Christmas is a great time to drive home the connection between consumers and the brand. Get your consumer into an emotional state; hopefully, those emotions will pay back to your brand. But not everyone can pull it off. You likely need to have an established love for your brand already, or it would come across as lacking authenticity. If you want to get into the holiday spirit, here are the best Christmas ads I have seen from all over the world. We include ads from the UK, Ireland, Australia, Poland, Spain, France, Canada and the US. What do you think are the best Xmas ads? Feel free to add your favorite Christmas ads to our mix.
You will see a few common themes, such as kids surprising us by showing they understand Christmas is more than gifts or trying to do things for our parents or grandparents. I have added a few that stand out because they run completely counter to these themes.
Chevrolet from the US
This is the best holiday ad that I saw last year.
Warning: you might cry.
For those of us who have parents losing their memories, this is precisely how it feels.
My mom is 89 and struggles to remember things from an hour ago. Yet, we go on drives; she loves the birds, the trees, the waterfront, and all the people. When I feed her information, it can trigger some memories. Or not. It comes and goes. It’s the biggest test of my patience I have ever experienced. (And I’ve raised two teenagers, Lol)
I hope those going something like this can find a few tears in this ad. Crying is likely good for us. We all go through the same feelings.
Have a look:
Charlies Bar from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
What do you do when you have a small marketing budget?
Here’s a $1000 ad that has 8 million views!!!
Charlie’s Bar is a small family-run bar in Northern Ireland that will be crowded this Christmas–and btw, they are open on Christmas day.
“We’re just a small, local pub and we just wanted to provide a Christmas advert that hopefully resonated with people, and for us, it became apparent over the years that Christmas can be a really lonely, tough time for some people.”
They end the Xmas Ad with, “There are no strangers here. Only friends you haven’t yet met.” a quote from the Irish Poet, W.B. Yeats
Well done, Charlies!
John Lewis from the UK
🎄 As we gear up for the holiday season, I’m reminded of the iconic 2011 John Lewis Christmas ad. Renowned for their heartfelt and cinematic advertisements, John Lewis outdid themselves with this one. The ad, featuring no dialogue but a moving soundtrack, unfolds a touching story over 90 seconds, capturing the true spirit of Christmas – the joy of giving.
🎁 Why This Ad Remains Unforgettable:
- Storytelling Excellence: The ad’s movie-like narrative, told without words, showcases the power of visual storytelling in capturing emotions.
- Emotional Connection: It beautifully illustrates the anticipation of gift-giving, especially from a child’s perspective, tugging at the heartstrings with its twist ending.
- Brand Message: John Lewis successfully reinforces its brand ethos centered around thoughtfulness, quality, and the true meaning of Christmas.
🔍 Key Takeaways for Marketers:
- The Art of Subtlety: This Xmas ad demonstrates how subtle storytelling can be more impactful than overt advertising messages.
- Emotive Branding: Connecting with audiences on an emotional level can forge deeper brand relationships.
- Simplicity and Elegance: The elegance of the ad lies in its simplicity, proving that sometimes less is more in creating a lasting impression.
If you are a fan of John Lewis Christmas ads, click on this link to see every John Lewis Christmas ad since 2009: John Lewis
Coke Argentina
Coca-Cola, the brand that came up with the look of how we see Santa Claus, creates a beautiful Christmas ad. From Argentina, here’s a brilliant take on spreading the joy of the season.
Allegro in Poland
This Christmas ad has great storytelling from Allegro, a Polish website. The ending is very heart-warming. Millions of views so far, lots of tears for sure. Warning: Swearing.
Anuncio Lotería from Spain
🎄 As we embrace the holiday season, I’m drawn back to the heartwarming Anuncio Lotería de Navidad 2016 from Spain. This ad captures the essence of hope, family, and community spirit, telling the story of a grandmother who mistakenly believes she’s won the lottery with a number from the past year. The ad’s beauty lies in how her family and the village share her joy.
🎫 Ad Highlights:
- Heartfelt Storytelling: The Xmas ad tells a touching story that resonates with everyone who dreams and hopes, especially around Christmas.
- Family and Community: It beautifully portrays the support and love of family and community, rallying around the grandmother’s innocent beliefs.
- Cultural Significance: The ad underscores the cultural importance of the Christmas lottery in Spain, a tradition that unites people in anticipation and celebration.
🔍 Marketing Insights:
- Emotional Connection: Creating an emotional narrative can profoundly impact the audience, making the brand more memorable and endearing.
- Cultural Resonance: Ads that tap into cultural traditions and values can strengthen the connection between the brand and its audience.
- The Power of Simplicity: The ad’s simple yet powerful storyline demonstrates that sometimes, less is more in creating an impactful message.
Marks and Spencer from the UK
Marks and Spencer likely won the UK retailer contest of 2016. This Christmas ad does a nice job in telling the story of Mrs. Claus. While very modern, it still brings a lot of traditional touches of Christmas.
Air Canada
One of the best Christmas ads from 2019. It’s a very simple idea, but it’s a nice production. The main kid actor delivers the magic, and it is even more challenging to do it through visuals, as this Xmas ad must work in English and French.
Sainsbury's from the UK
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1, Sainsbury’s created this very high-production “Christmas is for Sharing,” set in the context of the 1914 Christmas Truce during World War I.
This ad, commemorating the centenary of the truce, beautifully captures the spirit of humanity, peace, and shared moments.
🕊️ Why This Ad Resonates:
- Historical Significance: By revisiting a poignant moment in history, the ad connects deeply with our collective memory and emotions.
- Universal Message: The theme of enemies finding common ground and sharing a moment of peace is a powerful narrative that transcends time and geography.
- Brand Connection: Sainsbury’s subtly integrates its brand into the narrative, aligning its values with peace, unity, and the joy of sharing – key tenets of the holiday spirit.
🔍 Marketing Insights:
- Leveraging History: Using historical events can create a strong emotional connection, but it requires a delicate balance to remain respectful and relevant.
- Emotional Storytelling: Xmas Ads that tell a story and evoke emotions can have a lasting impact and elevate brand perception.
- Purpose Beyond Product: This ad emphasizes the brand’s values and commitment to community and togetherness, which can be more impactful than focusing on products alone.
Mulberry in the UK
It’s not one of your normal Xmas ads, but I love the creative idea behind this ad: WIN CHRISTMAS. So what beats a beautiful portrait, a puppy that waves, or a unicorn? A new bag from Mulberry!!!
Burberry in the UK
🎄 As we delve into the festive season, I’m drawn to Burberry’s evocative Christmas ad, a cinematic portrayal of its founder, Thomas Burberry. This ad brilliantly blurs the lines between reality and fiction, presenting him as an extraordinarily passionate inventor and entrepreneur, almost reminiscent of ‘the most interesting man in the world’.
🧥 Ad Highlights:
- Creative Storytelling: The ad takes creative liberties to dramatize Burberry’s life, capturing his relentless pursuit of innovation in fashion.
- Emotional Engagement: By focusing on Burberry’s passion and purpose, the Xmas ad deeply resonates with viewers, emphasizing the human spirit behind the brand.
- Brand Legacy: This narrative reinforces Burberry’s long-standing heritage and dedication to quality, positioning it as more than just a fashion label, but a symbol of pioneering spirit.
🔍 Insights for Brands:
- Elevating Brand Narratives: Creating a compelling, almost mythical, narrative around the brand’s founder can profoundly impact brand perception and loyalty.
- The Power of Emotion: Connecting with audiences on an emotional level can be more impactful than traditional product-focused advertising.
- Blending Fact and Fiction: Striking the right balance between historical facts and creative storytelling can create a captivating and memorable ad campaign.
Apple iPhone from the US
Titled “Misunderstood,” the ad tells the story of a teen seemingly absorbed in his iPhone during family Christmas gatherings.
The twist? He’s been capturing precious family moments all along, unveiling them through a heartwarming video at the end.
📱 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁:
- 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Apple tapped into the universal themes of family, holidays, and the magic of shared memories. It wasn’t about the iPhone’s features, but how it could capture and enhance our most treasured experiences.
- 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: The ad’s narrative format, with a compelling twist, made it memorable. It showed, rather than told, the iPhone’s role in our lives.
- 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: This ad reinforced Apple’s brand as not just a technology provider but as an integral part of our personal and emotional lives.
🔍 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
- 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Products are not just tools; they’re part of our stories. Effective ads tap into emotions, not just functionalities.
- 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿: A good story can transcend the product itself, creating a lasting brand image.
- 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Apple knew its audience valued connection and memories, tailoring the message accordingly.
Aldi in Australia
What would happen if Santa crash-landed in the Australian outback? Nice Xmas ad.
Bouygues Telecom from France
🎄 As we enter the festive season, I’m reminded of Bouygues Telecom’s delightful Christmas ad from France, a beautiful blend of joy, nostalgia, and emotional connection. The ad features a father’s quirky dance, a charming ritual that begins when his son is a baby and continues as the son grows up, culminating in the son repeating the same dance with his newborn.
🕺 Why This Ad Captures Hearts:
- Continuity of Tradition: The ad beautifully illustrates the passing down of a simple yet meaningful family tradition, highlighting the bond between generations.
- Emotional Depth: The portrayal of the father-son relationship evolving over time, set against the backdrop of a cheerful song, strikes a perfect chord between joy and sentimentality.
- Universal Appeal: The ad’s theme of family, love, and tradition is universally relatable, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers.
🔍 Key Takeaways for Marketers:
- Storytelling with Heart: Ads that tell a story with genuine emotional depth can create a lasting impact and foster a deep connection with the audience.
- Simplicity is Key: Sometimes, a simple, relatable concept can be more effective than complex narratives or high-tech visuals.
- Celebrating Human Connections: Highlighting human relationships and emotions can be a powerful way to resonate with viewers, making the brand more approachable and relatable.
Currys from the UK
Like the Mulberry ad, this dry-humour Xmas ad with Jeff Goldblum stands out.
Supervalu in Ireland
From 2020, playing gently on the coronavirus issues, this Christmas ad has a very cute payoff at the end.
The history behind the Xmas term
As we go through all these beautiful Xmas ads, you might wonder about the history of the term “Xmas.” A little fun fo you to engage family at the dinner table.
The ‘X’ comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós (Greek: Χριστός, translit. Khristós, lit. “anointed, covered in oil”), which became Christ in English. The suffix -mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.
The term Xmas dates back to the 16th century and corresponds to Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Church of England, and Episcopalian use of various forms of chi-rho monogram. In English, “X” was first used as a scribal abbreviation for “Christ” in 1100; “X’temmas” is attested in 1551, and “Xmas” in 1721.
We hope you enjoyed all these beautiful Xmas ads.
Beloved Brands is the playbook to keep at your fingertips
Our readers tell us they reach for Beloved Brands a few times each week as a reference toolkit to help them with the day-to-day management of their brand.
With Beloved Brands, we want to challenge you with questions that get you to think differently about your brand strategy. You will learn new methods to analyze your brand’s performance with a deep-dive business review.
Our process for defining your brand positioning will open your mind to new possibilities for how you see your brand.
We will show you how to write a brand plan that everyone can follow and knows precisely how they can contribute to your brand’s success. Learn how to run the creative execution process, write an inspiring brief, and make decisions to find both smart and breakthrough work.
We are proud that 85% of our Amazon reviews receive five-star ratings, and Beloved Brands has spent numerous weeks as a #1 bestseller in brand management.
