The Christmas ads of 2024: A huge sprinkling of magic, escapism and adventure

Christmas is a heightened and intense time for the ad industry. For one, they need to work hard to drive people to spend the lion's share of their Yuletide cash on their clients' brands. On top of that, the media nowadays pays special attention to each new commercial, reviewing and assessing them as if they were mini-movies—which, in many ways, they are.

We at Creative Boom are no exception. For five years now, we've been reviewing the best Christmas ads and helping set them into context for you, the reader, both in terms of how they were created and the social and economic environment they existed in.

Starting with the pandemic-altered festivities of 2020 we then progressed to the cautious optimism of 2021, and the careful navigation of economic challenges in 2022. Then last year in 2023, we saw a shift towards comforting escapism.

In short, Christmas advertising has reflected our collective journey through unprecedented times. And the journey continues as 2024's festive campaigns begin to unfold.

Of course, you'll be aware that most seasonal ads haven't been released yet. So, we'll be updating this article regularly with new campaigns as they launch, building up to a comprehensive showcase of this year's festive creativity. Once all the major retailers have revealed their Christmas spots, we'll bring you expert industry analysis to unpack the themes, techniques, and cultural significance of this year's advertising landscape.

So bookmark this page and check back regularly as we document another year of Christmas advertising magic.

Argos: Rockstar

While other brands try to make Christmas ads that ape big-budget movies and pull on the heartstrings, Argos wisely sticks to its lane and focuses on the prime task of helping people find presents their loved ones actually want. In recent years, it's done so via its brand mascots, Connie the doll and Trevor the dinosaur, a decidedly British take on children's playthings coming to life—a little less Toy Story, a little more EastEnders.

That doesn't mean there isn't some star power behind the scenes, though. This year's ad is directed by Golden Globe winner Michael Gracey, best known for directing The Greatest Showman. The narrative features Trevor living out his rockstar fantasy, performing T-Rex's 20th Century Boy (renamed 'toy') atop a mountain of Marshall speakers and a roaring crowd. He then awakes in his front room, where Connie gives him his Christmas present: a Bluetooth speaker shaped like a Marshall.

Brought to life through collaboration between T&P agency, ETC animation, and music producer David Kosten, it's got a great, fist-pumping soundtrack and hits all the right notes, both aurally and visually. Ultimately, this ad is not going to change the world or even be remembered past January. But it does do a good job of showcasing the retailer's range of Christmas gifts, and ultimately, that's what ads are for, right?

Sainsbury's: BIG Christmas

With audiences so fragmented these days, how do you make a splash that grabs everyone's attention? For example, two big brands used the brilliant Hannah Waddingham last year, but if you've never watched Ted Lasso or Game of Thrones, the star power may have been entirely lost on you.

This year, Sainsbury's has decided to solve the problem by basing its ad around a children's character everyone has heard of—the Big Friendly Giant from Roald Dahl's classic tale—and teaming him with a Sainsbury's colleague named Sophie in a magical culinary adventure.

The 60-second ad opens with the BFG's infamous snozzcumber before following the unlikely pair as they discover delicious festive foods from Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range. With the BFG seeking to make Christmas more "phizz-whizzing", they explore Sainsbury's trusted suppliers, gathering fresh produce including salmon, Brussels sprouts, and Stilton cheese. It all culminated in a feast laid out in the BFG's dream cave.

Directed by Sam Brown and featuring Stephen Fry's narration alongside a bespoke soundtrack recorded at Abbey Road with a 54-piece orchestra, the campaign extends across multiple channels, including TV, cinema, social media, and digital platforms. The ad reinforces Sainsbury's commitment to 'Good Food for all of us' while partnering with Comic Relief to distribute over five million meals to families experiencing food poverty this Christmas through their Nourish the Nation programme.