag. Honestly, it’s a neat little idea and another ad (noticing a pattern here?) that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Morrisons: A Christmas Carol by Oven Gloves
Nothing says British Christmas like a choir of singing oven gloves. This Morrisons ad has all the kitsch charm of your favourite childhood puppet shows – think Muppets, not Cats. With scenes that could be plucked from Beauty and the Beast, our choral gloves sing to a Christmas turkey with pure devotion. Kudos to Morrisons for making us smile with this delightfully weird homage to the real heroes of the holiday roast: oven gloves.
Zack Gardner, Associate Creative Director @ Collective, thinks:-
The gloves are on - and there’s lots to like about this spot. Love the craft around giving regional accents to where the food comes from. We see what Morrisons bring to the table and the oven glove motif gets them very close to a ‘Muppets’ effect. And what’s more Christmassy than that? It does just feel like a carbon copy of last year though, lacking a core character or narrative to drive it on. But in this age of overconsumption and clamour for new at all costs - maybe Morrisons have hit the mark more than we even realise.
Sainsbury’s: A Big Friendly Christmas
Sainsbury’s hit the nostalgia button hard by featuring Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant (BFG) in a heartwarming ad. Stuck with disgusting snozzcumbers (a fate worse than fruitcake), the BFG stumbles into Sainsbury’s for a proper Christmas spread. Using scale sets and puppetry, Sainsbury’s serves up a charming blend of whimsy and tradition, giving us all the warm fuzzies. Spielberg, take notes – this is how you do a BFG adaptation!
Zack Gardner, Associate Creative Director @ Collective, thinks:-
Barbour: Shaun the Sheep Sings
In collaboration with Shaun the Sheep, Barbour’s ad brings the flock together for a chilly carolling session on Mossy Bottom Farm. Bitzer the dog has the solution to their frosty woes – cozy Barbour jackets all around! It’s an adorable, one-minute bit of stop-motion magic that’s as warm and snuggly as the brand’s famous waxed coats. It’s brief, but it’s brilliant, and it’s exactly what we needed to hit that Wallace & Gromit nostalgia.
Waitrose: The Christmas Mystery
And finally, my top pick: Waitrose. In this cozy, whodunit-style ad, we find the family in a full-blown crisis – the Christmas dessert has gone missing! Enter Succession's Matthew Macfadyen as the determined Detective, out to solve the mystery. With a stellar cast, clever plot, and even a poker-faced cat named Fig, Waitrose serves up both heart and humour and does so in a way that’s quite refreshing with a cast of diverse comedy characters that really lend a unique flavour to the final product.
And the Winner is... Waitrose!
This year’s ads had everything from gnomes to giant alpacas, each trying to add a bit of sparkle to the holiday season. But it’s Waitrose’s clever, cozy crime caper that takes the cake (or pudding) in my estimation. It’s hardly going to compete with Knives Out in the grand mystery stakes but it’s a fresh concept and pacing it out into multiple parts really makes it feel like an event.
Overall, a bit of a mixed bag so far this year. But it’s still just the second week of November and there’s plenty more where that came from. So, settle in, pour a mug of hot mulled wine, and enjoy the spectacle – whether you’re laughing, cringing, or crying. I’ll mostly be crying.
P.S – You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned the John Lewis ad today… there’s a reason for that so keep your ears to the ground for more later this month.
Another Opinion – Georgina Kelly @ Imagination GLBL
Aldi: Kevin Saves Christmas
This week, the UK’s big supermarkets rolled out their Christmas ads in full festive force. Waitrose, Morrisons and M&S (to name a few) all delivered their glossy, mouth-watering productions with plenty of theatrical flair. But once again, it's Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot who claims the top spot as the most effective Christmas campaign. For the ninth year, Kevin’s back, delivering his signature mischief, humour, and heartwarming cheer and, for Aldi, a strong boost in sales.
Whether you shop Aldi or not, Kevin has reached icon status, and you’ll struggle to find someone who hasn’t heard of this cheeky carrot by now. But Kevin does more than entertain, he creates a festive experience that customers feel part of both in-store and online. From Kevin-themed merchandise to their infamous social media presence, Aldi has built a loyal fanbase through interactive touchpoints.
Kevin *is* the brand, and the Christmas ad continues to resonate with customers of all ages, drawing in those looking for fun, healthy, and affordable holiday options. Aldi has once again nailed the formula of reaching customers through the right channels and building brand love that lasts far beyond the season.
Zack Gardner, Associate Creative Director @ Collective, thinks:-
