Top 10 Best Christmas Adverts of 2018

Ever get the feeling that someone’s trying to sabotage your Christmas? Well, you may be on to something. In this Argos ad, a mischievous villain with more than a passing resemblance to Harry Potter’s Dobby the House Elf makes a nuisance of himself by hiding the Sellotape and wrecking the Christmas lights. Not that we need any help on that score, of course. It’s certainly fun to watch the Fool’s antics, even if most of Argos’s ad is devoted to spoiling Christmas rather than saving it.

Featuring a star-studded cast, Burberry’s haunting 2018 ad takes an unconventional look at the festive period. After all, nothing quite says Christmas like cafés and commuter trains. Burberry claims the ad explores the difference between the reality and fantasy of Christmas, and there’s a dreamlike quality to the video thanks to its spooky rendition of “Carol of the Bells”. But whilst the ad may be low on festive imagery, it’s definitely high on style and atmosphere. Plus, it’s got Matt Smith in it. ’Nuff said.

Chocolate. It’s a cornerstone of Christmas feasting, and few do it better than Cadbury. But, what’s better than eating the stuff? Giving it as a gift, of course! In this clip, an especially generous chap dons a Santa mask and sets to work, leaving selection boxes and tubs of Heroes to brighten up everyone’s day. In a time when Xmas ads are a big budget business, this one’s a simple idea that strikes exactly the right chord. And has us all heading to the shops to stock up on chocs.

In this surreal but amusing offering from TK Maxx, a woman finds a stocking in a shop that grants her and her family a long list of presents throughout the following year. Admittedly not everyone’s a fan of this particular promo campaign, and the burping sock doesn’t exactly pander to Christmas tradition or seasonal stereotype. But the video scores highly for originality, and it ties in with a real-world campaign in TX Maxx stores that gives shoppers the chance to win free gifts for a whole year. At the very least, it’s not one you’ll forget in a hurry!

To a modern festive favourite. This is the third TV outing for the Heathrow bears, and 2018 sees them preparing to spend Christmas abroad before choosing to visit their family instead. Because we’d all rather be at home this Christmas rather than sunning ourselves in Florida, right? The video is full of fun and festive charm, and there’s even a Christmas miracle thrown in for good measure. How else do you explain the fact that these bears emerge from the airport unscathed without losing their suitcases and wasting half a day in passport control?

Tesco’s effort gives us a montage of the different ways in which British families celebrate the season – and instantly gets us all discussing the ‘dos and don’ts’ of Christmas at home. As well as varying ideas on how to prepare the turkey, we get to see the proper way to eat Brussels sprouts. The ever-popular roast potatoes are wisely left well alone. But everything else is up for debate – all as the supermarket strives to prove that it can cater for all tastes.

From one major supermarket to another. Sainsbury’s’ traditionally big-budget ad presents a school Christmas show featuring a turkey drummer and a boy in an electric plug costume. But the young singer who belts out the New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” is undoubtedly the STAR of the show. See what we did there? If only every school production was as good as this one. Sainsbury’s has also released a behind-the-scenes video that proves not everything went to plan in rehearsals. Ten out of ten for the cute factor, though.

The John Lewis ad has become as much a Christmas institution as mulled wine and being snubbed under the mistletoe. Whilst past campaigns have shown us everything from penguins to a man on the moon, this video tells the story of how the gift of a piano transformed Elton John’s life. Charting the singer’s rise to stardom, it offers glimpses into his past including stadium tours and school concerts. And, if you liked this, you’ll be pleased to hear that Elton’s fantasy biopic “Rocketman” is due for release in May 2019. Just sayin’.

Next, an amusing six-ad campaign from Waitrose, which includes a carol concert featuring the shortest ever rendition of “Jingle Bells”. In the best of the ads, though, a daughter tries to show her parents this year’s John Lewis commercial – the Elton one we just watched. But Mum and Dad clearly have other things on their minds. John Lewis and Waitrose are retail partners, so it’s great to see one poking fun at the other in what is arguably this year’s funniest ad. Should we expect a light-hearted comeback from John Lewis themselves in 2019?

This is the third consecutive year that Kevin has appeared in Aldi’s ads, with toys of the character reportedly selling in 2017 for up to £1,000 on eBay. In the 2018 campaign opener, Kevin must survive a literal cliffhanger that manages to evoke memories of both the classic Coca Cola ad, and Michael Caine’s “The Italian Job”. Then it’s off to a dark castle as he tries to rescue his family from Pascal the parsnip – with just a little help from a Champagne cork. Throw in an appearance from Santa, and it’s the perfect fairy-tale Christmas ending – with carrots.