2015 would have you believe that nobody makes Christmas adverts besides John Lewis. This is simply not the case. There are loads of other people who in the process of trying to make us buy stuff, have accidentally created wonderful bits of televisual art that must not be forgotten. Here are all our favourite Christmas ads from the archives, that’ll tempt even the most ardent of Grinches out of their caves.
Yellow Pages: Mistletoe, 1992
A boy tries to kiss a girl under some mistletoe, but he can't quite reach her. So while she's busy puckering up, he grabs a Yellow Pages book and makes sure he's within reach of the oncoming smooch. It's an entirely wordless interaction
Ferrero Rocher: The Ambassador’s Party, 1993
Imagine actually going to a party like this. Everyone would smell of Elnett and Old Spice and there would definitely be an ice sculpture and you’d have to jostle past the quarter-back shoulder pads to nab some nouveau cuisine canapés – it’s just so Euro. Sure it’s had some flak over the years with accusations of not having aged well: the soft focus art direction, the poor dubbing and the what we’d love to hope is ‘irony’. But what’s not to love?
Coca-Cola: Holidays Are Coming, 1995
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Coca-Cola's Christmas trucks, and the "Holidays are Coming" jingle now has an entirely uncontrollable pavlovian effect upon us where we basically break down on the spot.
Chanel: Le Chaperon Rouge, 1998
Potentially the classiest advert of our roundup, Chanel No. 5’s red-satin take on Little Red Riding Hood featuring a supermodel, a real wolf, a hidden hall of golden perfume bottles and Danny Elfman’s “Edward Scissorhands” soundtrack is a winner.
Marks & Spencer: Not Just Christmas Food, 2006
M&S has a lot to answer for. This wasn’t just a Christmas ad, was it? This was an M&S food-as-good-as-sex ad and it paved the way for years of cheap imitations, including our muffled voice-over as mum offers to pour gravy for our ancient family members.
IRN-BRU: Snowman, 2006
"We're walking in the air. I'm sipping on an Irn-Bru. My chilly snowman mate says he would like some too. I tell him get your own”. Advert gold.
Guinness: A White One, 2003
This Christmas advert, first aired in 2003, basically signals that Christmas has arrived in Ireland. The monochrome ode to Belfast is a national favourite and the line “even at the home of the Black Stuff, they dream of a white one” has become iconic.
Harvey Nichols: Sorry, I Spent It On Myself, 2003
A welcome antidote to the saccharine Christmas fare, this ad that cynically flips Christmas on its head with its message that it’s all about buying yourself stuff, is one of our favourites.
Burberry: From London With Love, 2014
Romeo Beckham proving himself just as popular as his parents and as a potential Strictly Come Dancing 2025 candidate on this Burberry ad that’s been shared by just over 190,000 people.
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