Christmas advertising in 2024 has noticeably shifted, with retailers focusing on characters and narratives which emotionally connect with shoppers during the silly season.
Sam Walters, general manager, consulting, at Cubery, which tests the effectiveness of hundreds of ads a year, said there was a clear shift towards prioritising branding this year.
“This year’s Christmas advertising was all round a success, with many brands not only outshining their 2023 efforts but delivering some of the best results we’ve seen in a decade of festive testing,” he told AdNews.
“A feast of ads earned ‘Christmas Cracker’ status - a distinction for campaigns that captivate emotionally and forge a strong connection with their brand.
“While it might seem obvious that both elements are essential, recent years have seen this balance tip too far toward festive sentimentality at the expense of branding.”
Walters said last year there was a “refreshing” shift away from the ‘John Lewis effect’ - a rush to tug heartstrings without anchoring those emotions back to the advertiser - both in Australia and the UK.
“In the UK, characters stole the show, proving to be a powerful tool for emotional engagement while embedding recognisable brand cues… Meanwhile, in Australia, supermarkets demonstrated how varied approaches could deliver equally impactful results,” he said.
“Coles leveraged its well-established distinctive assets - colours, characters, and brand ambassadors. With these elements firmly in place, the brand explored more emotionally resonant creative territory, producing one of its most effective ads to date. And, spoiler alert, it claimed the title of top-performing Christmas ad in Australia for 2024.
“ALDI Australia, on the other hand, doubled down on its delightfully weird, offbeat narratives - a uniquely ownable space for the retailer. This approach continued to push creative boundaries while maintaining unmistakable links to the brand.”
Walters said the main takeaway from 2024 was that emotion and branding don’t have to compete.
“They thrive together,” he said.
“When brands master this balance, the result is not just a memorable ad but a highly effective one.”
Check out the Christmas campaigns of 2024:
Share the Joy introduces a grumpy Christmas anti-hero who finds the usual festive fun such as carols, decorations and bright lights too much for his sensitive soul.
Humbug can’t resist causing merry mayhem in the neighbourhood, until an unlikely friend teaches him that no matter how you find joy, it’s always better when it’s shared (even for the grinchiest among us).
Woolworths’ Make this Christmas a Classic
The film follows the story of a young girl who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa but becomes concerned that he may not find them.
So, with her friends, she rallies the local community to build a larger than life carrot in the paddock to make sure Santa and his reindeer know where to stop on Christmas Eve.
AAMI’s When the Festivities are over
When the Festivities are over uses humorous storytelling to capture the quirks of an Australian Christmas and its day-after chaos.
The work is the brands first festive campaign and portrays what happens when that Boxing Day food coma feeling clashes with unexpected events.
The two-minute TV advert celebrates the search for the perfect gift through the wisdom of its customers and the breadth of offering in its stores - ending with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look”.
The heroine, Sally, has left it a little late to find the right gift for her sister this year and races into a John Lewis store at closing time.
Telstra’s holly jolly Christmas via Bear Meets Eagle On Fire and +61
The next chapter of Telstra’s brand platform, Wherever We Go, tells the story of Little Donkey, an accidental singing superstar who goes on a journey across the world before realising he misses his family.
The bespoke agency wanted to remind us that Christmas is about getting back to those who matter most, without falling into the holiday cliches.
The supermarket chain’s campaign features an overexcited couple who are prepared to go a little too extra in preparation for Christmas lunch.
Tasked with simply bringing the turkey and the gravy boat, the pair go overboard in their pursuit to create the best Christmas spread.
Coles’ Make this Christmas more delicious
The campaign shows Coles’ team members as a group of magical elves working together with its network of Australian farmers, growers and suppliers to make this Christmas more delicious.
The work focuses on the quality and value of Christmas centrepieces like award-winning hams, responsibly sourced seafood, fresh mangoes and easy desserts.
Coca-Cola’s Holidays are Coming
Coca-Cola has deployed AI to create a festive ad which shows the unmissable red trucks driving through the streets and smiling people holding coke bottles.
The brand set out to reimagine its holiday ad from 1995, which featured similar imagery, but the uncanny valley effect has sparked backlash online.
Government owned investment company QIC is spotlighting those whose infectious Christmas joy pulls everyone into the magic of the season in its new campaign.
The Joy Bringers are those who light up their communities with acts of cheer, from wrapping presents for others to decorating their cars and shopping carts, spreading happiness everywhere they go.
Westfield’s Feels like Christmas
Westfield has unveiled Feels Like Christmas, shining a light on the moments that evoke the feelings of the festive season.
The series of films portray real stories from the community about the wonder of Christmas and remind us to soak up the moments that make the season so meaningful.
Dan Murphy’s Nobody beats Dan Murphy’s
The work aims to position Dan's as “the liquor destination” with a vast range of local and international drinks, expert staff and a lowest price guarantee.
The film follows a customer getting everything she needs for Christmas Day at Dan’s. She even has enough left over to grab an extra bottle for those inevitable surprise guests with their somewhat eclectic tastes.
Wallace Bishop’s What they wished for
Family-run jewellery and giftware business Wallace Bishop’s latest campaign focused on family gift-giving.
What They Wished For, directed by Olivia Altavilla, tells the story of a young child who notices the little things her mother likes in a series of everyday moments, so she can find the perfect Christmas gift.
Red Rooster’s Do Christmas your way with Reds
Red Rooster is adding a festive twist to Australian Christmas celebrations with the launch of its limited-edition Chickmas Burger.
The creative shows a beleaguered Santa listening patiently to a young boy’s lengthy Christmas wish list before using a fake sighting of his reindeer herd as an excuse to disappear so he can enjoy the flavours of the Chickmas burger in peace.
In their latest campaign IGA is showing how savvy shoppers swerve the Christmas chaos that occurs in shopping centres every December.
You Can’t Beat Local celebrates the home ground advantages shoppers can expect at IGA, from hundreds of everyday products price matched to the big two competitors through to a product range tailored to the specific needs and wants of each area.
Lifeline’s Lonely Holiday Cards
Lifeline has unveiled Lonely Christmas Cards aimed at raising awareness and funds to tackle the growing challenge of loneliness.
The cards feature designs from a team of illustrators who reimagine traditional holiday greetings, transforming festive messages into poignant reminders of the emotional struggles many face at Christmas.
Altos Tequila’s The Altos Lazy Xmas Guide
Pernod Ricard’s Altos Tequila has joined forces with Courtney Act, Lime Cordiale and Luisa Dal Din to launch a new campaign designed to take the hard work out of making Margs and help Australians find the time to actually enjoy the festive season.
The Altos Lazy Xmas Guide is full of handy tongue-in-cheek inspiration, from tips on Lazy Margs recipes to lazy regifting, chat GPT Xmas messages and side-stepping family portraits.
A Christmas ode to Australian Pork
The tongue-in-cheek carol, voiced by former Flight Facilities and Peking Duk vocalist, Lucy Washington, is a spin-off of the Christmas classic, Ding Dong Merrily On High.
The new rendition nods to the passion of home cooking, the amusing yet testing family dynamics of Christmas and, of course, the succulent sounds and flavours of roasted Christmas pork.
Air New Zealand’s Let the magic find you this Christmas
Air New Zealand’s latest campaign captures the experience when travellers board their flight to Aotearoa on 24 December, knowing they'll miss Christmas Day entirely.
The cabin crew transform the cabin into a Christmas wonderland, complete with stockings, decorations, and Christmas treats, just in time for the young passenger to wake up and find himself in a world of onboard Christmas magic.
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