The festive season is in full swing, and brands are releasing their Christmas ads to kick off the excitement for the Golden Quarter. Marks & Spencer (M&S,) Amazon, Waitrose, FatFace, and Greggs have joined the fray with innovative and heartwarming campaigns. M&S returns with its winning formula of featuring Dawn French in a series of five ads.
The campaign starts with a magical spread of Christmas treats, as Dawn’s character, Fairy, brings the festive spirit to life with twinkling lights and M&S’s delicious offerings. Amazon’s heartfelt campaign, ‘Midnight Opus,’ centers around a theatre caretaker whose hidden singing talent is discovered by his colleagues. After discovering his talent, the caretaker’s colleagues transform their theatre into a stage for him, complete with lighting and an instrumental backing track.
Waitrose takes a different approach with ‘Sweet Suspicion: A Waitrose Mystery,’ a two-part ad celebrating the joy and togetherness of the season over exceptional food. Matthew Macfadyen leads an ensemble cast in this culinary whodunnit, combining festive drama with the retailer’s proposition of elevating holiday moments through quality food.
First look at festive campaigns
FatFace’s campaign, ‘It’s a Wonderful Gift,’ emphasizes the enduring value of gifts. The film follows the journey of a gifted FatFace cardigan through a family over the course of a year. The campaign aims to reinforce FatFace’s ‘Made for Life’ message, showcasing that their products are the ultimate Christmas gift.
Greggs scores a coup by enlisting celebrity chef Nigella Lawson for its first-ever Christmas ad. The ad features Lawson indulging in Greggs’ seasonal offerings, including their beloved vegan festive bakes. She passionately describes the flavors, framed in a home adorned with Greggs-themed Christmas decorations.
These brands are not just selling products but crafting stories that resonate with the essence of Christmas—community, joy, and the magic of sharing special moments with loved ones. As these campaigns roll out, they remind us that the festive season is as much about creating memories as it is about the gifts shared.
