Top 10 Christmas ads of all time
December is here, and where is your Christmas cheer? If you're still lingering, instead of watching Home Alone for the 8475895th time, we've got a better idea - warm your soul with our top 10 Christmas adverts.
The spots that some big brands release this time of year often look like short films with interesting storylines, movie stars and heart-wrenching emotions across the spectrum.
We've picked ten examples of impactful Christmas ads that will get you in the festive mood, and you might even come up with some interesting ideas for your own campaigns.
10. Yellow Pages
In the classic 1992 spot, a little boy tries to kiss a girl under the mistletoe but can't reach her. And that's where the directory comes in. Short, precise, clear and memorable.
9. Coca-Cola
The favorite soft drink of many warms hearts around the world every year with its beautiful ads, but for our ranking we decided to choose the spot from 2023.
Even if you are not a fan of the brown fizzy drink, the message of the ad is great and extremely relevant in the world we live in, torn by wars and natural disasters. Christmas is a time for togetherness, sharing and generosity.
8. M&S
A very cute Marks & Spencer advert from 2017 in which the adorable Paddington Bear mistakes a burglar for Santa and turns his life upside down with his kindness and jelly sandwiches.
7. Waitrose
This is the Christmas party we want to be at! Friends, good food, drinks and Graham Norton - what more does a man need? You don't even need electricity.
6. Lidl
The main character in this year's Lidl Christmas ad is a... raccoon. In general, animated objects and animals are a common element in festive spots and in most cases they are really funny.
Here, however, the emotion is different. And you shed at least one tear, didn't you? Admit it!
5. Sainsbury
Unfortunately, this year there will also be people in various places around the world who will meet their holidays in war.
The 2014 advert by British supermarket chain Sainsbury's is a powerful reminder that we are all human beings with needs and loved ones who love us. We can be human to each other even if we are from two warring camps. 2023 is the new 1914.
4. El Gordo - Spain's Christmas State Lottery
The Spanish Christmas lottery is a big event for locals, and in the 2016 advert we see an entire village celebrating with an elderly woman who thinks she's won it.
In the end, what is more important - to win 4 million euros or to be with the people who love us?
3. H&M
Nothing evokes the Christmas spirit more than Adrian Brody in a conductor's uniform in a Wes Anderson-directed ad for fashion giant H&M.
The spot is set in his typical pastel colours and slightly absurd incidents, weaving into his productions the magical spirit we all look for at Christmas. A treat for the eyes, and not just because of Mr. Brody...
2. Ikea
We've roared enough, it's time to laugh thanks to Ikea.
A sympathetic family is sitting in their living room when the objects around them come to life and begin to criticize them for how miserable their home is. Only they do it in a grime version, which makes the whole thing really funny. Definitely a different Christmas ad!
1. John Lewis
Advertisers claim that the fever for interesting Christmas spots was started by the John Lewis chain and this is the reason for the strong British presence in our rankings.
Christmas commercials have the same meaning for marketers on the Island as Superbowl spots have for Americans.
Every year for over a decade John Lewis have been melting viewers with their Christmas adverts and we actually found it extremely difficult to choose which one to include in our top 10.
The Elton John spot from 2018 deserves a mention, but today we end with the one from 2011, where a child waits impatiently for Christmas, and at the end we reach for the tissues again.