2023 Christmas Ad Roundup

The festive season brings with it not only the joy of celebration but also the eagerly anticipated Christmas advertisements that have become an integral part of the holiday experience. As brands compete to capture the spirit of the season, Christmas ads have evolved into a cultural phenomenon, shaping traditions and creating memorable moments for audiences worldwide.

Today we’re going to dive into the enchanting world of 2024 Christmas ads, exploring the creativity, emotion and unique narratives behind some of this year's biggest campaigns that have captivated audiences during this festive season. Let’s jingle right in.

Amazon - Joy Ride

Amazon pulled out all the stops for this year’s ad and many have crowned it their favourite of the year. The ad tells a story of a celebration of long-lasting friendships and the joy of shared moments. The video is 60 seconds full of delight as three older women rediscover the thrill of sledging down a snowy hill. The video combines the magic of the holiday season with the convenience of Amazon Prime in ordering items for next-day delivery and allowing them to step back into their childhood.

The piece also includes a heartwarming rendition of The Beatles' “In My Life” to help the narrative of friendship and shared joy. Amazon was able to craft a visually stunning and emotionally resonant story, challenging age-related stereotypes and offering a fresh perspective on the nostalgia of the holiday season. Looking at the public reviews, it’s clearly paid off!

Charlie’s Bar Enniskillen

Amidst the glitz and glamour of the big-budget Christmas ads, there emerges a humble creation that has seemingly captured the heart of the nation, and it only cost £700 to produce! Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, created a festive social media ad but never expected it to go viral and even landed itself a prime TV ad spot before the UTV news!

The video tells the sad story of a lonely widower who starts the day by laying flowers on a grave before heading to town without anyone to speak to. The man heads to Charlie’s Bar where he is then joined at his table by a lovely couple he’d never met before who shares a drink with him. The storyline is coupled with a powerful song that pulls at the heartstrings and helps communicate the emotional journey.

This ad emphasises the power of a simple, genuine storyline that evokes joy and the spirit of togetherness during the festive season. Despite the minimal budget, Charlie’s Bar was about to make a substantial impact by capturing this well-thought-out piece and using video to convey it. The ad captures the true essence of Christmas and shows it's not just about giving presents it is about giving your time and spreading joy and ends with a powerful quote: ‘There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet’. It’s great to see a brand like this up with the usual big names on 2023’s shortlist!

Coca-Cola - The World Needs More Santas

Coca-Cola, rivalling John Lewis to be the king of festive campaigns, brought the festive fizz this year with a powerful ad, returning to the brand's heritage and focusing on ‘kindness’ like never before. This year they focused on the meaning of giving and kindness at Christmas rather than just the product. Showing that ‘Anyone can be Santa’, no matter who you are or your background. The season is about being together and helping everyone out, not just about presents.

The ad shows that if the world was full of Santas, we would see a world full of kindness, giving and happiness. It shows people revealing their ‘inner Santa’ as they perform acts of generosity and goodwill with the closing line of ‘The World Needs More Santas’

We think that this ad by Coca-Cola is probably their best yet; it steers away from its typical promo style and focuses more on a clear powerful message and holds a true feeling of the festive season.

Boots - #GiveJoy

A surprising brand that produced a great ad this year is Boots. It tells the story of a mother and daughter duo setting off on a whimsical road trip, fuelled by the spirit of giving back to Santa and delivering a memorable present.

The clever storyline is full of tongue-in-cheek product placement; they gifted some anti-ageing serum to a van driver and a Dyson Airwrap to their pilot who had lovely long locks. The ad took a different path compared to many brands this year and went for fun and comedy rather than the usual emotional and heartwarming like we’ve seen the other brands in this article go for.

They used the fun and comedy perfectly in the spirit of Christmas and gift-giving. It's a great story with some great editing to pull the story together.

John Lewis - Snapper: The Perfect Tree

This list roundup wouldn’t be complete without an entry from John Lewis. However, it’s proved a surprising one for this year as John Lewis left fans divided in their thoughts on their ad. The Christmas ad is about a young boy called Alfie and his naughty plant Snapper. As usual, the brand has introduced a cast of characters for the watcher to get familiar with. The story shows the Venus flytrap growing and the friendship between Alfie and the plant developing as he decorates it like a Christmas tree.

However, the naughty plant causes a mess around the house and even snaps at the dog; the plant is then cast out to the garden to watch the family and the actual Christmas tree inside. On Christmas day Alfie gives the plant a present which it chomps down, but then spits out many gifts for the whole family.

The ad has had mixed emotions and many have expressed they’d not enjoyed it as much as previous years. Considering the storylines and productions they’ve pulled out of the bag each year it’s no surprise it’s getting harder to beat each year! The technical aspect of bringing the Snapper to life is brilliant but the storyline isn't as strong as some other ads this year.

That’s A Wrap!

As we bid farewell to another year of festive cheer, the magical world of 2023 Christmas ads leaves an enduring mark on the holiday season. Beyond the glitz and glamour of these commercials, the crafted narratives all share a strong message.

We see every year brands build up to this amazing moment and the impressive impact a piece of cleverly created video can have on a business in its marketing efforts. Here at Ideal Insight, we are video specialists to help boost your brand's video game. If you have a project we could help you within the new year, talk to the team today.