It’s that time of year again. One by one the big retailers have launched their Christmas adverts, and once again they certainly don’t disappoint. In no particular order, here’s the rundown – let us know what you think.
The Supermarket Christmas Adverts
Tesco
A montage of people rediscovering Christmas joy as they prepare for the holiday season, this is an uplifting advert which makes you want to break out the tinsel, STAT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJYwfEI4Fyo&sc_cmp=eml_NOATC_NWL_XMAS_ADVERT_14_37_07_14_37_01_602_P4
Sainsbury’s
A truly heart-wrenching advert this year, which Sainsbury’s created in partnership with the Royal British Legion, marking their 20-year relationship. It follows British and German soldiers as they realise that they’re not all that dissimilar after all, and celebrate Christmas by playing football on No Man’s Land on Christmas day in 1914 – an adaptation of true-to-life events. This one may be top for me!
Asda
Asda’s ‘smiles’ advert really does make you happy, listing all the reasons to smile over the festivities. We’ve all had trouble with a too-big tree, worn a silly jumper and paper hat, and tried to beat someone to the last piece of Christmas pudding… it’s all part of the fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wG8ML8AULU
Waitrose
I wasn’t too sure where this was going at first, as the girl featured didn’t seem very happy for most of it, which goes against everything that the other brands are trying to convey. However Waitrose’s message is more subtle, with the girl’s multiple attempts at making gingerbread, determined to get it right, because ‘when you own something, you care just that little bit more’ implying that Waitrose employees “care a little more” because they own part of the company. I’m not sure that the brand’s execution in communicating that was quite right – but see what you think…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypQh8uZ8pSo
Aldi
This one is a clever compilation of different Christmas dinner scenarios from some of TV’s (best) known faces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_noAJIC408
Lidl
Carrying on the theme of their latest campaign, residents in Hertfordshire were invited to Christmas dinner and made to guess where they thought the food was from. Sainsbury’s? Waitrose? Harrods? No, Lidl of course!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvwGOrii6zo
Christmas Adverts from The Retailers
John Lewis
Aiming unashamedly for the heart strings, Sam thinks he knows exactly what his best friend, Monty the Penguin, wants for Christmas…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccscUFY860
John Lewis also gets points for cross-channel marketing with ‘Monty’s Christmas’, (lots of nice interactive and downloadable content albeit slightly promotional) and the @MontythePenguin and @MabelThePenguin Twitter accounts.
Debenhams
There is nothing more pure than the joy and excitement of a small child at Christmas. Team this with the childhood fantasy of being left in a department store at night to run riot, along with the ‘We All Stand Together’ music, which takes me back to when I used to watch that frog cartoon film, and this makes for a spiffing Christmas from Debenhams
Marks and Spencer
One of them has to do it, and this year it’s M&S whose advert is glitter aplenty. Two Christmas fairies clock-in for work before flitting around town using their magic to make people’s wishes come true and transform their dull presents into ones the recipients will actually want. A little cliché, but very Christmassy all the same.
Argos
The most contemporary of the lot, Argos has gone for an advent calendar style reveal of all the products you can buy from them to make your Christmas complete.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVRnF8sg-RI
Boots
Boots focuses on mums again. A heartwarming advert showing a family all getting up in the middle of the night to welcome Mum home from her night shift as a nurse at the local hospital to celebrate Christmas together.
Which one is your favourite? Vote now!
