The Christmas adverts are back and they’re impossible to avoid. With Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, and M&S already rolling out their festive campaigns, the Christmas season seems to be in full swing. Each brand brings its unique take on the season of joy with the biggest brands spending the biggest budgets.

We’ve looked at some of the big Christmas adverts for you, to give you a brief overview of what to expect and ranked them from worst to best in the opinion of the Marketing Labs team. 

Here’s our list of the best (and worst) Christmas adverts of 2024.

ASDA: ‘Gnomes of Christmas’

ASDA’s Gnomes of Christmas misses capturing that Christmas vibe. The ad follows two Asda colleagues on an overnight shift, joking about gnomes, which then spawns an army of singing, dancing, and dinner-cooking gnomes. 

While the gnomes themselves don’t immediately evoke that Christmas feel, a bit of research reveals they do have a Christmas significance within some European countries.

In Scandinavian countries, these gnomes are known as “guardian spirits named the Tomte” who offer food and help with chores.

Despite the cultural connection, it still falls flat for us casual viewers who struggle to see the significance, which is why the advert places as 5th best on our list.  

M&S Clothing and Home: ‘2024 Christmas Advert’

M&S tops ASDA when it comes to capturing the vibe of Christmas, but the execution seems to fall a little flat, which leaves the advert feeling weaker than the rest on the list.

The advert follows a young girl whose family is struggling to get into the Christmas spirit. The house is feeling dull and the Christmas lights are turned off. Things begin to change when the young girl finds a “magical snowglobe” that transforms the house into a singing-and-dancing spectacle.

On paper, the advert feels warm and festive, but unfortunately, the execution doesn’t deliver. It doesn’t give you that festive feeling like the other adverts we’ll touch on and fails to evoke that Christmas magic, which is disappointing because the advert had potential. What could have been a heartwarming holiday advert ends up feeling more flat than festive.  

Morrisons: ‘The Greatest Show at Home’

Morrisons set out for a “feel–good” advert and that is exactly what they delivered. The advert goes in a musical direction with a certain British charm and gives hints of a Muppet’s Christmas Carol whilst celebrating the beauty of a Christmas dinner. 

While it might seem a bit unfair for it to land in third place given how memorable and uplifting the advert is, there’s a couple this year that we believe slightly edge it.

Sainsbury’s: ‘Sainsbury’s Big Christmas’

Although the name may not be the most exciting on the list, Sainsbury’s this year has outperformed some on this list.

Nostalgia is where they hook you in this advert, with a brilliant take on Road Dahl’s classic “The Big Friendly Giant, or the BFG”. The story, the imagery, and the overall atmosphere all come together to create a fantastic advert centred around the BFG’s journey to Sainsbury’s. 

The advert’s mix of nostalgia as well as a festive charm leaves a lasting impression and ranks highly on the Marketing Labs list of the best Christmas adverts of 2024.

Waitrose: ‘Sweet Suspicion: A Waitrose Mystery’

Waitrose started with a bang this year, launching the first part of a two-part Christmas ad series, in an attempt to truly take brand bragging rights this Christmas. The supermarket’s advert is filled with a star-studded cast and revolves around a mainstay of British culture, a classic “whodunit”.

The promo of the new “Waitrose Red Velvet Bauble Desert” is missing from the fridge, prompting the cast to uncover who is the ‘desert thief’. The advert gets top marks from us at Marketing Labs for its ensemble of British celebrities including Joe Wilkinson and Matthew Macfayden. Its murder mystery style and enticing cliffhanger, leave us on the edge of our seat for the next part.

The advert was so good that we thought that nothing would top it, but as the saying goes: “never count out the old dog”

John Lewis: ‘The Gifting Hour’

John Lewis has truly delivered this Christmas!

Over the past few years, these ads may not have lived up to expectations, given the high standards we’ve set for this annual tradition, but that isn’t the case this Christmas. 

This year they’ve created a heartfelt advert that symbolises the importance of family and the conflicts we experience growing up. 

This advert tells a story that we, the British public, can relate to and reflect on. This year especially the cinematic aspect of the advert, is key to drawing our audience in. The advert flows smoothly with a nice rhythm to it. 

In such a short time we as audience members become emotionally invested in the characters and the changes they experience. It follows a protagonist who struggles to get her sister a Christmas present, she travels back in time to help her decide what to gift her sister in this Narnia-inspired tale. 

John Lewis is frequently clever at being able to make a warming story that reverts to the company and how John Lewis shops can allow us to shop for several members of family, friends and some cases…dogs. 

A touching story that was done with finesse, is why this advert places first on our list.

A Final Note

With Christmas soon approaching, these adverts are a staple of British culture and add a festive flavour to our screens, each with its own style and storytelling flair. 

From nostalgic journeys to classic whodunits, 2024’s Christmas adverts remind us of the magic brands can bring to the season of joy. 

Whether these campaigns warm your heart or miss the mark, they all contribute to the holiday spirit of these festive times.