06 Dec OUR ROUND-UP OF THE BEST XMAS ADS ON OFFER THIS YEAR…
It’s that time of the year again when, at Product of the Year HQ, we look at all of the Christmas ads on offer and pick our festive favourites. Some this year seem a little more subdued (reflecting a challenging year!) while others have opted for narratives that celebrate joy and kindness – with some welcome surprises along the way…
So without further ado, we reveal our top Christmas crackers of 2022:
The National Lottery have gone all-out unashamed Rom-Com in a well-honed story of boy meets girl, girl loses boy, boy and girl find each other. Although in this heartfelt spot by Adam & Eve DDB directed by Tom Hooper – the duo are reunited by a lottery ticket that turns out to be a winner! Its deftly directed and the nods to familiar Rom-Com tropes keep it on track as the train station re-union trundles into view. For the cynics among us it will all be too much – but for everyone else it’s a joyful celebration of love – and yeah to that.
Lydia West first grabbed our attention in the brilliant Channel 4 series It’s A Sin and she can now be seen in a feel-good ad from high-street retailer – Boots. Magical glasses left on a bus (with the initials SC on the case…) allow the protagonist a glimpse into peoples’ innermost hopes and desires. A brilliant tool for buying just the right gift, it’s a simple, magical tale beautifully brought to life by the team at VMLY & R and definitely Boots best to date.
Argos has this year opted for out-and-out mayhem and madness in a funny and original spot created by The & Partnership. A chaotic celebration of togetherness – we see friends, neighbours and family hurtling towards a single house with a trepidatious couple stealing themselves for the onslaught! With the endline ‘They’re coming – be ready’ – this bold, bonkers ad is also rather brilliant.
Snow globes are beautiful and magical and this year’s Xmas ad from Amazon is beautiful and magical. An inventive single dad recreates a snow globe scene (complete with shredded newspaper ‘snow’ and a fan) in a greenhouse for his young daughter who takes her beloved snow globe everywhere with her. Created by Lucky Generals it comes with a name that couldn’t be more apt: Joy Is Made. Full of delight and charm it’s a wonderful spot that simply exudes joy.
Asda has this year enlisted the talents of the mighty Will Ferrell in the guise of his character Buddy from the monster movie hit Elf. Cleverly spliced and edited – we see Buddy negotiating his first day at Asda – with varying degrees of success A confident move from Asda and their creative team at Havas London – Have Your Elf A Merry Xmas (ouch!) has been hugely popular, topping the polls and (for some) knocking John Lewis off top spot.
Which neatly brings us to the high street retailer whose annual Xmas offering creates headlines and who singularly started the epic Xmas ad movement. The John Lewis ad is always the most eagerly awaited and while they don’t always hit the mark they are always memorable and masterful. And while this year’s outing is arguably more subdued and low-key it is no less affecting. We track a dad trying to master the skateboard – with the cuts and bruises to prove it – in an attempt to connect with the imminent arrival of his new stepdaughter who is a skateboarding fan. A simple tale beautifully told – it shines a light where it’s needed and shows the retailer’s commitment to supporting kids in care. Another winner from Adam & Eve DDB.
We hope you enjoyed our picks – and a very happy Christmas 2022 from all of us at Product of the Year!