It’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, and everyone’s favourite Christmas commercials are coming on TV. From McDonald’s to M&S, these adverts get us all in the festive spirit. But which ones are the best? Here are our top picks for the best food and drink Christmas adverts in the UK this year.
M&S Christmas Advert
In this year’s Christmas advert, Dawn French makes friends with Duckie, a down-in-the-dumps soft toy that’s forever being chased around by the family dog. Voiced by Jennifer Saunders, the raggedy duck needs some Christmas cheer, and the Fairy Godmother is just the one to add that much-needed festive sparkle. Cherry and orange liqueur Christmas pudding wreath, award-winning mini steak crostinis, or sloe gin are just some of the delights showcased in the advert to cheer Duckie up. As expected with any M&S food advert, it’s appetite-whetting stuff and indulgent food videography.
Morrisons
In 2022’s Morrisons Christmas advert, we meet Farmer Christmas. With a tractor adorned with fairy lights, Farmer Christmas travels behind the scenes of a magical Morrisons store. Driving between departments, he meets employees showing off their mince pies, bourbon British gammon, or Scottish salmon with orange and cranberries. This Christmas advert beautifully highlights Morrisons’ passion for supporting British farmers and how they make a large number of their products in-store.
McDonald’s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoCYjPAZrCc
McDonald’s brings a heart warmer with their 2022 Christmas advert. A mother suggests to her son to write a Christmas list, and he takes that suggestion and runs with it. Writing a list metres long, he proudly takes it with him outside whilst asking his parents, ‘have you sent this to Father Christmas yet’, just before a gust of wind blows it away. To cheer him up, his family take him to McDonald’s, where, before long, he’s forgotten about his Father Christmas list. Packed with an emotional punch, the Christmas advert highlights that spending time with family is what matters most.
Asda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnW1TWqAXYs
Asda has pulled out the big guns this year as they edit in Elf (the Will Ferrell character) into their Christmas advert. Done so well, it almost feels like these aren’t edits from the 2003 film, but in fact, these are newly created edits specifically for this 2022 Christmas advert. Full of humour, the ending doesn’t disappoint as Asda is turned overnight into a magical Christmas store.
Aldi
Taking parts of the Home Alone plot, Kevin the carrot features again in this year’s Aldi Christmas advert. Forgotten by his parents when they head to Paris, Kevin is left alone in the large family house, where he nervously worries about visitors to the house. Setting traps out of Christmas decorations, Kevin is seen dashing around a fully laid-up feast of a table before Santa arrives and puts his mind at rest. A sweet and humorous Christmas advert that still shows off the tasty treats available at Aldi this festive period.
Tesco
Understanding how gloomy things are in the UK right now, Tesco pledges to bring a bit more joy this Christmas. Playing on the fact that money is a bit tighter for everyone, they’re highlighting their great value, with award-winning wines on budget and more pigs in blankets for more people. This is a great advert to show that you can still enjoy Christmas, despite the gloomy financial outlook.
The Christmas ad season is one of the most important times of year for UK advertisers. This is a time when brands vie for attention with heart-warming stories, lavish production values and differentiating messages. We’ve rounded up what we think are the best Christmas adverts in the UK in 2022, featuring Asda, Tesco and McDonald’s. Contact the team at Small Films for your video production requirements to get started on your own project.
