The highly-anticipated release of festive ads is always an early Christmas present for the OCOCO team, and we love nothing more than picking out our favourites! 2024 has been no exception. The battle of the holiday ads has been a close one this year, but we have our winners! Discover which brands made it to the very top of our Nice List in our Christmas Cracker ad round-up...
Natalie’s Christmas Cracker: John Lewis, The Gifting Hour
Platform: TV / Meta
Is it even Christmas if one of the OCOCO Media team isn’t reviewing John Lewis’ seasonal marketing efforts? The short answer is no. But that’s only partly why my pick for Christmas Cracker is 'The Gifting Hour.'
The other reason? It’s just a good ad. Across social, TV and beyond, The Gifting Hour tells a clear story of one sibling’s journey through the past to find the perfect present. A nice structure and payoff – it’s classic storytelling, and for anyone who’s ever had to buy for that one beloved person-with-everything-already, it’s super relatable.
Nostalgic, fun, and omnichannel, 'The Gifting Hour' is a heartwarming call to arms – for those about to shop, John Lewis has got you.
Laura’s Christmas Cracker: The Entertainer, RAy
Platform: TV / Meta
Toy retailer The Entertainer launched their biggest-ever Christmas advertising campaign in 2024 and Ray was the star of the show. A once much-loved stuffed toy, Ray is feeling the effects of his owner falling in love with new toys as she grows up. A dejected Ray sings along to a cover version of “It Must Have Been Love” before the ad ends on “For the next love of their life” and we see The Entertainer logo.
You can even get your very own Ray as The Entertainer is selling soft toy versions for £10 online. Over on Facebook, they're making the most of the campaign as Ray is giving away toy bundles over the “12 Rays of Christmas”. It seems like The Entertainer have taken a lesson from other toy retailers, namely ‘John Lewis’, by creating a character to pull on our heartstrings and then connecting their social media content and merchandise to capitalise on it.
Nicholle’s Christmas Cracker: Sky Cinema, The Little Girl
Platform: TV / X
The hashtag for the Sky Cinema’s 2024 holiday campaign is #MoviesMakeChristmas, and as an avid film lover who spends a considerable chunk of my Christmas break watching films with my family, it really resonated with me.
The charming ad follows a young girl who finds inspiration in the romance of Christmas movies which, you guessed it, are all showing on Sky Cinema this Christmas.
As the girl enjoys festive activities, from decorating the tree to performing in a nativity play, she appears distracted by the movies playing around her. Famous quotes from Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, Wonka, and The Holiday carry her from scene to scene as she adorably mimics the lines.
Inspired by the love stories on screen, she finally plucks up the courage to ask a boy out, and we’re rewarded with a heartwarming concoction of the movies’ iconic lines and a Buddy-the-Elf-style wink. Not only did the ad make me excited to rewatch these movies (for the thousandth time), but it also highlights the power of film to bring magic to the festive season.
Jake’s Christmas Cracker: Waitrose, Sweet Suspicion: A Waitrose Mystery
Platform: TV / Socials
It’s almost Christmas, and we all know what that means… That’s right, a murder-mystery themed Christmas caper! Waitrose have done things a little differently this year with a clever two part campaign. The set-up is simple; the dessert has been stolen at a family Christmas dinner. Thankfully, the family includes Matthew Macfadyen who is just the man needed to solve this festive felony. Part one ends on a cliffhanger, the crime is declared solved, but you’ll need to check out part two to find out who, in fact, dunnit.
This was really successful in getting the audience invested and there was lots of online speculation as to the identity of the culprit before the big reveal. It might not be the traditional feel-good festive advert, but it’s a lot of fun, and fun is important. I suppose if there is a message here, it’s that Waitrose make desserts that are worth trying to steal (only from your family though, not the store), and also that Christmas is a time of forgiveness. Some people want a whole dessert to themselves, and that’s ok.
Luna’s Christmas Cracker: Moonpig, The UK's Most Personalised Card
Platform: TV / Meta
As a barketing expert, my Christmas Cracker pick is the 2024 Moonpig Christmas ad, featuring their iconic mascot. This is my favourite advert to watch at home, I usually jump up onto the couch when it comes on in order to get the best view possible.
I am yet to work out where exactly the Moonpig goes when it leaps off screen through the letterbox (though I keep checking behind the tv!) so it’s interactive and intriguing. Pawfect.
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