Christmas is one of the best times of year for a huge array of reasons, but there is always the debate of when to start celebrating such festivities. For a lot of us, we feel it’s acceptable to say ‘Christmas is here’ when we start seeing those popular Christmas adverts on our screens. Each year, we’re riddled with excitement as we wonder who will have the best Christmas ad, and whether John Lewis will successfully make us cry with tears of joy again.
When done correctly, adverts play a huge role in the success of a business, and since the rise in popularity on social media, adverts have become even more effective, as the buzz they create then gets shared by the thousands online.
As the festive season is upon us, we have sat down and got together some of the best festive adverts of all time (in no particular order). We hope these put a smile on your face and remind you of all the good times had at the most wonderful time of the year! 🎄
Sainsbury’s 2015: Mog’s Christmas Calamity
Sainsbury’s teamed up with world-famous author Judith Kerr to create a Christmas story based all around her very own character, Mog the Forgetful Cat. Shared with the hashtag #ChristmasIsForSharing, the 2015 advert follows Mog’s clumsy nature in a series of events that almost ruin Christmas Day. Community spirit turns things around, as the neighbourhood share their food and decorations with Mog’s family, ending in them all spending Christmas Day under one roof. As after all, Christmas is for sharing! With over 39 million views, it’s safe to say this is worth the watch.
Heathrow 2016: Coming Home for Christmas
Heathrow prides themselves on being able to reconnect people with their loved ones, so of course, this was the theme for their 2016 Christmas advert, watched by over 5 million people. In the words of Heathrow Airport, ‘coming home for Christmas is the best gift of all’, so this heartfelt advert showing two cuddly bears (grandparents) experiencing airport life and reconnecting with their grandchildren is as warming as you can imagine.
Coca-Cola 1995: Holidays Are Coming
Ever since the launching advert in 1995, Coca-Cola have been known for their famous Christmas truck and ‘the holidays are coming’ tune. Pretty much all of Coca-Cola’s adverts have been epic ever since, but we’re celebrating the oldies on this occasion, as that’s where it all began. Have you spotted the Christmas truck around yet? 🎅🏼
John Lewis 2014: Monty The Penguin
Picking the best John Lewis advert is a tough one. They’re all created with such thought, and without doubt, will pull on your heartstrings. We’d list them all if we could, but the one which really stood out to us was 2014’s #MontyThePenguin. This story follows the life of a boy and his friend penguin, who turns out to be a cuddly toy that gets his very own lady-companion on Christmas Day! Grab the tissues, you’re about to get emotional over a penguin romance!
Sainsbury’s 2014: 1914
Sorry – we had to squeeze another Sainsbury’s one in! Sainsbury’s once again smashed their Christmas advert through the power of partnerships. 2014 welcomed their Christmas advert named ‘1914’, after partnering with The Royal British Legion. Continuing with their ‘Christmas is for sharing’ theme, the advert shows the extraordinary event which occurred in 1914 when two armies fell silent and began celebrating Christmas in no man’s land. Incredible!
Sainsbury’s cleverly sold the chocolate bar featured, with 50p made from each sale going straight to The Royal British Legion.
Boots 2014: Special Because
We’re very lucky to have services such as the NHS in the UK, and as Christmas time comes round, it’s important to remember that thousands of NHS workers continue to work through the festive period, giving up time with their families to help others. This Boots advert follows an extremely thoughtful family who gets up super early on boxing day to welcome home their relative who works for the NHS and missed out on Christmas Day.
M&S 2016: Christmas With Love From Mrs Claus
M&S dared to be different in 2016, and it certainly paid off, with over 8 million views on YouTube alone. This Christmas advert took a modern twist on the much-loved classic ‘child writes to Santa and Santa makes all dreams come true’ storyline, and focuses on Mrs Claus, instead. Female empowerment is more prominent than ever before, so this advert couldn’t have come at a more convenient time. Sit back and discover how Mrs Claus lives with pure class and style!
Irn-Bru 2011: The Snowman Advert
Particularly famous amongst Scottish fans, the 2011 advert created by Irn-Bru puts a twist on the classic ‘The Snowman’ storyline, intertwining it with a nice cold bottle of Irn-Bru. Irn-Bru aren’t particularly famous for their gripping Christmas adverts, so this one was a lovely surprise for us viewers.
Aldi 2016: Kevin The Carrot
Last but by no means least, this list wouldn’t be completed without Kevin The Carrot. Kevin The Carrot has become quite a famous character amongst Aldi’s adverts, and it’s his time to shine at Christmas in particular! Watch this cute carrot come to life and face the harsh realities that carrots have to face at Christmas. Fun fact: Kevin The Carrot toys are reselling for £500+!
There you have it! Some of the best Christmas adverts of all time. With several others released this year, we’ll be keeping a close eye on which ones become the most popular.
Was your favourite Christmas advert listed above? If not, which ones have done their job and left a mark on you? We’d love to hear your thoughts! 🎄🎅🏼🎁