The 5 Ad Insights of Christmas!
Everyone has heard of the twelve days of Christmas. Well, this is sort of the same, but about ads – we call it the 5 Ad Insights of Christmas…with a few festive puns!
They say that Christmas is the ‘Most wonderful of the year’, and we agree! Our Christmas add+impact® study in Australia, UK and USA is always a lot of fun and gives us rich insights into what makes advertising work around the world.
Christmas is the most emotionally charged and creatively competitive moment in the retail calendar, and 2025 is no exception! This years’ ads are cutting through more strongly than everyday advertising and many hold a special place in people’s hearts.
So, what are the 5 Ads Insights of Christmas?
The strongest Christmas ads this year are those that tap into big human feelings: warmth, nostalgia, joy, and belonging. Emotional storytelling remains the single biggest predictor of success. Whether centred on family rituals, friendship, or simple acts of kindness, the best campaigns make people feel something real and that emotional connection drives high impact across all three markets.
UK retailer, John Lewis, have done it again this year with Where Love Lives.
The reimagined 90s track and the emotional narrative trigger strong feelings of nostalgia and connection.
Music is a shortcut to emotion – it is what feelings sound like. Whether you choose to use a well-known song, a Christmas tune or create your own, music is the sticky tape that holds all the Christmas wrapping together. Coca-Cola know they are on a good thing, and this year they continued with a with a new AI version of the Holidays are Coming creative and song. The music triggers feelings of warmth and nostalgia. In the USA and UK, the music ratings are off the charts!
Whilst creativity is important, it should not be at the expense of comprehension. This year, audiences responded best to ads with clear messages and simple stories. While some brands choose to use elaborate visuals or layered narratives, these require more effort to follow, and people often tune out. The most effective campaigns keep things straightforward: one clear message, one central character or moment, and a storyline people can grasp instantly.
In a season when emotions are high, but time is short, so clarity remains key. The ad from UK retailer, Lidl, was simple to follow, yet it is still highly engaging.
The heartbeat of Christmas advertising is the story. This year’s best campaigns were rooted in human truth and told through charming, memorable and emotive storytelling. Whether humorous, heartwarming or a little bit magical, the ads that resonated most were those built a good story, well told. Great storytelling still anchors great festive effectiveness. UK retailed, Waitrose, used a four-minute mini rom-com, to take the art of storytelling to the next level. The stars of the story, Keira Knightley and comedian Joe Wilkinson (Phil), added to the magic.
While Christmas campaigns are often driven by emotion and creativity, the strongest performers this year also maintained clear brand identity. The most effective ads integrated branding naturally through the characters, dialogue, audio and product cues to seamlessly embed the brand within the story. Brands that lean into their ownable assets, whether that is characters, audio cues, colour or symbols delivered stronger responses.
So… That’s a Wrap!
Christmas advertising in 2025 reminds us that the fundamentals still work and they are more important than ever. The best-performing Christmas ads this year were:
Christmas is a key moment of the year where audiences are highly engaged and open to connection. Brands who lean into that opportunity and get the formula right, see the brand love follow.
We hope you enjoy the festive advertising season! We wish you and your teams a Christmas period full of sparkles, laughter and love.
Please reach out if you would like to find out how your ads are performing….Noel time like the present! 😉