(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/John-Lewis-Christmas-ad-001.jpg alt: )
**Christmas is fast approaching and we’ve had a couple of weeks to see all of the major brand’s 2013 Christmas adverts and pick our favourites.**
Featuring the usual snow, Santas and festive feasts as well as some unexpected touches, here are our picks of the great, mundane and down-right failures of the festive period 2013:
**Losers:**
**Marks and Spencer**
(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Xw1IL3oh0)
Although a visually stunning advert, featuring Hollywood actress Helena Bonham Carter and top models David Gandy and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, this advert ultimately fails as the brand continues to completely dismiss its existing customer demographic.
Released on the same day as dwindling sales figures were announced, the company must be hoping this lavish ad will do the trick to boost sales. However, it only serves to continue confusing the brand’s message and identity; will many glamorous 20-somethings really be buying their party dresses at Marks and Spencer?
**Asda**
(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfxpTEY7UuQ)
On the opposite end of the scale this Asda ad is obviously trying to suggest that it’s the biggest of the four UK supermarkets, so there’s no need for them to make an impressive Christmas advert.
So why did the supermarket bother making one at all? This offering lacks any imagination, wow-factor or Christmas cheer, and is sure to go largely un-noticed amongst its rivals.
**Debenhams**
(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJvu_jLAg0U)
While this advert isn’t particularly terrible or offensive, it is predictable and dull. Seemingly trying to suggest that wearing Debenhams’s clothes will make you look like a stylish model, it actually only serves to show that the beautiful will look good in Debenhams’ clothes.
Glamorous models skipping around the expensive boroughs of London in the snow isn’t anything new and only serves to be fairly pleasant but instantly forgettable.
Winners:
**Harvey Nichols**
(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITyeI3YyYw8)
Harvey Nichols continues in the vein of past years (who could forget last year’s ‘walk of shame’ ad?!) with their amusing and slightly provocative Christmas 2013 advert; tongue-in-cheek campaign “Sorry, I spent it on myself”.
Most of us can relate to the temptation to buy lovely things for ourselves when we know we have a lot of gifts to buy for others, and this ad plays on that perfectly. The terrible gifts featured aren’t just props – they actually went on sale in Harvey Nichols on November 27th and sold out that day.
**Aldi**
Featuring their signature no-frills, down-to-earth and humorous approach, this Aldi advert doesn’t re-invent the wheel but includes enough cheeky humour and relatable characters to be appealing to the masses.
Created by McCann Manchester, the advert continues to show consumers that they don’t need to shop in the more expensive supermarkets to enjoy tasty and good quality food this Christmas.
Unfortunately we are unable to embed the code for this video, but if you wish to view it follow the link: (youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKtOq55bbdA text: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKtOq55bbdA)
**John Lewis**
(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqWig2WARb0)
Whilst this advert has divided opinion amongst many, it is undeniable that going for an animated approach has helped this advert stand out from the rest and become one of the most talked about ads of the year.
Lily Allen’s cover of Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ has proven a hit, currently at number 1 in the UK’s single chart, and was the(link: http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1223825/ text: most tagged Christmas 2013 song advert on Shazam). It’s just a shame that the department store’s product weren’t showcased more effectively – is that really the best alarm clock they sell?
**Cadbury**
(youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY7iAl6wtdY)
This is the first Christmas advert from Cadbury, and really captures the glee of children as they unwrap presents on Christmas morning, as well as heavily featuring the rich purple colour traditionally synonymous with the brand.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Jack Boyer, one of the boys who starred in the ad and whose home was actually used for filming, described the experience as “… the best day of my life. All my friends at school want to be in the next ad, especially when I told them that I spent the day ripping giant wrapping paper from the house”. This genuine feeling of excitement really comes across, and is probably the Christmas advert that will most appeal to children this year.
**So which Christmas adverts of this year did you think were the most effective and which fell flat? Please comment and let us know your thoughts.**
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