The Christmas countdown has officially begun! These festive ads are guaranteed to get you into the spirit of the season …
Nespresso
David Beckham and Snowman star in the new Nespresso Christmas ad and they couldn’t look more stylish. David is a natural actor, and his styling is a real festive treat. Nespresso focuses on the importance of moments of joy and laughter this season. The story starts with David making a cup of Inizio coffee in a Vertuo Creatista machine, before noticing that outside, his sad snowman needs a nose! The Nespresso Inizio capsule is the perfect fit for a ‘carrot nose.’ The two play football, laugh and have a merry time. This one is heartwarming and will no doubt get you in the festive spirit.
John Lewis
This year John Lewis has veered away from their usual loveable animal creatures and really tried to pull at our heart strings with a tale of sisterly love. The set-up is a more traditional tale, all about trying to find the perfect gift for the people we value the most. A sister enters her sister’s bedroom and is transported back in time through all of their memories, their ups and downs, in an effort to really understand what the perfect gift might be. With festive cheer, patterned jumpers, decorations and twinkling lights, it feels like we stepped into Christmas. The ad is set to Richard Ashcroft’s Sonnet.
M&S
As always, the highly anticipated M&S Christmas advertisement doesn’t disappoint. Told through a child’s eyes (young star Skylar Blu from Britain’s Got Talent), the ad is directed by Emmy-nominated Elliot Power with choreography by Corey Baker, known for his work on the movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, set to the 1970s hit song I Believe in Miracles by The Jackson Sisters.
During December, customers can upload a photo of their Christmas tree online or on social media to see it magically appear in their very own personalised, animated AI generated snow globe. What’s more, if they share the image on social media they can enter a contest for their snow globe to come to life with a 3D printed version including mini versions of themselves inside, just like the ad!
The loveable Dawn French returns to promote M&S Food, voicing the M&S Fairy once again. In a plot twist and first for M&S, French also makes her on-screen debut, sharing the screen with her fairy alter-ego in the six-part series. The fairy sprinkles her magic, replete with treats, twinkling lights and heartwarming cheer. One instalment airing on December 17 will feature a cameo performance by classical singer Katherine Jenkins, accompanied by a choir. Customers can look forward to online contests and in-store giveaways, the debut of a behind the scenes social series featuring French and, of course, more celebrity surprises.
Boots
Boots caused quite the stir this year with its inclusive campaign starring Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh as Mrs Claus. The ad, titled ‘The Christmas Makeover’, begins with Mrs Claus stepping into her living room to find Santa asleep with hours to go until Christmas. In a joyous swirl of events, she takes matters into her own hands by supervising a motley crew of ‘elfluencers’ – including beauty content creators such as @soph and @snatchedbywill – sorting and wrapping presents in “Mrs Claus Werkshop” in the “Ho Ho Home”. The ad wraps up with a “You thought it was all him” followed by a comic scoff we have all come to know and love with Andoh’s Lady Danbury.
Barbour, Shaun X Baa-bour
Barbour wins the prize for the cutest Christmas ad of 2024 with a film featuring children’s favourite, Shaun the Sheep. The beloved Aardman character pairs up with the premium fashion brand once more and it couldn’t be more fitting with the “giving the gift of warmth” theme to promote Barbour’s heritage jackets and accessories. Based in a snowy scape of Mossy Bottom Farm, Shaun and co. are carol singers, corralled by the loveable farm dog, Bitzer. They can’t harmonise due to the cold, so Bitzer heads to Barbour to collect cosy hats and scarves. Last year’s commercial saw The Farmer’s beloved wax jacket get a bit of love, so as part of this campaign Barbour is releasing 30 limited edition Barbour x Shaun the Sheep Re-loved wax jackets, with proceeds going to Oxfam. The jackets will be sold in Oxfam stores and on Barbour.com.
Tesco
Tesco is focusing on the feeling of togetherness in their advert this year. Viewers follow Conor as his Christmas spirit explodes into the world around him after his grandfather gives him a pack of gingerbread men. The local market square transforms into a magical gingerbread landscape, complete with a Nollaig Shona Duit board and buskers playing gingerbread instruments. However, we also see this magical world start to crumble as Conor’s Christmas spirit dips when he thinks about the loss of his grandmother at this special time. At the heart of the campaign is Conor’s journey to rekindle a cherished tradition they did together – building a gingerbread house. A real tear-jerker, you might need some tissues at hand for this one!
