Tinsel, Tears and Timeless Campaigns: Our Favourite Christmas Ads

It’s Christmasssss…The festive season isn’t just about mince pies, fairly lights, and presents, it’s also the time when most brands go all out to capture our hearts – and our wallets – with unforgettable campaigns. Every year, we gather round a screen of some description, eagerly anticipating the adverts that will make us laugh, cry, or smile at the magical season. Some campaigns stand out so much that they become part of conversations for years to come. No strangers to emotive brand content, Team Impact have ranked their favourite Christmas and holiday adverts over the years.

M&S X Dawn French

When it comes to Christmas ads, there are a few things we all want: heart, humour and magic. And, for Julie and Jessica, there’s something extra special about the M&S Christmas ad, ‘Traffic Jam’ featuring the imitable Dawn French. This ad has all the right ingredients to not only make you smile but also tug at your holiday spirit in the most delightful way. Dawn French, playing an incredibly relatable and mischievous Mrs. Claus, invites us into the festive chaos of Christmas with a wink and a laugh, and a confident premium that only M&S can pull off. The ad perfectly captures holiday madness, showing that even in a traffic jam, there’s still joy to be found (however, we’d argue that there is no joy to be found on the Westlink at 5:15pm).

What makes the ad truly special is its blend of humour and sincerity. It’s a joyful reminder that Christmas isn’t about perfection, it’s about enjoying the ride, chaos and all. And in doing that, M&S nailed it. After all, it’s not just a Christmas advert…it’s an M&S Christmas advert.

Guinness: ‘Even at the home of the black stuff, they dream of a white one’  

There’s something magical about seeing old favourites return to our screens, particularly Bryony’s favourite advert, the Guinness Christmas ad that has run every year in Ireland since 2004, truly the gift that keeps on giving. Unlike many campaigns, it barely features its own product. There is no sign of a pint, can, or Guinness logo, apart from a subtle sign on O’Connell’s pub wall – and yet it feels unmistakably Guinness. Through black and white footage of Ireland’s four provinces, the ad uses subliminal hints of the brand, showing that distinctive brand assets can integrate beautifully without feeling forced.

Rather than targeting a narrow demographic, the ad captures the magic of ‘one minute to midnight on Christmas Eve’ which resonates universally. The theme is enduringly simple and cinematic, echoing the idea that Bing Crosby has already put to music, a white Christmas. And a white Christmas is such a rare treat in Ireland. It’s the kind of magical moment we all dream of as children...and adults. That simple wish captures the heart of what a white Christmas means to people in Ireland.

Coca-Cola: Holidays Are Coming

When Coca Cola began its Christmas advertising in the 1920s, I doubt they thought they were creating an enduring holiday icon. At first the ads appeared in magazines and newspapers, showing illustrations of Santa, but over decades they have continued to evolve, and in the 1930s Santa was given the warm, grandfatherly image, dressed in Coca-Cola’s signature red. That version became the definitive modern Santa, shaping how generations visualise the festive season.

Then in 1995, Coca Cola launched its now legendary, ‘Holidays Are Coming’ campaign, which also happens to be Shauna’s favourite pick. The ad incorporates a convoy of glowing red trucks rolling through snowy streets, backed by the recognisable jingle. The trucks and tune captured imaginations and quickly turned into a holiday tradition for many. The ad taps into nostalgia, warmth, togetherness and a sense of belonging. The ads showed families reuniting, communities celebrating, lights twinkling, all simple sensory cues that evoke the festive spirit, year after year.

Hershey’s Kisses Christmas Campaign

Brittany’s favourite pick is the iconic Hershey’s Kisses campaign. Since its debut in December 1989, the 15 second Ad Christmas Bells, in which Hershey’s Kisses form a handbell choir playing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas,’ has become one of the longest running and most beloved Christmas ads across the US. Rather than pushing a hard sales message, the ad leans into whimsy and nostalgia. 11 animated, foil-wrapped chocolates, ring out the tune, with one kiss even ‘wiping its brow’ in relief following its song-ending solo.

The advert has been so enduring because of its simplicity. There’s no dialogue, or celebrity cameo, just a charming visual. Over decades, Hershey has kept the ad almost unchanged, preserving its nostalgic power, establishing it as a cultural touchstone that signals the start of the festive period for many families. The ad serves as proof that marketing doesn’t always need to shout, sometimes a softly ringing bell can do the trick, and despite technology and editing advances over the years, a strong creative concept can endure.

John Lewis, ‘Edgar the Dragon’

Over the past decade, Christmas adverts from John Lewis have become more than just a holiday shopping trigger, and for Laura, they hit the nail on the head. Just like decorating a tree, or opening an advent calendar, the John Lewis advert has become a seasonal tradition of its own. The John Lewis advert has asserted itself as scripture – a traditionally happy song, often performed in a slow, melodramatic way, a figure that becomes representative of the nation, a smattering of Christmas, and a thin veil of commerce.

John Lewis has produced a series of heart-warming, tear-jerking ads, from the tale of the Man on the Moon, to The Journey, Monty the Penguin, to the memorable 2019 campaign featuring Edgar, a superficially adorable dragon who at literally every possible opportunity presented to him, commits arson.

After repeatedly burning everything down, and upsetting the entire village, Edgar is exiled. Rather than leaving Edgar as the ‘problem,’ the ad gives him a redemption arc: once the villagers think he can’t belong, a thoughtful gesture, a Christmas pudding, lets him contribute in a meaningful way. The shift away from a material-heavy focus has turned the John Lewis advert into a mini-movie that doesn’t solely sell product but also evokes feelings. People watch the ad, share it online, talk about them, often buying into the story more than the sale.

Looking over the team’s choices, it’s clear that the best Christmas adverts still strike the same balance - they make us all feel something, they stay with us even years later, and of course they remind us why this is such an important moment in the creative calendar. We’re already curious about what’s in the pipeline for next year’s holiday season!