As the holiday season looms, retailers are pivoting their traditional festive ads to reflect the current economic challenges and societal tensions. In a year where Christmas cheer might feel distant for some, brands are opting for a more grounded approach, focusing on real-life struggles rather than the usual tinsel-filled escapism.
British retailer John Lewis is set to launch its annual Christmas campaign, but this year, it’s not just their ad that’s striking a different chord. Competing brands like Asda, Matalan, and Tesco are embracing more somber and relatable themes in their seasonal commercials. These ads touch on the stresses of the holiday period and acknowledge the impact of ongoing global and local issues.
Asda’s holiday spot presents night shift workers facing isolation due to snowstorms, while Matalan’s campaign explores the contrast between Instagram-perfect Christmases and the often chaotic reality parents face. Tesco’s ad tackles grief, following a family navigating their first Christmas without a beloved grandmother.
While holiday ads that delve into real-world concerns aren’t new, this year’s entries seem to resonate on a deeper level. Tesco’s ad, for instance, opens with the bleak backdrop of a gasworks, reflecting the difficult times many people are enduring. The shift towards portraying life’s more difficult moments speaks to a broader cultural shift — one in which consumers are increasingly concerned with economic instability and the state of the world.
Vicki Maguire, Chief Creative Officer at Havas London, the agency behind Asda’s campaign, explained the rationale behind this shift: “We’ve got a new government. A lot of our customers just had their winter fuel allowance taken away from them. A lot of our customers are trying to bring up a family.” With rising living costs and economic hardship prevalent in both the UK and US, brands are trying to remain relevant by addressing the issues that matter most to their audiences.
The holiday season is a critical period for retailers, with grocers in particular relying on strong sales to drive significant portions of their annual revenue. In 2023, Tesco’s fourth-quarter performance, which includes the Christmas period, amounted to nearly $29 million (£22.8 million) — a key contributor to their overall retail revenue of $78 million (£61.4 million).
As the largest increase in seasonal ad spend since 1982 is forecasted in the UK, with a projected $13.7 billion (£10.5 billion) expected to be spent on brand media, marketers are under pressure to balance both commercial priorities and customer sensitivity.
While many of this year’s ads take a serious tone, some brands have opted to inject traditional festive cheer into their messaging. Tiffany & Co. has brought in actress Anya Taylor-Joy for a glamorous, “White Christmas”-style campaign, while Sainsbury’s combines live-action with animation in a whimsical adventure featuring Roald Dahl’s The BFG.
Ogilvy CEO James Murphy points out that, when times are tough, brands can offer a much-needed escape. “The public want you to celebrate Christmas,” he noted, referencing the cultural expectation that brands should provide joy in the face of a challenging year.
Yet, there are risks involved in referencing real-world challenges in advertising. Rob Fletcher, Executive Creative Director at Isobel, voiced concerns about brands coming across as inauthentic: “The public knows your game and they just don’t buy it. It’s a no from me.” Striking the right tone is tricky, and as Jamie Peate, Global Head of Effectiveness and Retail at McCann Worldgroup, explained, brands must tread carefully. “You can reference challenges at Christmas, but you have to be very careful how you do it.”
Humor remains a popular tool to navigate the complexities of the season. For example, Asda’s ad starts with a somber scene but ends with a comedic number featuring a troupe of dancing garden gnomes. McCann’s long-running Kevin the Carrot campaign for Aldi also uses humor to confront difficult issues while maintaining the festive spirit.
Ultimately, as marketers grapple with how to address the cultural moment, real-life customer feedback is key. “You meet as many of your customers as possible. You sit in those focus groups. You watch what they watch,” Maguire said. For brands to stay relevant, empathy and understanding are paramount — no spreadsheet can measure that.
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