Two of our favourite things as a team are a good advert and Christmas. So, as you can imagine, we get pretty excited when the Christmas ads start making an appearance. In fact, you can guarantee that by the first week of December, we’ll have had the annual ‘which of this year’s Christmas adverts is best’ debate…
Occasional Grinch, Neil, thought KFC’s advert was clucking great:
“I really like this one. it’s bold, funny, and memorable. Instead of following the usual festive traditions, it rejects the idea of serving turkey, sticking firmly to its identity as the chicken experts. This confidence stands out, especially during Christmas when many brands try to please everyone.
“By referencing (keeping in the mis-spellings for authenticity) social media calls for turkey, KFC shows it’s listening to its audience, but the humorous refusal adds a cheeky twist. It cleverly taps into a growing trend where people feel tired of the pressure to stick to traditional Christmas meals, like turkey, and want something more relaxed, like KFC (I suppose).
“Anyway, the humour makes the ad stand out for me in a what is a season full of emotional, sentimental ads, and it’s easy for people to share and talk about. By saying “no” to turkey, KFC are keeping the brand in people’s minds during a competitive time when everything is festive-ised.
“Overall, it works for me because it’s genuinely amusing, culturally relevant, and stays true to what KFC does best. It shows confidence and a clear understanding of its audience while offering a fun alternative to the usual Christmas traditions.”
Christmas superfan, Amy L, felt the Christmas spirit when watching Tesco’s 2024 ad:
“Tesco were the last of the retailers to release their Christmas ad, and it was definitely worth waiting for. They’ve really upped their game this year! The ad is something I’d expect from someone like John Lewis, and I love how they’ve creatively combined real life footage and CGI.
“The story of Gary losing his Christmas spirit is so relatable (even to a massive Christmas fan like me!) and it made me want to go home to my Grandparents and do something – mission accomplished, I guess!”
Harrison loved Coca-Cola’s new AI ad so much he felt inspired to try out some AI tools to write his review:
“I really enjoyed Coca-Cola’s new Christmas advert, especially because it’s their first one created entirely using AI. The use of AI brings a fresh, innovative touch to the ad while still capturing the classic Christmas spirit. The familiar holiday song and festive visuals blend perfectly, creating a nostalgic yet modern feel. It’s amazing how Coca-Cola has embraced technology to bring the magic of Christmas to life, making this ad both unique and heart-warming. This was also written entirely by AI!”
Festive fanatic, Amy A, wasn’t disappointed after the year-long wait for the John Lewis advert:
“I wait all year for the John Lewis Christmas advert (and I’m not ashamed to admit it)! I’ve been disappointed in their ads over the last couple of years, but there’s something about this year’s I really like. The ad tells the story of a woman looking for the perfect gift for her sister by looking back at their sometimes strained relationship through the years.
“Although it took me a couple of views to grasp the plot, I like the fact that it’s actually about Christmas shopping and the pressure of finding gifts, as well as how you can feel disconnected from loved ones.
“I also loved that the backing track was ‘Sonnet’ by The Verve – not some slowed down, arguably naff cover!”
Neave, A.K.A the office Kevin the Carrot fangirl, was delighted by this year’s Aldi advert:
“As the resident Kevin the Carrot superfan, I’ve followed his journey for years. We’ve seen him take on all kinds of roles, and his carrot-ter development (apologies) has truly flourished. He won my heart as the Spirit of Christmas in 2021, enticing Ebanana Scrooge to a more magical way of life. He was up to mischief as Kevin from Home Alone in 2022, and he even received a prestigious invite to William Conker’s Christmas Factory last year. But this year he takes on, arguably, his biggest role to date. Secret agent Kevin.
“Alongside Katie, they aim to crack the vault at Humbug Headquarters, to retrieve the Christmas spirit that the Humbugs have wrongfully stolen. Nothing comes between Kev and his Christmas spirit.
“The pair break into the vault (which just so happens to be an oven, showcasing all the delicious delicacies you can buy from Aldi at Christmastime) and recover the Christmas spirit, bringing joy and restoring order and peace to the land. Kev saves Christmas once again, and he does it all whilst pulling off the most outrageous thick-rimmed glasses and ‘stache combo.
“Each year I anticipate what our Kev will be getting up to next, and Aldi always deliver. I have a shamefully full collection of Kevin soft toys (what can I say, I love a character!) and he has certainly brought back my Christmas spirit this year!”
By order of the Festive Bake, Alix decreed that the Greggs ad was his favourite:
“Move over fancy Christmas ads, Greggs is here to show us that the true taste of the season comes wrapped in puff pastry and has questionable nutritional value. Teaming up with Nigella Lawson (that lady who can’t pronounce microwave) Greggs has taken the humble pastry, a staple of North East cuisine, and stood it alongside the greats where it belongs.
“I really like this ad because it takes the fancy Christmas ad vibe and swaps the posh food for Festive Bakes and sausage rolls. It’s a tongue-in-cheek twist on the classic M&S or Waitrose formula and having a celebrity chef treat Greggs pastries like a gourmet dish makes it all the better.”
Disney’s adorable and wholesome advert tugged on Sarah’s heartstrings this year:
“The Boy and the Octopus is a stunning animation with the perfect soundtrack: “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. It seems to resonate with all ages with its nostalgic easter eggs hidden throughout the animation such as Nemo, Toy Story, Mulan and many others. It leaves you with a smile through its added humour, and perhaps a tear in your eye over how cute the octopus is and the bond they develop, despite the little boy knowing he has to say goodbye for the octopus to fulfil its wish of seeing the world.
“It shows friendship, kindness and imagination, and is definitely a memorable advert!”
Our very own B.F.G (Bauble Flinging Gary) felt nostalgic over Sainsbury’s inclusion of the Roald Dahl classic in their ad:
“Everyone is always looking to make Christmas a bit more ‘phizz-whizzing’ and this year Sainsbury’s delivered with their charming BFG (Big Friendly Giant) take on our quest for Christmas magic.
“The advert sees the BFG set out on a search across the nation to source good food with a real Sainbury’s employee – neatly reinforcing sustainable good food is at the heart of what makes Sainsbury’s a much loved retailer.
“The BFG’s ideas of prawn coattails, beef welly-boot and wigs in blankets are replaced by salmon, brussels sprouts and stilton cheese.
“The use of Roald Dahl’s magical BFG creation adds the nostalgia and atmosphere we crave at this magical time of year, the delivery is light, humorous and heartwarming – full of festive charm.
“In a world where this time of year can be a source of stress – we are shown the way to an alternative ‘phizz-whizzing’ Christmas – glass of frobscottle anyone…”
This year’s ads definitely provide something for everyone– from iconic brands adopting AI and CGI to beloved retailers spreading Christmas cheer through heart-felt messaging.
Keeps an eye on our socials throughout December to see what else we get up to in the name of Christmas!