How many times have we found ourselves on a chilly December evening, huddled around the TV, not for a blockbuster movie, but for… a Christmas ad? It might sound strange to an outsider, but for Brits, these aren’t just commercials; they’re cultural touchstones, seasonal narratives that reflect our collective spirit. What began as simple, heart-tugging tales of togetherness has morphed into a full-blown cinematic season, complete with familiar mascots, ongoing sagas, and orchestral scores that could rival any film soundtrack. But in a year where budgets are tight, and economic headlines are grim, what kind of Christmas magic are brands serving up? Are we still in for the lavish, sparkling spectacle, or are we craving something a little more grounded, more human, more real?
Think back over the past few years, and you’ll see these ads acting as a kind of national mood ring. Remember the quiet reflection of 2020’s lockdown Christmas? Or the cautious optimism that flickered through our screens in 2021? Then came the purposeful reassurance of 2022, the joyful escapism of 2023, and the character-driven fantasies of 2024. Each year, brands instinctively mirrored our journey, shifting from deep empathy to dazzling excess as the country collectively tried to shake off crisis fatigue. But this year, with the cost of living still biting hard and a brutal Autumn Budget looming, the pressure is on. Will brands continue to turn up the sparkle, or will they dial it back to the intimacy and humanity that, ironically, the pandemic years first brought into sharp focus?
What’s clear is that the Christmas ad season has transcended mere marketing; it’s a genuine mirror to who we are and how we’re feeling as the year draws to a close. So, let’s take a look at how some of the big players are navigating this delicate balance in 2025, and what their creative choices reveal about our collective festive spirit.
Take Marks & Spencer, for instance. Their “Driving Home” spot manages to capture that universally relatable struggle of the Christmas commute. Dawn French, playing a weary driver, is stuck in gridlock, listening to Chris Rea. We’ve all been there, right? But then, M&S flips the script, transforming the jam into a rolling party as her fairy alter-ego conjures an M&S food truck. Inside? A lavish spread showcasing the delectable fare people genuinely buy the brand for. There’s even a cheeky Tom Kerridge cameo, subtly nodding to their chef-led range development. This ad is simple, legible, and, crucially, it sells abundance without ever tipping into excess – a smart move for the current climate. And who doesn’t appreciate a good festive chuckle about very real struggles?
Then there’s ASDA, with “A Very Merry Grinchmas,” a masterclass in audacious technical craft and timing. Instead of creating a new character, Lucky Generals and director Dexter Fletcher (yes, the mind behind “Rocketman” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”) reached for a true millennial touchstone: The Grinch. They rebuilt him for live-action, 25 years after Jim Carrey first snarled his way through Whoville. This production screams painstaking detail: four hours of prosthetics a day, meticulous colour-matching to achieve that “pistachio green” that looked just right under supermarket lights, and a performance calibrated between expressive and eerie, refined over endless prototypes. What’s truly striking is the physicality of it all. In an era often dominated by CGI wizardry, almost everything here was done in-camera. Fletcher insisted on practical magic – real sets, real texture, real charm. Even the actor’s slightly rough-edged singing take was kept because it made the team smile, prioritizing sincerity over studio polish. The entire look was vetted by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, ensuring every detail, from the rounded belly to the tricky yellow-green eyes, was spot-on. The payoff? A character that feels both nostalgic and distinctly British, stomping down ASDA aisles to a cabaret of party food, ultimately melting his miserly heart in the glow of “Asda Price.” This is much clearer in a visual format, as a quick demo can show, revealing the meticulous four hours of prosthetics daily and the careful colour-matching that brought the iconic character to life with such tangible realism. You can see more about ASDA’s Christmas offerings here.
Sainsbury’s, with their “BFG: Unexpected Guest,” brings back another beloved giant, pairing him with Annie, a real Sainsbury’s colleague. It’s a fast, warm caper that sees Annie rescuing Christmas spreads from a ravenous BFG. The plotting is brisk, with breadsticks restocked mid-chaos and canapés replenished through windows. It’s unapologetically food-first, using their Taste the Difference range as the story’s engine, not just a tacked-on product shot. Rogue Films and Electric Theatre Collective deliver scale and sparkle while keeping the tone human, and the closing invitation to “make room at the table” beautifully encapsulates their “Good food for all of us” message without feeling preachy. Plus, a cinema rollout alongside “Wicked” is a smart move for frequency. Learn more about Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range.
ALDI, always one to play the long game, launched “Kevin’s Big Question” as a teaser to mark Kevin the Carrot’s tenth year. Opening with a “Love Actually”-coded proposal outside Katie’s door, it then pauses, a clever, episodic cliffhanger designed to spark weeks of conversation. The teaser is notably lean on product, instead focusing on earned media mechanics: ITV and radio “breaking news” tie-ins, OOH roadblocks, and a wave of short films to drip-feed the payoff. It’s Aldi’s tried-and-true Christmas serialisation, expertly crafted to feel nationwide without overspending on the initial reveal. This build-up strategy is something other brands could certainly learn from.
John Lewis, the perennial emotional shorthand specialist, delivered “Where Love Lives,” an ad that feels different this year. It’s still sentimental, and yes, it still brings a tear to the eye, but its nostalgia belongs to a new generation. Directed by Saatchi & Saatchi and set to Alison Limerick’s 1990 club classic “Where Love Lives” (reimagined by Labrinth), the ad follows a father who finds a vinyl copy of the song from his teenage son. When the needle drops, the living room dissolves into strobe lights and memories: the dad’s youth in a 90s club, his toddler son taking first steps in flashes of light, and finally, a quiet embrace that speaks volumes. It’s gorgeous filmmaking, but what truly resonates is the generational shift it signals. For the first time, it feels millennial – Gen X, even. The world moves fast, but some truths stay fixed, like fathers and sons, and all the things they can’t say. By framing that universal tension through a song from the parents’ own youth, John Lewis closes the loop, with Christmas advertising speaking directly to the generation that grew up watching it. Explore John Lewis’s past campaigns for more emotional storytelling.
Argos, on the other hand, embraces humor with “Connie & Trevor x Simon Bird.” T&P evolves its “intervention” platform by having mascots Connie and Trevor literally kidnap Simon Bird to prove Argos is more than just toys. The gag feels like a Guy Ritchie pastiche – a noirish drive to a warehouse that turns out to be a cathedral of grown-up gifts – but the writing keeps it family-safe, aided by Bird’s precise deadpan and David Kerr’s brisk direction. Because it builds straight off their autumn work, Christmas feels like chapter two rather than a seasonal detour, which is both intentional and effective for brand continuity.
Amazon brings back their 2023 “Joy Ride” film, featuring a trio of lifelong friends rediscovering sledging joy. This time, its return is positioned as tradition rather than a simple rerun. An orchestral take on The Beatles’ “In My Life” elevates it, while the small act – padded seat cushions ordered on the app – keeps Amazon’s role modest and human. Instead of chasing novelty, Amazon is banking on the power of recognition in a season that thrives on rituals and familiarity.
Boots goes full storybook with “Puss in Boots at the Snow Queen’s Ball,” a charming dash guided by a magic mirror through gifting stops that map neatly onto categories in store. The tone is nimble and merch-friendly (you can almost visualise the end-caps), and the brand’s playful side lands without losing the sense that Boots remains the high-street fix when you’ve got ten minutes and a list.
Lidl, with “Why Do We Love Christmas So Much?”, steers towards generosity and small kindnesses through a young narrator and a gentle Beach Boys cover. The nationwide Toy Bank provides concrete action, making the ad understated and community-minded rather than glossy. While it could use a sharper “goosebump beat” creatively, the retailer’s role is credible and clear.
Finally, Morrisons’ “Making More of Christmas” by Leo Burnett UK turns the camera on the unsung heroes who truly make the season possible, from farmers and bakers to fishers and drivers. It tracks their year of graft to a new recording of “Stop the Cavalry.” Aaron Stoller directs with documentary gloss and zero HFSS cutaways – an elegant way to navigate constraints while showcasing the supermarket’s unusual vertical integration. The final reveal, a knock at the door that’s a Morrisons driver, not St Nick, lands the line “More reasons…” with a knowing grin.
So, where does this leave us regarding our opening question: sparkle or simplicity? What’s clear is that the answer isn’t a simple either/or. This year’s festive ads are masterfully blending comfort characters with genuine intent, leveraging music as a powerful emotional shortcut, and embedding a pragmatic heart that ensures food, value, and community are where the real magic lands. While some still deliver spectacle, it’s often in service of something deeper, whether that’s nostalgia, shared experience, or practical help. It seems brands have listened, understand our current mood, and are offering us a Christmas that’s both wonderfully festive and reassuringly grounded.
Continue reading the complete analysis here.
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