The Tricky Job of Creating Joyful Christmas Ads Amid Global Challenges in 2025
Guardian columnist Zoe Williams discusses the difficult task faced by Christmas advertisers in 2025, who must balance joyful, uplifting messaging with the realities of global chaos and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. This year's John Lewis Christmas advert is highlighted as the most tragic-feeling, telling a modern story of fathers and sons through the depiction of a father hiding a gift that triggers memories of the past. The ad has been noted in a Guardian editorial for its emotional depth in a complex year.
Marks & Spencer's campaign is named runner-up, featuring a Dawn French-led ad that starts with traffic congestion and ends on a warm, inviting party scene revealed from an M&S van, with chef Tom Kerridge making an appearance. Tesco, in a press release, emphasized that Christmas this year is about relatable chaos instead of picture-perfect moments, reflecting the lived experience of many.
Sainsbury’s took a surreal approach, including the Big Friendly Giant joining a family scene featuring ham, adding a whimsical touch amid the year's somber themes. These campaigns are placed in the larger context of evolving Christmas advertising from the Covid crisis in 2020, through 2021's restrictions, 2022's cost-of-living pressures, and ongoing war-induced conflicts since 2023, explaining the complexity behind the season's advertisements.
Despite signs of audience fatigue with Christmas ads, retailers remain committed to delivering messages of joy to uplift viewers and encourage spending even in gloomy times.
