[lwptoc]
It’s that time of year again. Michael Bublé has emerged from his cave and Mariah Carey’s songs are popping up in my YouTube recommendations.
Melodies aside, the holiday season isn’t complete without heartfelt commercials that fill you with Christmas spirit.
But before we list the best Christmas-themed content and advertisements, let’s take a look at the factors that make a great Christmas commercial in the first place!
How to make the best Christmas commercials
Whether the idea is to leave a heartwarming impact or make the audience laugh. There are a few magical ingredients that result in an effective ad:
1. Tell a compelling story
Humans are hard-wired to remember stories. We look for them and we find better ways to tell them as technology allows us creative freedom to try new things.
As video content creators and marketers, you have a powerful medium to get your message across beautifully. Use it wisely.
In this post, you’ll learn about the 7 story plots. It’ll be useful if you’re trying to craft a compelling story.
2. Appeal to the audience’s emotions
Marketing 101 suggests that the best way to leave a memorable impression on the audience is to appeal to their emotions rather than focusing too heavily on logical reasoning.
Tugging at the heartstrings or making the viewer laugh and reminisce about the good old days is a great route to go down if you want your Christmas videos to be memorable.
Read more: Understanding the Role of Pathos in Advertising
3. Demonstrate the brand’s values
Christmas is all about family, giving, and togetherness. Holiday commercials often try to capture these themes and that’s what separates great Christmas advertisements from passable ones.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best Christmas commercials ever made.
All of the videos in our top 21 Christmas commercials of all time have expertly combined the key ingredients mentioned above.
If you’re looking for inspiration to create video content, especially for the holidays, then you’ll learn plenty while binge-watching our selection.
The best Christmas commercials of all time
1. Allegro — English for Beginners
This ad by Allegro is my personal favorite when it comes to the best Christmas commercials.
The ad reels you in and offers a heartwarming ending.
The words at the end mean “What are you looking for?” which is a term that pops up when you try to look something up on the website.
2. John Lewis & Partners — The Beginner
John Lewis came in strong with this heartfelt commercial for 2022.
In the beginning, it looks like a man has taken on a new hobby just for the thrill of it, but by the end; you realize it’s so much deeper than that. I’m not crying, you are!
Just goes to show how powerful advertising can be when it’s used to promote something meaningful.
3. Barbour — Paddington, Please Look After This Bear
This ad from 2021 is charming as heck, and also promotes a great consumer habit: taking care of the things you buy so they last longer.
I’d give this spot ten out of ten for the beautiful storybook animation and strong messaging.
4. COSMOTE telecom
Christmas in 2020 was like no other.
This ad for COSMOTE from Ogilvy Greece captures the sentiment but shows how people can come together even when times are tough.
5. Lego — And I Think to Myself…
Lego’s 2020 holiday season ad makes our top 4 for the best Christmas commercials because it celebrates children’s fantastical imaginations and adds a whimsical spin on Louis Armstrong’s classic hit What a Wonderful World.
6. McDonald’s 2020 — Inner Child
Children are often in a hurry to grow up, but the holiday season encourages everyone’s inner child to shine through.
This ad was a part of McDonald’s #ReindeerReady campaign. The fast-food giant pledged to donate funding to allow food charity FareShare to redistribute millions of meals to families in need before Easter 2021.
7. Virgin Hotels — Good Enough
Virgin Hotels created a series of lighthearted commercials featuring a boozy Santa letting us all know that in the chaos that was 2020 we were all “good enough”.
8. Sainsbury’s — The Greatest Gift
Sainsbury’s Christmas advertisements are the sort of videos people look forward to.
The Greatest Gift tells the story of a hard-working man named Dave who realizes that the greatest gift he can offer his loved ones is his presence.
Later in the video, you’ll see him figure out a way to do exactly that.
James Corden fans may pick up on his vocals in the video. Stop-frame animation was used to bring this heartwarming story to life.
For more inspiring content, check out our previous post: Bao – 2019 Oscar Winner for Best Animated Short Film
9. IRN-BRU Snowman Advert
The Irn-Bru commercial is a little unconventional because of the hilarious story it tells.
It was produced in Scotland and made its debut in 1978. To this day it is fondly remembered and holds a special spot in every Scotsman’s heart.
10. Hershey’s Kisses — Christmas Bells
Ogilvy & Mather produced this stunningly simple yet memorable Christmas commercial in 1989. The ad features festively wrapped Hershey’s Kisses that perform ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.
11. John Lewis — Buster the Boxer
Another one from John Lewis has made it in our top lineup. It’s not surprising considering how this company’s been nailing Christmas commercials for quite some time now. So much so, that watching these ads has become a holiday tradition of sorts in the UK.
Buster the Boxer is an example of one of the many memorable John Lewis campaigns I’ve seen over the years.
12. Apple — Frankie’s Holiday
Apple artfully shows off its phone’s feature and tells a sentimental story in the process.
Christmas ads like these could probably melt a scrooge’s heart.
13. Anuncio Lotería de Navidad — Justino
Leo Burnett Madrid’s Pixar-style animated commercial tells an uplifting story of a dedicated night watchman who strives to connect with the day shift workers he never gets to meet.
Justino went viral in 2015 and won the prestigious Cannes Lions Cyber Grand Prix at the 63rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
14. Publix — The Surprise
At the start of the video, it seems as though the boy is up to no good. Things take a heartwarming turn at the end though.
15. M&M’s — Faint
The Faint ad sticks out as memorable and funny.
The fact that a man who travels on a flying sled pulled by magical reindeers finds the sight of anthropomorphic M&Ms a little too much to handle is ironic.
And so is the idea that the red M&M is surprised that Santa Claus exists.
16. Tesco — Delivering Christmas
In Tesco’s feel-good ad, you watch the delivery guy have an interesting night traveling through time and “delivering Christmas” to delighted recipients.
17. Budweiser
This Budweiser commercial from 1987 doesn’t give you a sales pitch. It just wishes its viewers “the very best of everything this holiday season”.
The vintage ad features the brand’s Clydesdale horses galloping across beautiful wintry scenes. The commercial is nostalgic and visually stunning.
18. Campbell’s — Snowman
Campbell’s Snowman puts you in the mood for something warm and delicious. It’s a simple idea presented creatively.
19. Sky — E. T. Came Home for Christmas
If you enjoyed the movie and felt emotional at the ending, then you will love this commercial.
The thought of E.T. coming home, after all these years, to visit his best friend will put a smile on anyone’s face.
The Christmas ad strikes all the right chords and ties into the holiday spirit of togetherness and family.
20. IKEA Spain
This ad reminds viewers of the importance of disconnecting from the digital space and reconnecting with the people around you.
The video will probably make you want to call up your grandma so she can share her life stories with you.
21. IGA — Merry Cooking
IGA’s Merry Cooking is a heartwarming ad that encourages its customers to experiment in the kitchen and eat delicious home-cooked meals. The animated video beautifully encapsulates the message.
22. M&S — Christmas with Love from Mrs Claus
This commercial presents Mrs. Claus in a different light. In the video, you’ll see how she goes about making a little boy’s wish come true.
Read more: Lessons from the World’s Best Animated Advertisements
Which of these commercials do you love the most? Did I miss any of your favorites? Connect with us on LinkedIn and share your picks for the best Christmas commercials!
If you’re thinking about having a Christmas video made for your own company, feel free to reach out to us. You can check out the services we offer here.