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The U.K. Holiday Ads Have Arrived: John Lewis, Argos, Tesco and More
Plus good cheer from Asda, Aldi and Sainsbury's
The holiday ad season is well underway in the U.K., with commercials dropping every day this week. Below, Muse looks at some notable entries so far. Classic themes and abound, with brands leaning into familiar tropes to stoke the Xmas spirit.
John Lewis, ‘Don’t Give Up on Giving’
This marks the retailer’s 20th holiday campaign. Dame Kristin Scott Thomas shares the stage with a vintage Fisher-Price Snoopy-style toy. When Scott Thomas’ grandchildren arrive for the holidays, the kids aren’t impressed with the pooch. When she opts to put cash in an envelope to satisfy their holiday appetites, the doggo speaks up, telling her she can do better than that. Next, a magical neon pedicab whisks them away to John Lewis store for a shopping spree. Back home, the kids are treated to a room filled with magical lights and disco balls. Naturally, they dance on with their grandma. Saatchi & Saatchi led the creative.
Argos, “Tales of Argos Past”
Here, Argos riffs on Charles Dickens‘ A Christmas Carol. BAFTA-winning actor and comedian Richard Ayoade is visited by The Ghost of Christmas Presents and the Dinosaur of Argos Past. They transport him back to his childhood and, when they question what made him so gruff as an adult, Richard replies: “Life and despair.” They explain that, in his youth, he never got past the toy section, and then reveal all of the high-tech gadgets Argos sells in the here and now. At last, Richard comes to understand the error of his ways, leading to a happy Christmas Day. Declan Lowney of Merman directed, with T&P leading creative.
Sainsbury’s, ‘The Big Delivery’
The supermarket reimagines the world of Roald Dahl, focusing on The BFG—his 1982 novel featuring “The Big Friendly Giant.” Down with a bad cold, The BFG decides to forego Christmas. But his human friends Annie and Fred deliver him a holiday feast. The spot, which uses live action and animation, puts the friends in peril en route in their car. Antics with a giant mouse, a king-sized cheese platter and Brussels sprouts follow. When they arrive safely, they proclaim: “No one should miss Christmas!” The push was created by New Commercial Arts, while Rogue Films handled production. Electric Theatre Collective oversaw visual effects.
Tesco, ‘Because the Wrong Address’
The supermarket chain pulls at the heartstrings with a story about a long-ago friendship that went awry. Lizzie had a food delivery order sent to a previous address. Goodhearted Polly offers to meet her halfway. It becomes clear they were friends in the past, but the relationship soured. Lizzie gives an abrupt thanks and waves Polly off, but her car won’t start. Polly comes to the rescue and drives her old friend home. Will the tale end happily? Perhaps around a dinner table set with goodies from Tesco. Will it!? BBH London created the work.
Asda, ‘All of Christmas at Asda Price. BOOM!’
The grocer opts for a highly stylized Christmas epic, showcasing food, home decor and more. The tale morphs from a family gathering at the dinner table—with Asda low-low price tags near some of the items— to a party featuring the mum riding on a giant Christmas cracker among dancing toy soldiers. BOOM! indeed. From Lucky Generals.
Aldi, Teaser: ‘The Search for Cauli Dog’
The grocer carries beloved characters forward for its 2026 ad offer. Here, we get a tease of things to come. Aldi puts Kevin the Carrot at the center once again. He and his daughter Chantenay are putting up missing posters for their Cauli-Dog. Clues will trickle in from Aldi, keeping the suspense going. McCann Manchester helped develop the campaign.
