What has become a culturally significant moment for the industry has once again returned this year with a new batch of offerings and aren’t they an interesting assortment.
Over the years, the ‘Christmas Advert’ has become the universal indicator for us all that the Christmas season has officially begun; it is time to get out the decorations and click play on our favourite festive tunes. We’ve had some stand outs over previous years with iconic characters such as Kevin the Carrot and heartfelt narratives taking over our screens, letting retailers share their own brand of Christmas stories and this year is no different.
A post-Covid Christmas that is currently in the midst of a cost of living crisis was always going to produce an interesting variety of adverts which Matt Bourn (Advertising Association) informed ITV would be defined by three categories. The ‘fun’ adverts, the ‘christmas help’ and ‘charity’. Previous years have made viewers weep with touching tales such as Man On The Moon (John Lewis, 2017), enraged consumers such as the anti-vaxxer boycott of Tesco (2021) and tantalized our taste buds with Christmas delights. But these new categories offer an insight into the retailers’ priorities this year and how aware they are of their consumer’s needs and desires.
We’ve seen the impact of how important a Christmas advert can be for a retailer's sales. For example, Sainsbury’s ‘1914’ (2014) was an expensive retelling of the Christmas Day ceasefire. However, due to its popularity, for every £1 spent on the promotion, Sainsbury’s made a £24 profit. This emphasised the importance of getting it right. Experts want to remind retailers that consumers become “less brand loyal in tough times” (MediaShotz), meaning that not only do retailers need to hold the attention of their existing customers with promotions and a display of values, but they have an invaluable opportunity to capture the attention of a new audience who are willing to vary their routine if a retailer aligns with their interests.
This year we have seen an excellent array of perspectives, varying from a more traditional advert such as Sainsbury’s utilising presenter, Alison Hammond set in a mediaeval castle with a soundtrack of ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus. Whilst the storyline and outfits offer a glance into a more opulent Christmas than most of us will ever see in a lifetime, the message focuses on Christmas looking a little different this year with the symbol of the Christmas pudding where you can ‘taste the difference’.
Both Asda and Aldi have chosen to rely on pop culture references with ‘Buddy the Elf’ joining Asda’s staff for the day with original footage from the 2003 film ‘Elf’. This has allowed them to showcase some of their Christmas range but also capture interests with the inclusion of a Christmas favourite. Aldi chose to include the story of ‘Home Alone’, another Christmas film classic, where their iconic ‘Kevin the Carrot’ battles burglars, mimicking the film’s narrative. The involvement of both these film references are an obvious decision to garner audience interest using popular references, reminding us what we love about the festive season.
A sector of adverts that are winning the hearts of the nation this year seem to be the retailers that are not shying away from the harsh realities that so many of us are facing this year. With predictions of “56% of UK consumers planning on reducing their spend this Christmas”, the big, flashy production value was not going to capture the interests of the nation.
Many of the adverts currently trending are those that focus on the theme of community, reminding people of what is important this Christmas at a time where people may not be able to show affection through presents but rather through giving in different ways. Amazon’s ‘Joy Is Made’ advert featured a child obsessed with his snowglobe which his father recreates a lifesize version of by purchasing a shredder and borrowing an assortment of objects such as a fan and a tree from his neighbours. Whilst Amazon could have used this opportunity to showcase all their new products and deals, they chose to redirect their values into a more sustainable Christmas advert where we share and look after eachother this Christmas - a wise choice for their company.
John Lewis is definitely getting a lot of attention, despite being one of the later releases, and it is well deserved. Instead of showcasing their Christmas product line, they are using the valuable opportunity to be seen by so many to remind us of local issues within our communities. This year they are raising awareness for children in care, informing viewers that over 108,000 children in the UK are in the system. Their advert features a couple preparing for the arrival of a young teenager they are fostering. A man attempts to learn skateboarding, which we later find out is a favourite hobby of the teenager. Despite bumps and falls, his determination is heart-warming, showing us that it is the effort to be there and look out for your loved ones that makes Christmas. This coincides with their current charity cause at this time.
Similarly to John Lewis, Lidl are promoting their Lidl Bear’s Toy Bank, a charitable drive to distribute new and unopened toys to children within the local communities. Their advert features a cute toy bear who gets caught up in fame and fortune, only to return to the little girl he belongs to. M&S also used this year to remind viewers to ‘treat people with kindness’ and highlight their donation of £1m to 1,000 community groups this year to support financial struggles.
A real change of tone this year with adverts looking more at what is really important this Christmas, rather than presenting an extravagant display. Retailers have opted to show their values in hopes this will attract consumers by showing an understanding of the current times, offering their support. Another year of memorable Christmas adverts.