Watch our 5 favorite UK Xmas ads: McDonald’s, Tesco, Aldi, Amazon Prime Video and Sports Direct
It’s been a busy month in adland with sackfuls of Christmas ads coming in from all around the world. Here, The Drum rounds up our favorite festive spots from the UK.
First up, Tesco. Following a locked down 2020 Christmas, it hit back this year to embrace celebration no matter what. Its tub-thumping ad by BBH is set to the beat of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now and driven by the insight that 86% of UK adults vow that nothing will stop them from pulling out all the stops this Christmas.
Next, we have Aldi and the return of Kevin the Carrot. Joining the supermarket’s mascot in McCann UK’s retelling of A Christmas Carol are a cheery radish voiced by England striker Marcus Rashford and new nemesis Ebanana Scrooge. As part of the campaign, Aldi will be donating 1.8m meals to families across the UK that need help over the festive period.
McDonald’s, meanwhile, is providing competition to John Lewis for the emotional, tear-inducing spot this year with ‘Imaginary Iggy’. The ad comes from the junior creative duo Amy Bushill and Cristina Rosique Gomez of McCann UK who were briefed to create a make-believe world in response to the nation needing a bit of escapism.
For its Christmas ad, Amazon Prime Video went with the reliable tropes of a main character needing a bit of love around the holiday season, an animated sidekick and a minimalist cover. In a quirky spot directed by Chris Balmond, conceived by CYW and produced by Blur Films, Hattie the Hyena moves in with zookeeper Carl who just wants a buddy to watch the TV with.
And finally, Sports Direct goes all out with an action-packed spot featuring (among others) footballer Jack Grealish, US Open winner Emma Raducanu and grime artist Big Narstie. Directed by Alex Motlhabane and Lewis Levi from The Rest, it encourages Brits to get up off the sofa, go outside and play sport – even when the elements are against them.
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