From Christmas crackers to unreal unmagic – a holiday ad review

The Christmas ad brief is arguably the hardest brief to nail in any agency.  

Pulling off a good one is tougher than thinking of what to buy your long-term partner – something original, personal and unclichéd but with just the right touch of emotion. So far be it for us to get all Bah Humbug about anyone else’s, but here are our thoughts on just a few of this year’s Xmas offerings. 

TESCO – That’s What Makes It Christmas

 Honest. Not saccharine. Not schmaltzy. But still makes you feel something. 

“I had an opinion, that’s what happened” and so did we. (Best line from the Christmas dinner scene in the main campaign.) Bloomin well written, observed and directed. Well done Tesco for doing something different. Honest. Not saccharine. Not schmaltzy. But still makes you feel something. Now even if that something is ‘Thank f*** it’s not just us who do this’ the fact is Christmas isn’t supposed to be perfect, and that’s what makes it memorable. 

JOHN LEWIS – Where Love Lives 

This ad is aimed directly at me (Gary). Ex raver – Tick. Two sons – Tick. One the same age as boy in ad – Tick. He’s also incredibly quiet – Tick.

 A real insight and heartwarming and refreshing to see a good dad and son moment on screen.

It is the same John Lewis Xmas formula, but it did land with me. A real insight and heartwarming and refreshing to see a good dad and son moment on screen, a real dad whose son might even want to be like one day. TICK. (Lisa and Gary). 

WAITROSE – The Perfect Gift 

A Christmas rom-com that has a massive whiff of Love Actually, The Holiday and Bridget Jones’ movies about it.

C’mon who doesn’t love Joe Wilkinson? We remember his classic poem about naming ‘willies’ on UK game show 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown…comedy gold…however funnily enough, the incredibly middle-class Waitrose has wisely steered clear of his unique poetry and paired him with Kiera Knightley to create a Christmas rom-com that has a massive whiff of Love Actually, The Holiday and Bridget Jones’ movies about it. To top it off, the soundtrack is by James. 

COCA COLA – Holidays Are Coming 2025 

We know it’s an easy target but DEAR GOD, Coca-Cola please do better.

Talking of winners. This isn’t one. We know it’s an easy target but DEAR GOD, Coca-Cola please do better. It was hard to remove our ‘knowing it was done by AI goggles’, so it just came off as soulless, lifeless and joyless. The pace and finish made it feel more like a good animatic for an ad that is going to be made rather than the ‘real thing’. And on that note, don’t say ‘Real Magic’ at the end of an ad created completely by AI. 

MORRISONS - Making More of Christmas

We just enjoyed the fact that a supermarket doesn’t always have to make us get all emotional.

There was something really simple, honest and uncomplicated about this ad from Morrisons that made us smile. We just enjoyed the fact that a supermarket doesn’t always have to make us get all emotional, sometimes it just has to tell us what they do and do well and for Morrisons it’s spending the year getting ready for Christmas without the convention of showing ‘The Day’. 

BARBOUR - The Gift-o-matic

Load of fun from a fashion brand that disarms us by not taking itself too seriously. 

Wallace and Gromit once again use Barbour as their ‘go to’ for Christmas gifts. Only this time it’s Wallace who gets ummmm unwrapped…and by his own invention. Load of fun from a fashion brand that disarms us by not taking itself too seriously. 

DISNEY - Best Christmas Ever

Make someone’s Holiday Magic? Yes, you did Disney.  

We were so vested in that doodle dude getting a ‘mouth’ we even forgot it was a Christmas ad…

It was like watching a teeny tiny brand-new Christmas movie, pretty sure that’s exactly what they were going for with Taika Waititi and John Goodman involved. Loved the blend of kooky odd comedy and heartfelt moments. We were so vested in that doodle dude getting a ‘mouth’ we even forgot it was a Christmas ad… Just waiting to see what the doodle character merchandise will look like, because I’m so buying myself one for Christmas. (Lisa)