What the Christmas Ad Trends Can Tell Us About the World Right Now
For advertisers, the holiday season isn’t just a chance to sell—it’s an opportunity to reflect society’s mood, tap into collective nostalgia, and showcase creativity at its peak. As one of the last true mass-market moments, Christmas advertising holds a mirror to what we value and what we’re trying to escape, all while offering a glimpse into the industry's evolving assumptions about society.
This year, amidst the backdrop of global uncertainty, political shifts, and economic anxiety, Christmas ads have taken us in unexpected directions. Some lean into escapism, others into authenticity, while a few dare to keep things lighthearted and fun.
LBB’s April Summers asks creatives and strategists from across the advertising industry to share their thoughts on the standout campaigns of 2024 and what they reveal about where we are - and where we’re headed - as we move into 2025. From emotional storytelling to whimsical spectacle, here’s what they had to say about this year’s Christmas ads and the trends shaping the future of festive marketing…
Jamie Davies, UK executive creative director at Momentum Worldwide
They’re here! But does anyone still care? With the world as it currently is, how powerful can a Christmas ad still be, and are we still waiting and watching with bated breath? They can offer us such a perfectly packaged moment of escapism and joyful nostalgia, or a lens into a more positive future.
Personally, I think this year’s crop is one of the strongest I've seen in ages. Yes, there were a few misses, but let’s not dwell on them. The hits are what we care about, and I think Sainsbury’s 'Big Christmas with the BFG' and Sophie is masterful, elegant, whimsical, and gorgeous. M&S 'The Journey' with Dawn French reprising her role as the fairy and as herself is a thing of joy that probably only Dawn (or perhaps Jennifer Saunders) could ever pull off. It feels authentically real and fantastical all at once.
Disney’s 'The Boy and the Octopus' was a stunningly crafted short that captured the stardust of Disney perfectly, with a narrative that made four minutes disappear in a mere moment of wide-eyed, childlike wonder. Let’s not forget the craft, set design, and narrative so well written it made my heart ache with its observation of siblings and love. Bravo again to the John Lewis 'The Gifting Hour' campaign. It’s a Narnia-inspired trip through memories that patchwork quilts a familial love story together. It almost made me want to make ads instead of experiences!
Shelter’s 'World Of Our Own' is also so well-delivered and powerful it made me cry not once but three separate times—hats off to those on a very different take of both reality and fantasy colliding. And one of my favourites, 'Sweet Suspicion' for Waitrose, with a bevvy of incredible actors clearly loving the whodunnit script about a missing pudding, genuinely had me wondering: who did steal it?
I, for one, want to say thank you to the entire glut of Christmas ads for making me forget the woes of the world for a moment, transporting me back to wonder, making me laugh, and reminding me what’s really important: love and how we express it.
Amanda 'AJ' Jones, chief strategy officer at McCann Canada
A strong point of view on the 2025 outlook seems conspicuously absent from this year’s crop of holiday ads. We can probably draw a simple conclusion that most people don’t think 2025 is going to be an easy, celebratory, dreamboat year. In all likelihood, advertisers don’t want to make ads without hope just as much as people don’t want to watch miserable ads without hope.
A recent McCann Worldgroup Truth Central study found that around the world people feel more positive about their personal outlook (69% positive) and the future of their communities (46% positive), than the outlook for the world at large (just 22% positive). And many of this year’s holiday ads are tapping into that by spotlighting cherished moments amongst families and friends. Even the National Lottery ad isn’t about grandiose escapism - which would have been a natural place to play - it focuses on joyful moments that exist within our lives, rather than the prospect of taking us out of them. After all, there is happiness, warmth and humour to be found in these moments as JD Sports, Dan Murphy’s and Vodafone show.
Given 2024 was the year of the elections, then 2025 is likely the year of change. Making it natural for brands to shift towards celebrating their consistency and stability, resulting in ads that make moments of the most familiar and intimate places the brands interact with their audiences. With the John Lewis ad set in store being the obvious example, but also Starbucks leaning in-store and McDonalds (UK) really spotlighting the drive-thru amongst a host of other familiar brand assets.
For me, Cadbury has found a wonderful balance of both those family-esque moments and brand familiar moments; leveraging the advent calendar associations to reveal stories of real people feels like a neat way of centring themselves in the rituals of Christmas without making it all about the brand. At a time when there is seemingly an advent calendar for every product that has ever existed, taking back ownership of the joy of opening those 25 doors is smart and meaningful, without getting ahead of itself and caught in the mire of looking to 2025.
All that to say, that maybe this year’s holiday ads don’t tell us a whole lot about society in 2025. However, they do serve as a reminder that the more we waste time with people that matter, the more fun we’ll have navigating whatever is to come. Because time we enjoy wasting is never wasted time.
Jessica Geary, strategy director at Armadillo
This Christmas, Waitrose has tapped into something beautifully timeless yet refreshingly fun: the power of storytelling and local connection. Their whodunnit mystery ad campaign, packed with a star-studded British cast, feels like a love letter to both the art of serialised advertising and the communities it serves. It’s nostalgic in the best way, bringing to mind the much-loved Nescafe Gold Blend couple of the late 80s and early 90s, but with a contemporary twist that feels proudly, unmistakably local.
At its heart, Waitrose’s approach is about more than festive intrigue; it’s about using narrative to connect with audiences on a deeper level. Serialised storytelling invites us to invest not just in the product but in the people and moments surrounding it. The mystery format adds a layer of playfulness and anticipation, sparking conversations and turning what could have been another polished campaign into something delightfully human. The use of a quintessentially British cast only deepens the sense of belonging.
It’s a subtle but masterful nod to localism, reminding us that even in an age of perma-crisis, global challenges and digital detachment, there’s something grounding about celebrating the familiar, the humour, quirks, and cultural shorthand that make us feel at home.
We don’t buy Christmas pudding because of a gripping ad plotline, but we do choose brands that make us smile, lean in, and feel seen. And right now, we need those connections more than ever.
Waitrose has shown that localism doesn’t have to mean small; it can scale with style and star power. In 2025, the challenge will be proving the power of storytelling in ever-crunched bottom lines, continuing to foster joy, community, and trust through stories that feel both intimate and expansive. Because, as Waitrose reminds us, connection isn’t just marketing, it’s everything.
Calvin Innes, creative director at JvM London
Christmas ads in 2024 painted an interesting picture of society’s hopes and anxieties. The 2024 campaigns revealed our collective craving for authenticity, connection, and optimism amidst unpredictable and turbulent times.
One standout trend was the shift toward community-focused storytelling. Ads like 'The Gifting Hour' or ‘The Boy and the Octopus’ moved beyond individual gift-giving to highlight themes of togetherness and resilience. This mirrored societal trends, where the after-effects of political turmoil and economic uncertainty made audiences yearn for stories where people actually care for one another.
Another notable shift was the marked move away from consumerism, to more emotionally driven storytelling. Lidl launched its 2024 Christmas ad, emphasising the power of sharing festive joy with others, as the retailer reopened its Toy Bank charity scheme.
Interestingly, sustainability messaging took a subtler form this year. Instead of overt “green” campaigns, many ads incorporated eco-consciousness into their storytelling, whether through reusable wrapping paper, local sourcing, or gifts that emphasised experiences over things. It’s a small step, but it shows that environmental themes are becoming part of the mainstream.
What do these trends say about us? They reveal a society craving comfort but also ready for change. More than ever, Christmas ads are a cultural barometer, offering insights into where we’ve been and where we’re heading.
Guto Monteiro and Gabriel Jardim, executive creative directors at VML
Christmas is inherently a consumption-driven occasion. From Christmas trees to overly expensive ornaments. From the food we serve to the excessive gift-giving. The holiday is already a major shopping opportunity for a lot of brands. So why do brands try to force consumption into their communication instead of purely bringing the spirit of Christmas to life?
Maybe it’s the world’s insecurity with a society so divided and polarised. Maybe it’s all the consumption occasions that were created, making Christmas get lost in the clutter? Or maybe it’s because the creative power of good storytelling lost its relevance in our industry and marketing managers only think about best practices and ROIs.
But the thing is, the holiday drives consumption, we don’t need ads that do the same. We need ads that drive love, kindness, hope. We need ads that become part of the conversation, that embed themselves into culture, providing something valuable to people. Americans will spend more than 1k on gifts this Christmas, so holiday ads don’t need to justify why people should spend money, they need to connect with people on an emotional level and be memorable.
Of course we can still advertise big retail stores, and drive massive sales, but we should be doing it in an emotional, creative and fun way that keeps the Christmas spirit alive. If we look back to a little over a decade ago, we see great examples of that: 'Gifts You Can’t Wait to Give', 'Sorry I Spent it On Myself', '1914' – we need more of this! We need ads that enhance the emotional aspect of the holiday, generate conversations that will be shared at Christmas dinner, and make people build a more meaningful relationship with brands. Because those will be the brands they will choose to spend their 1k with when buying gifts for their family members.
Michael Chadwick, head of strategy and experience, Cheil UK
There’s been a subtle but significant shift of tone evident in this year’s Christmas ad offerings.
It feels like we’ve started to move on from what you could call the ‘John Lewis era’ of festive commercials – breaking away from the code of slightly whimsical and fantastical tales laced with meaning and message.
This year, there’s a bit less reaching for the deep and meaningful from many brands, and in its place, a bit more of a focus on fun.
Perhaps this reflects the fact that there’s more than enough weighty and serious stuff in the world right now, and so some frivolity and froth is more than welcome – no need to complicate Christmas too much.
Instead we’re seeing more jolly mascots than soulful meaning this year (gnomes, oven gloves, octopuses, of course carrots, and then borrowed ones like the BFG), and a renewed emphasis on spectacle and sparkle - who cares if it’s superficial? And perhaps the finest offering amongst this year’s Christmas crop – Waitrose’s whodunnit delight – wins the day by simply being outstandingly entertaining.
At the same time, there are a few brands who’ve gone down a more real or grounded route – for example Tesco, with its heartfelt and powerful gingerbread ad, or at the other end of the scale, M&S, getting gently and humorously real about some of the strains of Christmas hosting. These executions feel genuine and grounded, baked from real and authentic human insights, both big and small.
Overall, this season’s offerings feel like a reflection of this moment – a time when we could all do with a bit of joy, but with an acknowledgement that real life and some of its challenges go on even amidst the mince pies and merriment.
Nicole Aragi, group creative director, Mars United Commerce
The first is built around minimalism. Inflation is hitting extra hard this season, and the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is super condensed, so the typical holiday stress is heightened. These ads give permission to do less (like shop from your couch) and to make it mean more (show you understand them, make something worth keeping.) I’ve seen this come through in classic ads repeated and in new ads that bring an unexpected layer of emotional storytelling. Even AirPods, a luxury purchase for many, creates a mini-film that positions them as a necessity by nearly bringing the viewer to tears.
On the very opposite side is the sheer consumer maximalism that is Christmas in America - unabashed and unchanged. ‘Tis truly the season to do the most. And despite the financial and political despair many are currently feeling, if "treat culture" has taught us anything it’s that the dopamine rush of pressing “Buy” can cure all. This is an exaggerated line of thought, but it is expressed in over-the-top ads with major celebrity spend, bright visual vibrancy, aspirational gift guides and all the glitter of the season. When they fill the screen, for a minute you think – “well, everything might suck, but at least I can buy something.”
Tim Hyland, creative director, Whalar EMEA
This year it’s been a breath of fresh air to see Christmas advertisers move away from the tear-jerking campaigns of the past and embrace escapism instead. Grandiose sets, CGI-filled festive explosions, Dawn French as a fairy, or oven mitts belting out musical numbers – the advertising world has decided to stop trying to make people cry into their mince pies and lean into something far more fun and vibrant.
In a world weighed down by wars, nuclear threats, political divides, and a struggling economy–not to mention the lingering trauma of recent years–the trend towards joyful, playful advertising that offers a sense of escapism has truly hit its stride this Christmas. With the exception of JD Sports (a masterstroke in its own right), most adverts this season have revelled in the frivolity and spectacle that Christmas deserves.
Here’s hoping this trend continues, creating advertisements that do more than sell products or tug at heartstrings. Looking ahead, this embrace of silliness and playfulness feels like a sign of things to come–a shift that could inject more much-needed fun into advertising as we head into 2025.
