Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree: Unwrapping Ad Insights from A to Z.
Get ready to dive into a festive A-Z of outstanding holiday ad campaigns from around the globe! We’re spotlighting brands whose campaigns have achieved a 4.0-Star Rating or higher—placing them above the Christmas average and in the top 6% of ads in System1’s Premium Database.
These ads have been rigorously tested with a nationally representative audience of real consumers—no elves, marketers, or Christmas grinches in sight—just genuine reactions from real people!
These shining stars are the ornaments on our System1 Christmas tree, each showcasing the magic that makes holiday ads unforgettable. Celebrate the creative brilliance that made these campaigns dazzle!
A
Airbnb (UK) – 4.1 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Adapting their signature style for Christmas, Airbnb surprises audiences with their traveling Santa, delivering strong emotional appeal through storytelling and consistency. It’s a fantastic example of making the season your own!
Aldi (UK) & McCann – 5.9 Star Rating
Kevin is back with another stellar year of unmatched consistency, earning his 6th consecutive 5-Star Christmas rating. Here’s to the power of character-driven, fluent devices that bring stories to life!
Amazon (Global) – 5.9 Star Rating (UK) / 4.9 Star Rating
Amazon’s celebration of everyday heroes has paid off, earning top ratings in the UK, strong US performance, and a spot in the UK top 10 for low neutrality scores—proving emotional ads always win!
Argos (UK) – 4.3 Star Rating
Connie and Trevor are back, delivering an even stronger long-term Star Rating than last year—a true testament to the power of consistency. Invest in a fluent device and enjoy returns year after year!
ASDA & Havas London (UK) – 5.4 Star Rating
Go big or go gnome this season for Asda, with a fantastic Star Rating thanks to their light-hearted, humorous ad featuring an army of lovable gnomes!
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Barbour & Aardman (UK) – 5.6 Star Rating
Building on last year’s success, this partnership raises the baa with a standout Star Rating, plenty of humour, and the return of the beloved Shaun the Sheep gang—more proof that consistency is key!
Baileys (UK) – 4.5 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Re-airing last year’s ad with Hannah Waddingham, Baileys has hopped on the Christmas consistency train. They’re consistently strong all year with their signature style and creative recipes, and it pays off, driving a strong emotional response from audiences.
BBC (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Aardman have come in strong with another ad this season, this time with the BBC, demonstrating the power of nostalgia and beloved characters in driving an emotional response!
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Cadbury & VCCP (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating
Another year, another excuse to hunt for free chocolate! This campaign brilliantly brings the screen to life, adding adventure, thrill, and excitement to the season. By re-airing, it builds anticipation—another hat tip to consistency!
Cadbury Outdoor & VCCP (UK) – 5.5 Star Rating
Consistency on TV and across channels—Cadbury is a prime example of how marketing works across the mix! With the highest Outdoor Star Rating yet, this shows that consistency isn’t just for TV!
Cadbury Digital & VCCP (UK) – 4.1 Star Rating
Family-centred and rooted in relatable moments, nostalgia, and memory—Cadbury’s advent campaign hits all the right chords and heartstrings, doubling the average Star Rating for digital campaigns.
Chelsea FC & KODE Media (UK) – 4.6 Star Rating
A rare achievement for a football club to score so high with a mass audience—thanks to the brand’s universal approach, focusing on the boy’s love of football rather than Chelsea FC itself, and ending with an inspiring commitment to a positive purpose.
Coca-Cola (Global) – 5.9 Star Rating (UK) / 5.9 Star Rating (US)
Proof that consumers don’t mind—or even notice—AI: Coca-Cola showed that by embedding familiar codes and consistent assets, brands can continue to evoke positive feelings!
Coca-Cola (Global) – 5.3 Star Rating Test Your Ad
“The World Needs More Santas” has returned this year, achieving another exceptional Star Rating. Through consistency, bold brand assets, and festive spirit, this ad has won over audiences once again!
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Disney & Adam&EveDDB (Global) – 5.9 Star Rating (UK) / 5.1 Star Rating (US)
This beautiful ad showcases what Disney does best: storytelling! With a focus on kindness and unlikely friendships, it creates a heartwarming narrative that consumers can’t get enough of!
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Etsy & Orchard Creative (Global) – 5.1 Star Rating (UK)
Leaning into nostalgic cultural cues, Etsy humorously shows they truly understand their customers and can personalise for anyone, making us feel seen. It’s both comedic and relevant, creating a strong emotional connection.
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FatFace & Livity (UK) – 4.9 Star Rating
FatFace has traded the high street for our screens, delivering a beautiful ad that far exceeds the category average for emotional appeal. With a focus on family over product and memories over prices, it’s a distinctive, fashion-forward creative that truly stands out!
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Greggs (UK) – 4.5 Star Rating
This sumptuous, irresistible partnership with a national gem was a clever move by Nigella—just kidding! A strategic move from Greggs to embed Christmas messaging into the hearts and bellies of their customers. Greggs isn’t just a quick snack; it’s now a Nigella-approved Christmas treat!
GAP (Global) – 4.6 Star Rating
This ad is music to my ears! A small choir dressed in GAP demonstrates the power of music to evoke emotion—simple, engaging, and highly effective!
H
Harvey Nichols & The Berry (UK) – 4.7 Star Rating
A surprising addition to the Christmas flurry this season, Harvey Nichols introduces a lovable robot character—character-driven, endearing, and highly emotive, earning a strong Star Rating.
Hotel Chocolat (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating
This magical ad takes us into a chocolate lover’s dream—Hotel Chocolat’s chocolate emporium. It transforms typical product-focused messaging into an adventure, inviting us on a journey into this enchanting store! Who else wants to visit?
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John Lewis & Saatchi&Saatchi (UK) – 4.6 Star Rating
This ad shows that universal human truths resonate broadly. In this case, the love shared between two sisters is something consumers of all ages and genders can relate to, driving strong results across the board!
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Lego (Global) – 4.3 Star Rating (UK) / 4.0 Star Rating (US)
Cataclaws earns Lego an excellent score across markets this year, thanks to the playful, extravagant, and imaginative style of their campaign. It perfectly aligns with the brand’s message of expression and pushing creativity to new heights!
Lidl & Smuggler (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating
A heartwarming message with an inspiring protagonist: a little girl spreading kindness at Christmas. This ad is pure joy—simple, yet incredibly uplifting, earning top marks with consumers.
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M&S Food (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating
Fairy returns with a nostalgic homage to the Vicar of Dibley Christmas episode, featuring Dawn French. Playing on cultural cues, humour, and Dawn’s bubbly personality, it achieves a fantastic star rating with audiences.
M&S Home (UK) – 4.2 Star Rating
This surreal Christmas ad features a fantastic array of dazzling outfits in a fun and uplifting campaign. It’s a hit with viewers, who loved the ad!
McDonald’s & Leo Burnett (UK) – 4.3 Star Rating
We all know this craving – McDonald’s taps into the familiar hunger of burger-loving Brits, with a vibrant display of Christmas lights leading the way to the only light that matters: the golden arches! It’s relatable and fun, earning a fantastic score with audiences.
McDonald’s & Leo Burnett (UK) – 4.3 Star Rating Test Your Ad
To celebrate the launch of the Grinch Happy Meal, McDonald’s has partnered with the Grinch in a special campaign that blends storytelling, familiarity, and nostalgia into a product-led initiative, driving both long-term impact and short-term sales potential.
Morrisons & Leo Burnett (UK) – 5.7 Star Rating
This year, the gloves are back and more musical than ever! Powering up this Christmas with melody and their familiar fluent device—the gloves—Morrisons has created a standout ad that’s both humorous and memorable.
Moonpig (UK) – 5.4 Star Rating Test Your Ad
From script to finished film, Moonpig is a great example of how brands can use pre-testing to inform strategic decisions. It’s certainly paid off, with an exceptional final score, thanks to a fantastic brand mascot and insight-led decision making.
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Nespresso (UK) – 4.4 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Nespresso teams up with David Beckham in their festive campaign, warming hearts and mugs this Christmas. A simple story, yet one that resonates and brings the snowy warmth of Christmas to life!
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Sainsbury’s & New Commercial Arts and The Roald Dahl Company (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating
This ad is pure nostalgia, bringing the magical BFG to life! It’s clever, seamlessly aligning with Sainsbury’s message that you can taste the difference in their locally sourced food—all wrapped up in a fun and engaging narrative!
Save the Children (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating Test Your Ad
An effective ad for many reasons: the use of Aardman characters as “neutral messengers” is a smart strategy for a charity brand aiming for long-term engagement, and the partnership is a natural fit—knitted jumpers and sheep? No wonder consumers love it!
SHARKNINJA (UK) – 4.4 Star Rating
It’s snowing Beckham this Christmas, with another festive collaboration featuring the sporting legend. This time, he’s cooking up a special Christmas meal, showing his relatable side to capture audience engagement.
Sky (UK) – 5.9 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Stealing lines from her favourite Sky Christmas shows, one little girl gathers the courage to ask her crush to the cinema. It’s a beautiful example of an ad building to a positive peak-end moment, leaving audiences feeling warm and bubbly with that final burst of joy.
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Tesco & BBH London (UK) – 4.7 Star Rating
This campaign stands out for its unique creative qualities, leading to highly successful outdoor activations like gingerbread creations. It’s memorable and truly shines this Christmas!
The National Trust (UK) – 5.8 Star Rating
A surprise entry from The National Trust, whose adorable Christmas creative earned an exceptional Star Rating – a simply joyful and endearing narrative, filled with character and story.
The Perfume Shop (UK) – 5.2 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Comedy shines for The Perfume Shop this Christmas with a dynamic and emotional campaign, featuring ups, downs, and the perfect peak-end, where Santa receives his Perfume Shop gift.
TK Maxx & Wieden+Kennedy London (UK) – 5.8 Star Rating
The ad’s beautiful setting sets the stage for emotional success, enhanced by humour, wit, and the surprising sight of fashionable goats and chickens, along with cheeky dialogue between the farmer and his wife. It’s delightfully irrational—and that’s exactly what audiences love.
Trafford Centre (UK) – 4.2 Star Rating Test Your Ad
While this is a local campaign, it has all the ingredients for broad success: a compelling story, a character with agency, humour, and intrigue. It transforms a typically dull category with beauty and storytelling, making it memorable and distinctive.
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Very.co.uk & The Gate (UK) – 5.4 Star Rating
Very returns to screens with a re-air of their “Let’s Make It Sparkle” campaign, and audiences are loving the return of the pink flamingos, leading to an uplift in projected long-term performance compared to last year!
Vodafone (UK) – 5.0 Star Rating Test Your Ad
Celebrating its rich history of people, customers, and evolving tech, Vodafone highlights one constant—its network, always there, supporting the love and joy of Christmas!
