Best Christmas Ads of 2021

SarahHughes

November 22, 2021

Every year when November rolls around, the anticipation of Christmas rises. And what could be more festive than the good old Christmas ad? Traditionally, John Lewis have been the leader of the pack. However, other retailers and brands have stepped up their game over the years. It’s become a big-budget marketing bunfight, and after a scaled-back period in 2020, this year it’s predicted that a record £7.9 billion will be spent on festive ads by UK companies. Once the Christmas ads start to make an appearance it’s certainly not something you want to miss, and they have arrived early this year too. Want to know what ones to look out for? Then this is the right article for you!

John Lewis

This year’s advert is called “Unexpected Guest”. The two-minute ad follows a teenage boy called Nathan as he finds an alien called Skye has crash-landed near his home at the most magical time of the year. We watch as Skye discovers Christmas for the very first time. Nathan introduces the alien to festive traditions like terrible jumpers, mince pies and Christmas lights. What’s not to love? Although this one may feel different to previous seasonal ads produced by John Lewis. It’s all about the usual themes of spreading joy and remembering your first Christmas. It is a lovely one to watch.

Disney

Disney has made massive inroads into the UK streaming market with Disney Plus, and they take advantage and press home their entire family of brands with this year’s festive offering “The Stepdad”. This heart-warming tale follows Nicole, the granddaughter from last year’s advert – now all grown up with a family of her own. We watch as her two children adjust to the arrival of their new stepdad, Mike. It’s a clever tale and importantly, a common experience, so very relatable. Many children and adults alike will have a big emotional connection to the story. It really hits home that Christmas can be just as difficult for the stepparent as it is for the children. But like all the best Disney tales, there is of course a happy ending!

Boots

Bringing us #BagsOfJoy from Boots, this insanely heartfelt Christmas ad captures hearts as we watch Joy and her Mary Poppins inspired bag of bottomless gifts gifted by her grandma, which a note attached saying “this is what Christmas feels like”. In the role of Joy, Boots hired Doctor Who actor Jenna Coleman. After receiving this magical bag, she goes onto give presents to those close to her leaving the most important one till last. Her grandma. A bottle of perfume with a note attached saying “this is what love smells like.” Finishing with the words “love you” and a hug. For someone like me that has an amazing relationship with a grandparent an advert like this really makes you appreciate them even more.

M&S Food

Everybody likes a Percy Pig, and by the power of Christmas (and a large marketing budget), this year sees Percy brought to life! The 1 minute ad sees Percy (voiced by Spider-Man star Tom Holland) and his fairy friend (played by Dawn French) discover the treats to be had around the M&S Food hall. Christmas Pudding, Smoked Salmon and Triple Chocolate Panettone all feature in this funny and appetite-inducing commercial. M&S Food plan to drop a new ad every week until the New Year. Hopefully, Percy will avoid seeing the pigs-in-blankets through the series!

Aldi

Sticking with the food theme, this year Aldi brings us the return of Kevin the Carrot. This year, they’ve placed Kevin in a pun-tastic version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. “A Christmas Carrot” (by Charles Chickens ho ho!) sees him taking Ebanana Scrooge to find his Christmas spirit. Once the miserly banana sees the misery he has created for others, he sees the error of his ways and goes to Kevin’s house with a Christmas pudding. The message is kindness, a wonderfully inclusive message to remind everyone of the most important things in life. The ad also references Aldi’s team-up with Marcus Rashford. They’ve pledged to donate 1.8 million meals to needy families over the festive period – and it’s nicely played too. It’s a fantastic ad and Cuthbert the Caterpillar being arrested in the opening frames is genius!

Final Thoughts

These are just 5 of many fantastic festive adverts on our screens this year. Keep an eye out for any others you may see while you’re on the sofa and feasting while watching the TV. And if it puts you in a nostalgic mood, head over to YouTube and watch some of the classic Christmas ads from days gone by. You know when the Christmas ads are on it really is the holiday season!

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This Christmas promises to be the biggest ever for advertisers - here's a round up of our favourites!

Lauren Crowhurst

https://muvemm.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Best-Christmas-Ads-2021-Blog-Image-221121-1.jpg

A record £7.9 billion will be spent on festive advertising this year.