The world cup only comes around once every 4 years, with only 1 nation able to become champions. Football is not for everyone. But a bigger prize is up for grabs starting in November every year…
…the battle for the greatest Christmas Advert of the year.
Our marketing services team got together and had a discussion about our favourite Christmas Adverts over the years… and here they are:
Sarah: Toys R Us – Magical Place (1989)
The catchy lyrics filled children’s heads for years to come. Every child wanted to take a trip to visit Jeffery at Toys R Us.
Becca: Sainsbury’s – The Big Night (2018)
Starring an eight year old star giving the performance of her life, all for her mum. Directed by Michael Gracey, the director of The Greatest Showman.
Fun fact: The children’s real parents were featured in the crowd too, and were intentionally kept away from the castings and rehearsals until shoot day.
Verity: John Lewis – Man on the Moon (2015)
The older man’s solitude during the holiday season is palpable in the advert and for a good reason too as John Lewis partnered with UK charity Age UK to help raise awareness for the million elderly who go for up to a month without speaking to anyone.
Nicola: Sainsbury’s – 1914 (2014)
Sainsbury’s Christmas advert, 1914. Made in partnership with The Royal British Legion. Inspired by real events from 100 years ago.
The chocolate bar that featured in the ad was actually on sale at Sainsbury’s, With all profits going to The Royal British Legion.
Tamara: Coca Cola – Holidays are Coming (1997)
It’s a familiar, Christmassy sight: a fleet of twinkling Coca‑Cola trucks making their way across a snowy landscape. This is how you know that ‘Holidays Are Coming’.
These days, you can get even closer to the magic as the trucks head up and down the UK on an annual Christmas Truck Tour.
Shaun: Irn Bru – Snowman Advert (2007)
Scotland’s greatest Christmas advert is a genius send-up of Raymond Briggs’s magical animation, The Snowman.
In this version, the snowman is outraged when the little boy won’t share his Irn Bru with him and promptly steals the can and lets go of his hand.
In recent years they have even produced a sequel!
James: Yellow Pages – Mistletoe (1992)
It’s hard to believe that this iconic advert was first aired 30 years ago. Despite rumours claiming that the little boy in the advert was a young Robbie Williams, it was, in fact, a child actor named Dean Cooke.
Hannah: John Lewis – Monty The Penguin (2014)
After 15 years of Christmas campaigns, John Lewis has a few stand-outs that could be considered for a list of best ads of all time. And according to viewers, ‘Monty the Penguin’ is chief among them – not just for its creativity but for being a ground-breaking integrated marketing campaign that delivered recording-breaking results.
The two-minute film from long-term Christmas ad collaborator Adam&Eve DDB told the story of an unlikely friendship between a boy, Sam, and his best friend Monty, a penguin.
What’s your favourite Christmas Advert? Comment on this post!
