Chalk & Wards best Christmas Ads of all time – 2024 Edition

 It’s that time of year again – where every mega-brand in the UK release their efforts to drum up some pre-Crimbo buzz for what they’ve got on offer, a harvest festival of consumerism if you like. Always one to break tradition, this year I’ve decided to change it up and have rounded up the team at C+W’s most iconic Christmas Ads of all time (no pressure guys)! 

After all, Christmas is a time for family, mince pies and sometimes a sprinkle of painful nostalgia too.

Laura Dale

• Magic Moments – Quality Street – 1992 – Ogilvy and Mather

The Quality Street advert from 1992. Simplicity at its best. It depicts a schoolboy crossing the road throughout the year with the help of a lollipop lady. When it comes to the winter season and Christmas, the boy gifts her a box of Quality Street. It’s heart-felt and genuine, and it shines a light on those fleeting relationships we have with people throughout life who help us in some way and often deserve more recognition than they get.

Imogen Belton

• A Festive Farm – TK Maxx – 2023 – Wieden + Kennedy

I like it because it is silly, light hearted, and simply brought a smile to my face. There are other ads that pull on the heart strings a lot more, which is the route in which a lot of companies go down now, but I think there deserves to be a space for the ones that don’t want to be so serious, like this one!

Interestingly, TK Maxx have chosen to re-use their 2023 Christmas Ads in 2024. How very sustainable!

Luka Stephenson

• Mistletoe – Yellow Pages – 1992 – Abbott Mead Vickers

Okay so before anyone points any fingers, I LOVE a Christmas ad (hence the article) so naturally I was never going to just pick 1… Most iconic for me would have to be Abbott Mead Vickers ‘Mistletoe’ Ad from 1992 which still just fills me with pure joy – me and my twin brother used to re-enact this and then when it came to the kiss part would pretend to vomit in each other’s faces and then fall about laughing. Precious mem’s. I would also be a fool not to mention the original ‘Holidays are coming’ Coca Cola Ad (which if you think is lame then you have no soul) and the absolutely iconic ‘The Ambassadors Party’ for Ferrero Rocher, which I think genuinely made us brits believe that they were chocolates for posh folk for at least a decade. Check out the vintage!

My top choice for this year’s winner (by a MILE) is this year’s JD Sports Ad, which is like a cold glass of water in a desert of heavily glitzy, unrealistic bunkum. Uncommon Creative Studio have thought so carefully about JD’s target market and have spoken directly to them with their beautifully edited, garage garnished winter warmer. LOVE. IT.

Alister Tickle 

• The Long Wait – John Lewis – 2011 – Adam & Eve DDB

Beautifully directed, superbly cast (the boy is brilliant!), fantastic idea and the twist at the end is heartwarming! There were John Lewis ads before, but this one really set the bar high and kick started the yearly rush to watch the latest John Lewis Christmas ad.

Greig Barclay

• The Snowman – Iron Bru – 2006 – The Leith Agency

Probably the best parody of The Snowman, great marketing idea, lyrics and ticks off all the Scottish landmarks as well, so doubles up as a tourism ad. #Great!

James Murphy

• Good things are in our grasp – Guinness – 2021 – AMV BBDO

Love Guinness, love adverts, loved this Guinness advert.

Paddy Myers

• The Bear and the Hare – John Lewis – 2013 – Adam & Eve DDB

Just love it. I think it’s the music that always makes the ad special for me!

Lauren Peters

• The Beginner – John Lewis – 2022 – Adam & Eve DDB

Hits me right in the feels this one!

And most importantly love that it was actually backed up with real impact, supporting Action for Children and other charities.

In 2023 over £1m was donated to care experience charities. They also donate products to Care Experienced Young People e.g microwaves for young people starting out in their own homes. They offer work experience to care-experienced young people, apprenticeship schemes, employability tours and training and volunteering days for staff to get involved in supporting too.

Gemma Boss 

• 1914 – Sainsburys – 2014 – AMV BBDO

I’ve always been really intrigued by the real life story of Christmas Day in 1914 when the two armies met in no-man’s land and played football together.  I think it’s an amazing story and I thought the way this ad was shot was like watching a film.  It was made in partnership with the Royal British Legion and the profits from the chocolate bar featured in the ad went to the charity.

Linda Hamilton 

• Buster the Boxer – John Lewis – 2016 – Adam and Eve DDB

The advert that springs to my mind is the John Lewis 2016 Buster the Dog. 

I just love how  Buster watched with envy as the other wildlife  animals played on the trampoline that the little girl’s parents had built for her and then how happy he was when he finally got his turn.

Also the look on the humans faces, just love it. It’s just so heartwarming!

So there it is, our round up of the most memorable, iconic Christmas Ads that helped shape the team here at Chalk & Ward.

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!