The best Christmas ads ever?

By Steve Sharp

As we all tighten our belts this week, we still see a relentless assault on our pockets from this year’s seasonal TV ads.

“Soul-crushing, Mawkish or Downright Twee” suggests the headline of a review of this year’s crop by The Independent. Not exactly what you might expect from those promoting the season of “tidings of comfort and joy.”

The story reads on, “If anything, the cheap, tacky commercialisation of Christmas has become a venerable tradition in and of itself, and nowhere is this more evident than in the bizarrely lucrative world of Christmas TV ads”.

This subjective review of the top ten lists most of the supermarkets and places Boots ahead of John Lewis in the top spot.

The soul-crushing award is given to McDonalds, whilst it finds M&S’s contribution devoid of chuckles and Tesco’s spoof on a party-political broadcast as unfunny.

Other reviews, none of them scientific or quantitative in any way, broadly agree, with The Evening Standard awarding its “5 Cracker Rating” to John Lewis.

John Lewis is rightly famous for its Christmas ads and this year’s contribution is up to its normal heart-warming standard, but how does it rate in the all-time list of the best?

According to combined survey results JLP doesn’t make the cut.

Another set of famous ads also doesn’t make the grade, and that’s Woolworths.

Back in the 1970’s they were known not only for the vast star-studded line up but for their sheer duration, often filling an entire ad break. Stuffed full of toys, videos and music systems they were a joyous romp.

The sixteen celebs below including Derek Nimmo and Harry Worth all appeared in one such ad.

Another missing contender in my view is Oxo which featured the late Lynda Bellingham.

The action sees members of the family interrupting mum preparing a fantastic spread whilst they fool around and have lots of fun. The young daughters voice over narrates all of the wonderful and crazy things they have made during the morning, whilst “mum……mum made the gravy.”

 Back then it was seen as heart-warming and witty, but today might be looked on as misogynistic.

 Most surveys agree the best Christmas ad of all time comes from an unusual source. Irn Bru.

First launched in 2006 it riffed off of the Raymond Briggs classic animated film “The Snowman” with a twist on the original soundtrack by Howard Blake with some typically Scottish humour employed to create new lyrics.

It really is quite brilliant and worthy of the accolade. Clever, charming and very funny. Take a look.

Steve

For weekly investment tips, interesting stuff and grey matter workouts especially for our generation, subscribe below.