Every year we are bombarded with more and more Christmas ads and the sheer volume of them means advertisers need to be increasingly creative to engage viewers. When you mention ‘Best Christmas Ads’, the little blonde Kelloggs girl in the pink ‘onesie’ springs to mind immediately. Just to make you feel old, this iconic Christmas ad was released 24 years ago, and that little girl is now married. It has clearly stood the test of time. But what adverts stand out in 2015, and will any of these stand the test of time in the same way?

Here are my top five favourites so far.

1. John Lewis Christmas Ad 2015 – #ManOnTheMoon

A tearjerker, this ad follows the story of a little girl who spots a lonely old man on the moon. She tries desperately to reach him, eventually succeeding in sending him a gift that means he no longer feels alone. From the moving sound track (a cover of an Oasis song by Aurora) to the challenging call-to-action ‘Show someone they are loved this Christmas’, this ad succeeds on many levels.

The retailer drummed up immense anticipation for the ad, and actually released it first via their social channels. The brand also partnered with Age UK, which explains the message at the core of it’s campaign. John Lewis has simultaneously launched an augmented reality app that works on ad merchandise; consumers can scan the image of the moon on posters and campaigns, and unlock facts about the moon each day until Christmas day.

This campaign is an excellent example of a cross-platform campaign.

What do you think? Is this your favourite video? Let us know here.

2. Sainsbury’s Christmas Ad 2015 – Mog’s Christmas Calamity

On the other side of the spectrum, this adorable, catastrophic tale (yes, I went there!) charts the disaster that ensues after ‘Mog’, the family cat, has a nightmare which ends in the family home being destroyed. Christmas, however, is saved when all the neighbours surround the family with groceries and everything they need for the day that is in it. Emotive campaigns like this seem to be the cornerstone strategy for brands this year.

Similar to John Lewis, Sainsbury partnered with Save the Children in aid of child literacy. The ad was launched on over 50 channels, an effective road-blocking strategy. On social media, it was immediately compared to the John Lewis ad, which allowed for ongoing engagement and discussion around the campaign.

What do you think? Is this your favourite video? Let us know here.

3. Edeka – 2015 Christmas Ad



Grab the tissues; you’ll be a complete mess by the middle of this ad. The Edeka group, one of Germany’s largest supermarket chains choose a somewhat morbid, but incredibly effective story to pull on heartstrings. With barely a reference to food or shopping, the ad is set up to go viral globally as its message goes beyond language and cultural barriers.

According to stats from Socialbakers measuring views between 1 November and 5 December, Edeka racked up 33.5 million views just a week after posting. For comparison, John Lewis racked up 20.6 million views. This virality is no doubt due to the relatable content, challenging viewers to be there for family over Christmas.

What do you think? Is this your favourite video? Let us know here.

4. The Spanish Lottery – Christmas Ad 2014



It seems telling a story is the new trend, and The Spanish Lottery Christmas Ad is no different. This ‘Pixaresque’ animation follows the life of a night guard, who tries to engage with the daytime staff in the factory he guards. He gets despondent, as he has no way of knowing his actions are having any impact, until he reads about his fellow colleagues winning the lottery syndicate (there’s the call-to-action subtly snuck in). As it turns out, they had actually signed him up, and are waiting to celebrate with him as he starts his shift.

As with the Edeka Christmas ad, the message transcends any language barrier and allows for international success. In fact, you can follow Justino’s nights in real time via his Instagram account @justino_vigilante, which highlights how brands are using multiple channels to boost their core campaigns.

What do you think? Is this your favourite video? Let us know here.

5. Curry’s – Spare the Act Christmas Campaign



And now for something completely different, this is Curry’s ‘Spare the Act’ ad campaign. It is actually a series of ads with the formidable Jeff Goldblum giving advice to people on the receiving end of terrible gifts. From disgruntled employees, to frustrated boyfriends, Goldblum urges the protagonists to pretend they received a different gift, a gift you could get at Curry’s. Humour works, as does the copious amount of content that is sure to hit a nerve with anyone; we’ve all been in that awkward situation before!

Despite the fact this is a somewhat less emotive campaign compared to the other ads in this review, Curry’s still utilises multiple channels to bolster this ad. It comprised of five TV spots, as well as outdoor, radio and social media activity.

What do you think? Is this your favourite video? Let us know here.