Scrambling around to make space on the sofas, my housemates and I sat in silence for once as we watched the first showing of this year’s epic John Lewis advert, with the adorable animation of the ‘Bear and the Hare.’ As a Christmas enthusiast, there is little more I look forward to than a bit of festive cheer, and that advert is basically cuteness and sentimentality at its finest.
Each year shops appear to be making their adverts increasingly memorable and elaborate, and I have compiled a guide for those that you simply HAVE to see, and one you could afford to miss…
THE HEARTWARMING: As previously mentioned, one of the most talked about adverts this winter is the John Lewis ‘Bear and the Hare’ advert. Whilst animations are typically aimed at a younger audience, this appeals to all, undoubtedly setting the tone for Christmas with Lily Allen’s version of ‘Somewhere only we know’ accompanying it perfectly.
Most likely to make you: tear up a little bit, and/or put a Hare on your Christmas List!
THE SEXY: I think the picture above is possibly the only reason you need to watch this year’s sparkly and fairy-tale themed spectacular that comes from M&S, Mr. David Gandy. The Dolce and Gabbana supermodel doesn’t speak throughout the advert- that honour is reserved for the brilliant Helena Bonham-Carter- but quite frankly, he doesn’t need to! Alongside Gandy is fellow supermodel and actress, Rosie Huntington Whitely, who looks stunning modelling a range of different M&S winter fashion trends sure to make every girl run out to steal her style!
Most likely to make you: Lament about the lack of David Gandy in your life.
THE NOSTALGIC: Nowhere near as high-budget as either M&S or John Lewis, Tesco have created a cute advert that follows a couple over the years as they celebrate Christmas with their families, and of course, some amazing looking food. The advert is retro style, and rather than using big names or a big budget, Tesco have focused on the spirit of Christmas and the importance of family, and have created a festive family ad.
Most likely to make you: look forward to having a massive family dinner on Christmas day.
THE CUTE: National treasures Ant and Dec are treated to a banquet of food, and are serenaded by a Gingerbread Man in this year’s Morrisons Christmas advert. The advert is possibly the perfect way to set the mood for Christmas, as Ant and Dec are surrounded by piles of delicious looking food and the inclusion of the singing Gingerbread Man adds a bit of fun and laughter.
Most likely to make you: want to bake a Gingerbread Man of your own.
THE ALL-ROUNDER: This Sainsburys advert is the longest, but it’s definitely well worth watching the full version online. It captures different traditions/experiences that may be part of our Christmas routine, and basically tries to fit Christmas day into a fun-sized portion. The most memorable moment is arguably the end of the advert: a mother records her young family’s Christmas message to her partner in the army, but are interrupted mid-way by the return of the father himself. This makes for pretty emotional viewing, and shows that Sainsbury’s aren’t scared to pull on your heart-strings a little bit.
Most likely to make you: want to go and show someone else the advert.
THE SIMPLISTIC: The Boots advert for Christmas this year is both cute and simple: the premise being that a young boy is delivering presents to his favourite people, with slightly emotional tags attached to them. The advert is possibly one of my least favourites as it doesn’t really show off Boots as you’d expect it to, but it is honest and straight to the point.
Most likely to make you: wish it was snowing outside.
These are only a few of this year’s adverts, and it is clear that there is a strong sense of competition amongst rival companies to make sure that their advert is the one that sticks in the minds of the public. From sentimental and nostalgic to sexy and alluring, there is definitely a Christmas advert that will appeal most to you this winter. Whilst some people may get aggravated by the constant stream of festive adverts on their screens from as early as mid-November, for me, seeing David Gandy on my television screen will never get boring!
Image Sources:
1) http://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/the_bear_and_the_hare_071113_jpg
4) http://www.thedrum.com/uploads/drum_basic_article/121341/main_images/tesco%20christmas%202013_0.png
6) http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/11/13/video-undefined-195FD11100000578-323_636x358.jpg
7) http://dingvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/Boots-Christmas-TV-Advert-2013_thumb6-640×360.jpg
Ella Duffy