The Best Christmas Ads of 2024: Creativity That Captured the Season

Christmas is just around the corner, so it’s time to put everything on hold and get into the holiday spirit. One of the easiest ways to do this is to watch captivating Christmas ads celebrating family warmth, true friendship, and the magic of the festive season that rekindles belief in miracles.

Traditionally, at the end of the year, we bring you a selection of fantastic holiday campaigns from leading brands that delight and make you laugh and cry. From the hilarious adventures of cute fantasy characters to heart-melting family stories, here’s a look at the best Christmas ads in 2024.

If you are searching for last-minute holiday content, discover our “A Christmas Miracle” collection, filled with visuals capturing cozy atmospheric scenes and festive traditions.

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The most memorable Christmas ads of 2024

Aldi — Get into the Christmas Spirit with Kevin the Carrot

Aldi has found the recipe for a brilliant Christmas advert, with the adventures of their mascot, Kevin the Carrot, as the main ingredient. It is the ninth holiday campaign in a row featuring the much-loved character. In the 90-second commercial, the iconic hero and his wife, Katie, go on a mission at Santa’s request to retrieve the stolen Christmas spirit and save the holiday for everyone.

In this epic quest inspired by “Mission Impossible,” Kevin and Katie face many dangers and must outwit the villainous Dr. Humbug and her minions. Of course, there is a happy ending, as the Christmas spirit is freed and it lights up everything around with festive cheer, and a grateful Santa calls to thank Kevin for his help.

It’s no wonder Aldi’s ad is on the list every Christmas, as the brand skilfully blends consistency, playfulness, and humor. Kevin the Carrot has become one of the symbols of the festive season, and the audience looks forward to seeing him every year. In addition, each episode of his Christmas adventure is filled with a celebration that brings everyone together.

Coca-Cola — The Holiday Magic is Coming

While Aldi’s ad takes a traditional approach, Coca-Cola’s is innovative, tapping into the creative power of AI. The company has long been experimenting with new technologies in visual communication and has even launched its own AI platform, “Create Real Magic,” for digital artists. This year, the brand reimagined its legendary “Holidays are coming” Christmas advert with the help of AI.

Despite mixed reactions from the audience, Coca-Cola’s AI commercial was ranked among the most recognizable Christmas ads of the year. This campaign appeals to a sense of nostalgia, recalling a favorite advert with a famous soundtrack, branded trucks with illumination, and snowy winter landscapes. The company’s goal was to bring “Holidays are coming” to the present, and AI became the answer to this request.

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John Lewis & Partners — The Gifting Hour

If you’re a fan of Christmas ads like us, you know that John Lewis always delivers some of the best holiday stories. This year, the brand’s campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi advertising agency taps into several hot triggers, including the last-minute search for a special gift and the power of family bonds and memories.

The story follows the main character, Sally, as she looks for a present for her sister, Lauren. The search begins in the John Lewis store and becomes a dreamlike journey through space and time. A magical Narnia-inspired wardrobe portal takes Sally to different locations and events from the past related to her sister. We see a vivid kaleidoscope of emotional scenes where Lauren appears as a little girl, a teenager, and a grown woman. Each of them shows the love and deep connection between the sisters.

This trip down memory lane helps Sally find the perfect gift. Richard Ashcroft’s atmospheric track Sonnet enhances the campaign’s mood, perfectly matching the concept of 90th nostalgia. The brand has also launched a TikTok talent search. John Lewis invited aspiring musicians to send in covers of the Christmas advert soundtrack. The winner’s version will appear in the commercial on December 25. What a clever way to stir up buzz about the campaign!

Disney — The Boy & The Octopus

Disney’s genetic code is all about bringing fairy tales to life for both children and adults, so we always expect a sense of wonder from the brand’s Christmas ads. And it never fails! In 2024, Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi created a short film masterpiece for Disney that celebrates the friendship between a boy and a small octopus.

The Christmas story unexpectedly begins on a resort beach. A boy named Solomon meets a cute octopus while swimming, and the octopus literally sticks to him. After returning home, the two remain inseparable. Solomon introduces his new friend to a fascinating world outside the sea and even crafts a special Mickey Mouse beanie to show the octopus life beyond the house. During their walk, the octopus sees snow for the first time and discovers the magic of Christmas.

The friends share precious moments by watching Christmas movies and preparing treats for Santa. In the end, Solomon, recognizing the octopus’s desire to explore the unknown world, lets him go on new adventures with Santa Claus. This heartwarming and funny Christmas advert touches you to tears, and the melody from the Disney classic “The Little Mermaid” enhances the uplifting fairy tale mood.

Marks & Spencer — Christmas Food

We couldn’t pass on a campaign that topped this year’s Christmas ads ranking regarding brand recall. What is its secret? First of all, it’s the vivid characters that add a unique flavor to the story. The most exciting thing is that the brand brought together its iconic Fairy and comedian, Dawn French, who voices her. Such a simple idea worked brilliantly!

Dawn French plays a character with a bit of a grouchy and not-quite-social personality. She doesn’t feel any enthusiasm for Christmas and has a pile of chores to do before getting ready to host her neighbors. Luckily, she has the help of the Fairy, who takes care of everything from cleaning and decorating the house to preparing a lavish holiday dinner.

This Christmas advert offers a delicious cocktail of relevance, nostalgia, and witty dialogues. At the same time, it remains food-centric and supports M&S’ core message of indulging in something extra this holiday season. This strategy not only increases brand awareness, but also perfectly promotes its products, creating a sense of sophistication and luxury.

Apple — Heartstrings

Get out your handkerchiefs, because this Christmas advert with a telling title will definitely touch your heart. Apple masterfully fits its product promo into a heartwarming personal story. We see a family where the father has a hearing impairment and cannot fully enjoy special moments with his daughter.

You might wonder how to combine a serious health issue with a Christmas theme. Apple brings an element of holiday magic with the innovative Hearing Aid feature in their AirPods Pro 2, which is recognized as a clinical hearing aid in several countries. By activating it, the main character gets the opportunity to hear his daughter playing the guitar and singing clearly, which makes him (and we’re sure you too) teary-eyed.

This campaign aligns perfectly with Apple’s philosophy of gadgets that improve people’s lives and expand the horizons of what is possible. However, the brand goes further and showcases how its products can help foster meaningful human connections. In this case, their product becomes the true hero of the story!

Waitrose — Sweet Suspicion: A Waitrose Mystery

Let’s move from sentimental narratives to a true detective story in two parts. In the first part of Waitrose’s Christmas advert, we witness the mysterious theft of a pudding while a family prepares for their holiday dinner. Everyone is under suspicion—from the guest who brought the dessert to the children and even the cat. Fortunately, an amateur detective, played by Matthew Mcfaddyen, is on the scene.

The main riddle: “How could someone pull off such a delicious crime with so many witnesses?” After numerous interrogations, all the motives are revealed, the thief is caught, and the pudding is finally found. Yet, the case is settled in the spirit of Christmas, and the company agrees to enjoy the festive dessert together.

Like the best detective stories, this entertaining Christmas advert by Saatchi & Saatchi keeps you intrigued until the end. The central idea that Waitrose’s food is so good you can’t help but try it is brilliantly delivered. Witty humor and great acting make this campaign one of our faves of the year.

Tesco — Feed Your Christmas Spirit

On our list of the most outstanding Christmas ads, we have another family story in a setting mixing reality and fantasy. BBH London’s impressive and slightly nostalgic campaign is built around the insight that the Christmas spirit needs to be nurtured during the holiday season.

We follow the main character, Harry, as he experiences emotional ups and downs during this special time. When Harry receives gingerbread men from his grandfather, the world around him begins to turn into a magical gingerbread landscape. However, the fairy tale world starts to crumble when Harry thinks about losing his grandmother, who has shared the tradition of creating gingerbread houses since he was a child.

In the finale, Harry finds joy in renewing the holiday tradition with his grandfather. The Christmas spirit is at its peak, and the grandfather’s house is transformed into gingerbread too. This way, Tesco conveys the idea that moments connected to family, food, and reuniting with loved ones are key to keeping the festive cheer alive.

Sainsbury’s — BIG Christmas

There’s something irresistibly appealing about fairy tale characters in Christmas ads. So, it’s no surprise that most brands introduce them into their campaigns, like our latest favorite. Sainsbury’s supermarket chain unveiled an exciting culinary adventure featuring the Big Friendly Giant inspired by Roald Dahl’s tale.

We see the BFG in his magical cave filled with dream jars, asking, “Hey Sainsbury’s, how can we make this Christmas a little more… phizz-whizzing?” The Giant and his friend Sophie embark on a journey to find the best food from trusted suppliers. Handpicked products are transformed into delicious dishes that the BFG secretly delivers to holiday tables.

This Christmas advert combines memorable characters with a message of kindness and support that captures the heartwarming spirit of the holiday. Sainsbury’s has brought to life a fairy tale that revives a classic while skillfully communicating the brand’s values.

Lessons learned from 2024’s Christmas ads

We can see that brands have traditionally relied on emotional storytelling to convey the magic of Christmas. They share touching stories about family, home, friendship, and love that speak to everyone’s heart. Many companies continue to delight us with new adventures of beloved characters, such as Kevin the Carrot from Aldi’s ad and M&S’s Fairy. At the same time, we also see experiments with innovative technologies, such as in Coca-Cola’s AI commercial. With all the variety of plots and technical solutions, the heart of Christmas ads remains the timeless values of joy and kindness, and that’s why we love it.