Christmas ads are a staple of any big brand’s marketing and advertising strategy. We’ve rounded up our top picks this year, join us as we explain what works and why.

Edit 22 December 2020: We spotted a last-minute contender, released only a week ago - the NHS Charities Together. Their 'The Gift' ad deserves an honourable mention, and an extra pack of tissues to tend to those sweaty eyes.

The story focuses on an elderly man being nursed back to health by the devoted and caring NHS staff. In the end, the gentleman turns out to be more than a regular person…

At the time when the government communications around the pandemic are the talk of the town, this ad is much needed. It skillfully shifts the focus back to where it should be - the healthcare workers and volunteers, sacrificing a lot to keep us all safe. The ad also aims to revive the support for NHS Charities Together Covid Appeal.

The challenge

This year, creative teams on big-budget Christmas adverts had an even tougher task. Production starts so early in the year, how do we forecast what Christmas 2020 looks like? Do we acknowledge the pandemic or opt for an evergreen ad? And the hundred-point question, what will resonate with our audience?

So make a cup of hot chocolate (marshmallows optional) and take a brisk journey through the commercial Christmas land with us. Introducing our countdown of top five Christmas ads this season...

5: Argos ‘An Evening with AbracaDaisy & The Incredible Lucy’

After a huge success of last year's ad, Argos decided to build on their ‘Book of dreams’ catalogue, clearly hoping for similar success. I can almost imagine their internal meeting, discussing the strong numbers and generally positive response to then decide they need to use that momentum in the following year.

Which would probably have worked, if only they met the standard they set for themselves last year.

This year’s story focuses on two little sisters who are using their Christmas present, a box of magic tricks from Argos, to work by putting on an entertaining, out-of-this-world magic performance for the whole family.

It seems like Argos aimed to create a balanced combo of fun, humour, light-hearted action and magic. That concoction feels a bit more like an uninvitingly coloured potion rather than a perfectly blended, delicious mix, but it tastes alright.

Nonetheless, the ad is full of moments that put a hearty smile on my face. If you let go of of the "yeah, but last year..." comparison, it gets good enough to make it to the top five list.

4: Tesco ‘No Naughty List’

Tesco took the “make a Christmas ad” task in a different direction than everyone else. That already takes balls and a strong, proven concept.

Their short ad is a collection of strong characters professing their “covid sins”, such as hoarding toilet rolls, giving a bad, homemade haircut, admitting to not doing their homeschooling properly, or not donating money to support Captain Tom. But it’s been a hell of a year, so who cares? Not Tesco.

I’m not missing a wholesome, seasonal story when I watch it. I’m perfectly happy with Tesco taking the pressure off me and telling me exactly what I want to hear - you’re doing just fine, so take it easy on yourself, a’right? It’s been a tough year, we get it.

I can go on about the importance of self-soothing and the value that this kind of reassurance has, but this isn’t Psychology Today.

We all deal with That C-Word differently and Tesco managed to show it with a selection of very different, yet relatable characters (shoutout to my fellow gin and tonic lovers) in a light, funny way. We have humour, we have energy, fun, stereotypes, and a dash of kitsch.

It’s all skillfully pulled together with a fine choice of pop cultural references from this past year that everyone can relate to.

I have only one reservation - Tesco clearly bet on humour, but it feels like they pressed on breaks. Why do I get the impression that parts of the script were crossed out at the sign-off stage?

Frankly speaking, if it wasn’t for such strong top 3 competitors, this little gem would have been higher up on the list.

3: Great Ormond Street Hospital ‘Home for Christmas’

My Wildcard of the list.

The Great Ormond Street Hospital made this animation video as part of their Christmas appeal to get most of their little patients home for the holidays and create a festive home away from home for the rest.

Warm, dreamy, perfectly wholesome and made by an unexpected contestant who probably didn’t even aim to land on any ‘top Christmas ads’ list.

The animation has a light, dreamy way of taking on a pretty heavy topic. We’re leaving what’s real and what’s possible behind, embarking on a cross-country journey with hospital beds carrying their occupants home to their families. The appearance of a nut-devouring squirrel, foraging foxes and even the traffic light firmly bets on lightness and child-like view of the world. The viewer doesn’t feel uncomfortable or filled with guilt (remember that awful ad about overworked donkeys in India?).

The GOSH Charity addresses their Christmas campaign objectives and raises awareness without bringing out negative feelings. It leaves a seed of hope and makes the viewer feel more positive towards the charity.

And if the transition in 1:13 doesn’t melt your heart, then not even a crème brûlée blow torch will. ‘Scuse me while I take a minute to compose myself before we carry on.

2: Disney ‘From our family to yours’

What are the strongest values we associate with Christmas?

Family and tradition. Those two win every time.

Disney built on that by creating a story of a Filipino grandma, Lola, exploring her memories as a little girl and key festive memories with her granddaughter, all linked together by a Mickey Mouse plush toy. We get to see Lola’s changing relationship with her growing up granddaughter, the gradual alienation and the sudden shift in the young girl’s values who realises that, to bluntly quote Ron Weasley, she needs to sort out her priorities.

The story keeps on giving by gently brushing the topics of family, intergenerational connections and gaps, cultural traditions and modern lifestyle. And the old photograph of Lola in a nurse uniform, thrown in subtly in the background, is a welcome nod to our amazing frontliners.

Disney’s Christmas ad has the same format and feel to it as their beloved animated short films. And yes, one can say it’s easy to bring these characters to life and tell the story beautifully when you have Disney’s explosive budget at your disposal. But all the tricks wouldn’t tell a story if it had weak emotional threads and narrative gaps.

On a different note, major deduction points for the dramatic moment when grandma Lola drops the Mickey Mouse toy. My heart dropped in the same tempo because I was convinced that this is it, this is where the sweet, warm heroine dies. In a year centered around tragedy and death, this would have been even more shocking coming from the magical, wholesome Disney.

Was it just my thought? Holler if you had the same brief moment of panic.

I spent more time than I’d like to admit deciding who takes the throne between my top two. It was even closer than this year’s The Great British Bake Off finale between Dave and Peter.

But finally, I can say that the top place goes to…

1: Amazon ‘The show must go on’

This ad ticks all the boxes for me.

10/10 for the concept, storytelling, execution and even call to action wording (The show must go on Amazon - nice touch, Amazon).

We’re introduced to a gentle but strong, likeable character of a talented ballerina. She takes us for a captivating journey of emotions; there’s joy and recognition, there’s ambition, hard work, and resilience. We’re rooting for her way before the turn of events leaves her crushed and disappointed.

All this while the pandemic unfolds in the background, making the story relevant and acknowledging the hardship without stepping on the minefield of a personal tragedy. The neighbourhood connecting is a well-placed nod to communities and people around the world coming together to beat the pandemic.

Add a big-hearted, adorable little sister and a subtle, budding romance for our ballerina and you’ve got a perfectly balanced, right-amount-of-emotional ad with no unneccesary complexities. It’s just the right dose of hope and wholesomeness, mixed with relatability and drama.

Amazon managed to pull all my heartstrings. The past year has been difficult for everyone, but this narrative stops me in my tracks and forces me to notice all the good around me.

If you were really trying to pick on something here, you could say that the flood light as Amazon product placement was a bit of an awkward choice.

Finally, a huge plus for focusing on the story the creators wanted to tell, rather than throwing money on a fully blown production with a sole of purpose of proving that "ours is bigger than yours".

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