Ah 2020. What a year it’s been! Despite the ups and downs that have come with this year, the festive season is almost in full swing to lift out spirits and end the year on a positive note. Christmas adverts have been hitting our screens for weeks now and we always wait in anticipation to see what our favourite brands will do each year! From festive moments, to lovable characters and heart-warming stories – they always put you in the festive mood. We’ve taken a look at some of the Christmas adverts that have been released for 2020 and have been a big hit on social media. Here’s what we thought and a look at some of our favourites:
John Lewis & Partners – Give A Little Love
Every year the John Lewis advert is one that is highly anticipated and we all look forward to – in many ways it marks the start of the festive period! This year their advert has a very poignant and important message – that the world would be a better place if we all gave a little more love. The advert switches between real life and animation and shows people passing on acts of kindness and showing a love and appreciation for one another over the Christmas period. This beautiful message is one that’s needed this year more than ever and leaves you feeling all warm inside. The hashtag #GiveALittleLove has also been trending on Twitter – with people showing how they are sharing love and kindness this Christmas, as well as highlighting how the advert made them feel grateful and positive after a troubling year. Once again, John Lewis have got it right with their advert this year – it’s festive, poignant and highlights exactly what we all need this year, a bit of love and kindness!
Disney – from our family to yours
Disney’s Christmas advert this year tells an important story of family and how this time of year is a time to be with those who mean the most. It shows how a Mickey Mouse toy, the staple of Disney, has been passed down from a grandmother to a granddaughter and how that connection is everlasting. In a year that’s forced us to stop and reflect on what matters most, Disney’s advert highlights just that. It also shows how Christmas is the perfect time of year to hold onto traditions and share moments with loved ones. The advert certainly pulls on your heart strings and reminds us all of what matters, especially this time of year.
Aldi – Kevin the Carrot Returns
Aldi’s loveable character, Kevin the Carrot, returned this year for another festive tale. In the run up to the advert being released, they shared another video showing his ‘disappearance’ which lent itself nicely to a social media campaign with users sharing the advert using the hashtag ‘#WheresKevin?’ building up anticipation to the main advert being released. In the main advert we see Kevin’s journey to being reunited with his family and when he eventually returns home, Santa closes the ad by saying ‘there’s nothing quite like Christmas together’ – highlighting the importance of family and being with our loved ones at this time of year. Aldi has a real established character to front their Christmas adverts and marketing at this time of year and it’s well reflected across their social media, TV adverts and in store promotions.
Amazon – The Show Must Go On
Amazons Christmas advert showcases the story of a young dancer who is desperate to follow her dreams and perform a leading role in a performance that has been cancelled due to the pandemic. It highlights the trials and setbacks she has faced throughout the year, but shows that her determination, positive attitude and support from her community and family allows her to achieve her goal. Amazon have cleverly tapped into the pandemic to showcase that even though the year has been unlike no other – the show must go on. Christmas isn’t cancelled and if we put our all in and make the most of it, we can still enjoy this magical time of year.
Sainsbury’s – trio of adverts
Sainsbury’s has taken a really unique approach to their Christmas advert this year. They’ve released not one, not two, but three adverts that all pay tribute to a classic British Christmas that we can all relate to in one way or another. The first discusses a family’s ‘famous gravy’ that Christmas wouldn’t be the same without. The second looks at a mum and son looking back at wonderful memories of their dad and his ‘perfect portions of turkey’. The final one sees a family discussing the perfect Boxing Day ‘Big Sarnie’. Each advert has the same key message: ‘Food is home. Home is Christmas’. It’s a really nice way to tap into a traditional Christmas that Brits across the country can relate to and will instantly put a smile on your face as it reminds you of your own family festive traditions. You can find all three adverts here.
At Prohibition, we’ve worked on a range of exciting campaigns where we’ve produced engaging and creative video content for brands across all sectors. If you’re interested in what video services we can offer and how they might help your brand – find out more here.
