It’s That Time of Year Again
Christmas Ads, Christmas Adverts, or Christmas Advertisements—whatever term you prefer. Every year, we like to compile all the key players to see not only whose ads have us welling up but also whose have us fast-forwarding through. Therefore, check out the latest list below!
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Christmas Ads of 2023
It’s that time of year again: the roundup of the Christmas ads for 2023! However, before we compare all the usual supermarket suspects, we thought we’d first share three surprise entries this year that have captured the hearts of many.
Charlie’s Bar
This advert from a local Northern Irish pub went viral almost overnight as it touches on what affects so many at this time of year – loneliness.
Updated Views February 2024: 15,000
Apple: Fuzzy Feelings
Next, Apple have moved away from their logical and mechanical tech reputation and really given us some ‘fuzzy feelings’.
Updated Views February 2024: 16,000,000
Sam Teale Productions: Let’s Love Each Other Like it Could be Our Last
This small production company became popular last year with their go-kart Christmas advert, and have delivered, yet again, this year.
Updated Views February 2024: 4,000
Tesco: Be More Christmas
With this, Tesco brings us a funny and silly advert about a teenager succumbing to the joys of Christmas.
Updated Views February 2024: 214,000
John Lewis: Snapper The Perfect Christmas Tree
Embrace our differences, and try new traditions is the message that John Lewis is bringing to us this year.
Updated Views February 2024: 1,200,000
M&S: Left & Right Mitten
M&S brings some of our Hollywood favourites to a festive adventure of Left and Right Mitten!
Updated Views February 2024: 820,000
Sainsbury’s: One Little Girl Asks One BIG Question
A little girl asks the question that every parent fears… or does she?
Updated Views February 2024: 159,000
ASDA: Make this Christmas Incredibublé
Michael Bublé makes a star studded appearance for ASDA this year, to make an Incredibublé Christmas.
Updated Views February 2024: 1,000,000
Morrison’s: Nothing’s Gunna Stop Us Now
A simple and amusing advert from Morrison’s featuring a pair of singing oven gloves.
Updated Views February 2024: 361,000
Aldi: Kevin and the Christmas Factory
A festive favourite, loved by all, Kevin the Carrot. He’s back with a festive twist on a much-loved story.
Updated Views February 2024: 4,600,000
Lidl: A Magical Christmas
Finally, Lidl’s festivities shows racoon causing chaos amongst the Christmas cheer.
Updated Views February 2024: 51,000
There we have it: the best of the Christmas ads for 2023! As always, they make us laugh, cry, and, above all, feel the festive cheer. Therefore, if you want to create a memorable Christmas advert for your business, consider hiring a digital advertising agency.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas from the MBM Team.
Bonus!
We’ve had a little look at the views in February 2024, and in terms of views, our winner is…
Apple’s Fuzzy Feelings
Apple won by a clear mile with a whopping 16 million views. A big congratulations to Apple for creating such a heartwarming Christmas ad.
See you in 2025 for the next festive roundup!
Christmas Adverts of 2022
Before going into this year, here are some notable ones from prior years. Interestingly, the winner with the most viewed Christmas UK TV advert is still Mog’s Calamity Christmas by Sainsbury’s of 2015 with 42 million views followed by Sainsbury’s World War One advert with 23m views.
John Lewis’ The Beginner
To begin, here’s a ‘pull on your heartstrings’ story about children in care.
Marks and Spencer’s Fairy
Now first out of the gate is Marks and Spencer with ‘Fairy is back and is joined by her new sidekick Duckie!’.
Disney’s ‘The Gift’
Next, Disney closely follows M&S with their touching tale of a new addition to a young family at Christmas.
Asda’s Elf!
Asda makes an entry with Will Ferrell appearing as The Elf, from the famous film.
Sainsbury’s’ Once Upon a Pud
This year Sainsbury’s’ tell the tale of a fussy countess who demands an alternative desert to the Christmas pud.
Tesco’s The Christmas Party
This year Tesco has made a bold move by taking a jab at the state of UK politics and introducing themselves as ‘The Christmas Party’.
Alternative John Lewis: The Go Kart
20-year-old Sam Teale has put together ‘The Go Kart’ in a Christmas ad that rivals not only John Lewis’ but all of 2022’s adverts. It’s current, relatable, and heartwarming to the extreme.
Christmas Ads of 2021
Christmas. The time of year when adverts on our television are watched with an eager eye and enjoyed by all for their festivities. We will chart the most popular Christmas ads of 2021. Discover who has taken the advertising crown. Can anyone topple the perennial classic John Lewis Christmas ad?
John Lewis’s Unexpected Guest
Currently, John Lewis is taking first place with their sci-fi twist on a classic Christmas meeting.
- 2,200,000 views as of 23-11-21.
- 3,040,212 views as of 10-11-22.
Aldi’s Ebananna Scrooge
Interestingly, Aldi has taken Kevin the Carrot to a new level this year with a fantastic twist on the classic A Christmas Carol, introducing ‘Ebananna Scrooge’.
- 776,000 views as of 23-11-21.
- 1,113,738 views as of 10-11-22.
Amazon: The Gift of Kindness
Up next, Amazon shares a simple but powerful advert this year highlighting that kindness really is the greatest gift.
- 595,860 views as of 23-11-21.
- 2,147,436 views as of 10-11-22.
Asda on Ice
Asda’s ‘on ice’ advert shows that there can be magic in all the moments.
- 474,054 views as of 23-11-21.
- 971,485 views as of 10-11-22.
Marks & Spencers: Percy Pig
M& S are making the season anything but ordinary this year by bringing their favourite character, Percy Pig, to life with the voice of Tom Holland.
- 447,065 views as of 23-11-21.
- 504,006 views as of 10-11-22.
Sainsbury’s: A Christmas to Savour
Sainsbury’s shared a brilliant family advert this year by showing a freeze frame of a traditional British family Christmas, reminding us to savour every moment.
- 437,274 views as of 23-11-21.
- 803,139 views as of 10-11-22.
Tesco: This Christmas, Nothing’s Stopping Us
Tesco is bringing everyone together in their advert that shows Covid-19 isn’t stopping them, or us, this Christmas.
- 387,370 views as of 23-11-21.
- 564,947 views as of 10-11-22.
McDonald’s: Imaginary Iggy
Imaginary Iggy tells of a child’s imaginary friend and their journey as she grows up. Reminds us all that we’re never too old for creativity.
- 367,337 views as of 23-11-21.
- 629,305 views as of 10-11-22.
Morrison’s: Farmer Christmas
Farmer Christmas shows how to make good things happen, and gives a little reminder of those working tirelessly in the background all year round.
- 106,637 views as of 23-11-21.
- 150,197 views as of 10-11-22.
Argos’: Baubles to Last Year, Christmas is ON!
Finally, Argos shows how everyone is making Christmas the best one yet, and making up for last year.
- 55,000 views as of 23-11-21.
- 85,039 views as of 10-11-22.
More adverts will be added to the list as they become available. We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and check every week for more up-to-date winners.
Christmas Ads of 2020
The time of year when adverts on our television are watched with an eager eye and enjoyed by all for their festivities. We will chart the most popular Christmas ads of 2020. Discover who has taken the advertising crown. Can anyone topple the perennial classic John Lewis Christmas ad?
Now let’s Take a Look at Last Year’s Winner First.
Christmas Advert Winner 2019: Sainsbury’s Nicholas the Sweep.
A young boy, Nicholas the Sweep, gets wrongfully accused of stealing oranges. As a result, the mob goes wild and begins throwing ridiculous accusations, ultimately banishing the small boy. However, he is rescued from the cold by Mrs. Sainsbury, who gives him a bag of oranges. Subsequently, the boy shares the oranges, filling the socks of other children and, in doing so, takes on the familiar red suit we all recognise.
Note that the advert on Youtube has now been watched by over 6.6m people.
Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot is Spectacular – 7.5m views as of 02-12-20:
Coca-Cola tells a lovely story with a nice twist at the end – 4.6m views as of 02-12-20:
The John Lewis Christmas ad has its usual ‘awww’ feeling, but here’s just something missing – 3.8m views as of 02-12-20:
Argos’ ad is a more a traditional advert – 3.3m views as of 02-12-20:
Sainsbury’s is rumoured for this to be 1 of 3 ads. This is the gravy song – 2.4m views as of 02-12-20:
McDonald’s animated ad tells a lovely story – 1.4m views as of 02-12-20:
Amazon’s Christmas ad is less of a story and more of an advert – 1m views as of 02-12-20:
Asda has created an ad that is true to life, though not a story:
Morrison’s advert is more of a music video – Very catchy though:
Tesco‘s no naughty is on-trend and a nice take on Christmas:
Maxx’s ad is a little quirky, about a dressed goat:
Snoop Dogg hooks up with Soda Stream to save the planet:
Christmas ad tells a nice story about a Mickey Mouse toy through the generations:
Supervalu ad is very good and a newcomer to the Christmas advert scene:
Weihnachts film ad is a very heartfelt, beautiful short story:
Christmas Advert Winners through Time
We’ve created a funky infographic showing the Christmas ads over the last 6 years so that you can see who has won each year and with what.
Christmas Adverts of 2019
Each year, the UK supermarkets fight for the top spot. This time, the Sainsbury’s Christmas Advert seems to win again and again. In line with MBM’s tradition of following the Supermarket Christmas TV adverts from different brands across the UK, we proudly bring you this year’s results.
In 2019, we are not only looking at supermarket advertisements for this year but also reviewing those from previous years to analyse past winners and how local supermarket ads have stepped up their yearly advertisements for the holidays.
Furthermore, in the last decade, Christmas TV adverts have expanded their audience reach by becoming available on digital channels. Consequently, brands have stepped up their game, utilising social media platforms to effectively reach their intended audience. For us, this provides a better idea of which adverts are most viewed and shared.
Here are Our Findings:
Sainsbury has continued to dominate supermarket adverts in the last five years, using familiar stories that move and win the hearts of its viewers.
Christmas Advert Winner 2014: Sainsbury’s 1914
Starting with “1914,” this advert pays homage to the Christmas Truce that occurred in December of that year, when German and British soldiers laid down their arms for 48 hours. During this remarkable event, both factions left their trenches, shook each other’s hands, shared supplies, and wished each other a Happy Christmas.
In addition, Sainsbury worked with the Royal British Legion to compile accounts of what happened. The Christmas ad by Sainsbury features the iconic singing of “Silent Night,” showcasing the two armies, once at war with one another, sharing gifts to celebrate Christmas.
Ultimately, “1914” by Sainsbury commemorates the extraordinary events of that night while also celebrating the country’s fighters. To further this effort, Sainsbury donates all the profits from the chocolate bar featured in the ad to the Royal British Legion for the benefit of the armed forces and their families.
Christmas Advert Winner 2015: Sainsbury’s Mog’s Christmas Calamity
The winning supermarket advert of 2018 is also from Sainsbury’s: The Mog Christmas Calamity. It features Mog, the family cat’s nightmare where a series of unfortunate events threaten the cat’s family, the Thomases’ Christmas.
The Christmas advert celebrates not the cat nor the fire that engulfed the Thomas residence on Christmas Eve, but how the community comes together to share what they have so the Thomas family and their Mog can have a good Christmas.
Christmas Advert Winner 2016: Sainsbury’s The Greatest Gift
In 2016, Sainsbury’s once again takes home the top spot in the supermarket Christmas ads wars. This time, it features a lively stop-frame animation brought to life by James Corden’s vocals. Specifically, the ad explores the life of Dave, a hardworking dad, during the Christmas season. It highlights his worries and dreams, as well as the balancing act he must maintain to make both his family and bosses happy. Ultimately, he realises that the greatest gift he can give is himself.
Moreover, “The Greatest Gift” uses the hashtag #ChristmasIsForSharing, a theme that Sainsbury has effectively utilised in previous years.
Christmas Advert Winner 2017: Sainsbury’s #EveryBitofChristmas
Sainsbury’s Christmas ad for 2017 wins the title of the most viewed and shared once again. As the title suggests, “Every Bit of This” is a compilation of kids, dads, mums, friends, and families singing about what Christmas means to them. Whether it involves fussing over the last bit of mince pie, eating chocolate for breakfast, quirky gifts, or ugly sweaters, the ad encourages everyone to celebrate it.
Additionally, the advert features a collection of black-and-white clips with splashes of colour sprinkled throughout. Sainsbury’s Christmas advert for 2017 resonates with the joys, stresses, and downright funny holiday moments that we can all relate to.
Christmas Advert Winner 2018: Waitrose’s #EltonJohnLewis
Waitrose’s Christmas advert of 2018 breaks Sainsbury’s winning streak. Titled “The Boy and the Piano,” or #EltonJohnLewis, it tells the story of Elton John’s career and how it all began when a young boy received a piano one Christmas day. Interestingly, that boy was Elton John himself.
Furthermore, John Lewis & Partners Waitrose showcases how a gift can influence, inspire, and ultimately change the course of a child’s life.
Christmas Advert Winner 2019: Sainsbury’s Nicholas the Sweep
This year’s winner is, once again, Sainsbury’s, garnering more than 6 million views as of this writing. Set 150 years ago in 1869, the Christmas advert coincides with the same time Sainsbury’s was born.
In the story, a young boy named Nicholas the Sweep is wrongfully accused of stealing oranges. As a result, the mob goes wild, throwing ridiculous accusations and ultimately banishing the small boy. However, he is rescued from the cold by Mrs. Sainsbury, who gives him a bag of oranges. The boy then shares the oranges, filling the socks of other children and taking on the familiar red suit we all recognise.
And that is it for this year! The Christmas ads are always a delightful tradition we eagerly anticipate each year. Moreover, the supermarket Christmas ads share common themes such as nostalgia, inspiring stories, and the joy of the season with others. We hope you enjoyed this as much as we did, and we are excited to see what they will bring to the table next year.
Christmas Ads of 2018
Christmas Leftovers – Winter is Coming!
Another year over, another one has just begun. Finally, the turkey carcass has been boiled down to soup. The tree is sitting proudly on top of the compost heap. You will soon, no doubt, face the issue of the lights you trod on while packing them away next December! Now, it is time to sit back, take stock, and think about who won the big grocery sales battle for Christmas 2018.
So, Who Were the Christmas Winners and Losers in Grocery Land This Year?
Well, simply put no one……………. perhaps?
Kantar Worldpanel shows the UK grocery market for the 12 weeks of Christmas (to 30 December 2018) as showing 1.6% growth. However, with inflation at 1.3% that’s a lot of hard work, effort and energy to shift just 0.3% of extra stuff!
The dreadful woes of the general merchandise retailers are well documented with HMV collapsing…. again…. and Debenhams contorting in what is certainly it’s eventual death throes. But people have to eat. So despite the general malaise around the High Street and worries about Brexit and the wider economy, the supermarkets should have done well…. shouldn’t they?
And in relative, but only relative terms they did. Anyone posting positive like for like sales in the current environment can quite rightly give themselves a big pat on the back.
The Winners [and the Not Quite so Much Winners] in the Grocery Sales War
Well, again it was the Discounters leading the field. Staggeringly over two-thirds of us Brits shopped in either Aldi or Lidl over the festive period! (Kantar Worldpanel) Driving 10.4% and 9.4% growth respectively. Sharp pricing, great quality and value and very tempting premium seasonal ranges mean these two now have a combined 12.8% market share – well bigger than Morrisons!
In perhaps a surprise second place was the CoOp, posting a highly respectable 3.2% growth. Lots more locally convenient stores, improved quality and better pricing seem to be the trick the CoOp is turning quite successfully.
And what of the traditional ‘Big 4’. The clear winner was Tesco posting a headline 2.2% growth in like for like sales in its grocery food business. They are well ahead of Morrisons at 1.3%, Asda at 0.5% and Sainsbury’s at 0.4% (lies damn lies and statistics! Sainsbury’s no longer strip out grocery like for like in their reporting. The 0.4% is total grocery sales, but with few new stores openings the figure is probably relatively accurate as a comparison to Tesco and Morrisons).
So, a big well done to Tesco, top of the festive tree for Christmas 2018. But, the celebrations will be muted in Welwyn Garden City. The dark clouds are gathering across grocery land. A bitter, bleak winter may be about to bite – Yes, Winter is Coming!
Sales Growth Slowing
The Christmas figures indicate a sharp slowdown in sales growth compared to previous quarters. For instance, Tesco’s growth dropped from 2.5% to 0.7%, Morrisons fell from 2.5% to 1.3%, and Sainsbury’s decreased from 2.0% to 0.4%.
Despite this, we, the great British public, did our dutiful part at Christmas, indulging in food and drink to lift our spirits amid the general gloom elsewhere. However, underlying pressures and headwinds—such as the economy and Brexit—are not only buffeting the High Street and general merchandisers with full force but are also slowly, gradually undermining our great grocers.
Importantly, all the CEOs are acutely aware of these pressures. Consequently, each one was careful to warn the City in their trading updates that times are about to get a whole lot tougher, and perhaps it won’t just be the economy…irrational!
A Growing Threat…
Hidden away in Kantars Christmas reporting was the mention that Amazon grew its grocery sales by 16%. Who then really won the battle for Christmas? And may now be preparing for war……………………!
