07 Dec Product of the Year 2021 Christmas Ads Round-Up
Xmas ads are, well, a bit Marmite – but love or loathe them they seem to capture a nation’s mood. A barometer of where we are and how we’re feeling. And if this year’s bumper crop are anything to go by there is joy, kindness, optimism and celebration in the air. And yeah to that!
Impossible to cover them all – the following are Product of the Year’s top picks of 2021.
Coca Cola have pulled out the big guns this year with a spot that is truly heart-warming and magical. A community living in a block of flats come together to create a chimney out of cardboard boxes. Simple, sweet and packed full of goodness it’s a tip-top effort guaranteed to leave you misty-eyed.
Boots have enlisted Dr Who favourite Jenna Coleman to bring a spoonful of festive medicine to proceedings in a spot inspired by Mary Poppins. A ‘bag of joy’ yields gifts aplenty with Ms Coleman bestowing everything from baubles, bubbles and even false eyelashes for the snowman. Directed by uber Hollywood director, Tom Hooper, it captures the joy of giving beautifully and the bit at the end with grandma (‘this is what love smells like’) – pure schmaltz and pure joy.
If like us you are partial to the odd pun or two then look no further than Aldi’s animated funny take on A Christmas Carol. Ebanana Scrooge is joined by Marcus Radish-ford and there is a delightful dig at M&S’s Colin the Caterpillar as Aldi’s equivalent, Cuthbert, is seen being arrested in the background of one scene. Pure joy.
Sports Direct have enlisted a plethora of A-list sporting stars to feature in their festive offer. It may not be the most original – but it’s feel-good all the way and Jack Grealish, heptathlete KJT and Jessica Ennis-Hill are just some of the stars on show.
Kindness and connection are the key themes of Amazon’s tender portrayal of a young woman suffering with anxiety as the world opens up post lockdown. Beautifully shot and simply told this is an ad that captures the essence of what Xmas should be about – and it’s a spot that stays with you.
And last, but by no means least in our run down of the top TV spots this Xmas is the sweet, emotive tale of friendship offered by McDonald’s. We follow Matilda as a young girl through to adulthood and her relationship with her adorable imaginary friend Iggy. Heart-breaking and feel good we love the sentiment that we are never too old to make believe.
And just before we go a shout out to Tesco’s for their joyful and defiant offer; Morrisons for championing the British farmer and Domino’s pizza for an ad that take the truly defines quirky and surreal!
(Oh and we love the John Lewis ad – but have already written about that one…)