The best holiday ads are those we talk about even long after the holidays are over — be it Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, or the 4th of July. These holidays bring precious memories and emotions — honoring that connection and evoking nostalgia are what make the most memorable and impactful holiday ads.
To keep the festive spirit alive all year round, we've rounded up our favorite holiday advertisements, from hilarious to deeply heartwarming. Here's our list of the best holiday commercials of all time.
Table of Contents
- Sainsbury’s 1914 Christmas Ad (2014)
- WestJet’s Christmas Miracle - Real-Time Giving (2014)
- Amazon’s Christmas Joy Ride (2023)
- Coca-Cola's The World Needs More Santas (2023)
- Foot Locker’s Hype for the Holiday (2023)
- ASDA’s Come for the Egg (2024)
- Kmart’s Ship My Pants (2014)
- Allegro’s English for Beginners (2017)
- Kate Spade New York’s Anna Kendrick in #Missadventure: The Waiting Game (s1) (2014)
- M&S’ Paddington & The Christmas Visitor (2017)
- Walmart’s Holiday Rollback Get Savings Beyond Belief (2022)
- Macy’s Lighthouse | The Perfect Gift Brings People Together (2018)
- Heathrow Airport’s Heathrow Bears Christmas (2017)
1. Sainsbury’s 1914 Christmas Ad (2014)
In partnership with The Royal British Legion, Sainsbury’s Christmas ad in 2014 was inspired by real events from 1914 during the First World War. In the cinematic and emotional video, we see humanity shine through the Christmas truce between rivaling militias.
On Christmas Eve, men in bunkers sang “Silent Night” in their respective languages, displaying the universal nature of Christmas carols. On Christmas Day, they laid down their weapons and celebrated the season together through sharing and football.
The brand chose a very touching historic event that captures the essence of the holidays and delivers a powerful message: “Christmas is for sharing.” It emphasizes the importance of human lives everywhere in the world, versus political interests in a tumultuous time. To this day, the ad still receives views and comments on YouTube on Sainsbury’s official channel, proof that it is truly one of the best holiday ads of all time.
2. WestJet’s Christmas Miracle - Real-Time Giving (2014)
One of the most iconic holiday ads is WestJet’s Christmas Miracle campaign. In 2014, the brand put together its Christmas video with the help of 175 WestJet volunteers, three airports, and Santa himself, making 250 Calgary-bound passengers very happy.
To capture the holiday spirit, WestJet installed a virtual Santa in two airports, where passengers could tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Upon landing at their destination, they were greeted with an epic surprise. The staff at WestJet had recorded their wishes and granted them at the destination. This was truly an original gesture that showcased the true spirit of Christmas and helped WestJet build a loyal customer base.
3. Amazon’s Christmas Joy Ride (2023)
The best holiday ads are both humorous and heartwarming at the same time. Amazon’s “Joy Ride” commercial strolls down memory lane and tells a heartfelt story of lifelong friendships, reminding us to never let go of our inner child. It beautifully shows the wonders of gift-giving and how the most joyful moments in life are best celebrated with people we love, especially during the holidays.
In this holiday ad, Amazon stands out as a pillar of celebration, tapping into our emotions, enticing us to give thoughtful presents to our loved ones, and highlighting the holiday spirit and the joys of the Christmas season.
4. Coca-Cola's The World Needs More Santas (2023)
Coca-Cola has been at the forefront of Christmas advertising and Super Bowl commercials. They simply know how to create a holiday ad with just the right amount of branding and story to always stay on the entertaining side.
Their 2023 holiday ad, “The World Needs More Santas” leans on the tried and true, featuring the iconic Santa and the song “Anyone can be Santa.” One of the best holiday ads in recent years, it’s a heartwarming portrayal of a city in winter where everyone becomes Santa, adorning the red-and-white coat and beard, giving gifts, supporting each other, and helping those in need.
Although Coca-Cola bottles are seen in every shot, the ad focuses less on promoting its product and more on its message: creating a world of kindness where each person brings out their ‘inner Santa’ in true holiday fashion.
The ad is truly exciting and heartwarming, positioning the brand not just as a company that values humanity above profits, but also as the de facto Christmas brand.
5. Foot Locker’s Hype for the Holiday (2023)
While less heartwarming than the previous holiday ad, Foot Locker’s “Hype for the Holiday” ad campaign did a great job of showcasing just how influential the brand is in sneaker and basketball culture.
Launched in November 2023, the ad generated over one billion influencer and media impressions in less than a month, helping the brand ease the impact of a tumultuous fiscal year.
This is a great holiday ad example as it shows how promoting your sportswear brand with sports stars remains a winning marketing tactic for brand awareness. It also promotes universal values like being part of a community and teamwork, highlighting both inclusivity and diversity in sports.
6. ASDA’s Come for the Egg (2024)
When it comes to memorable Easter holiday ads, British retailer ASDA is one of the brands that do it right. Their 2024 campaign is no exception, mixing just the right amount of joy and humor into a few seconds.
The ad kicks off with no fuss, transporting viewers to the English countryside on Easter morning, where the family wakes up to collect eggs. The plot thickens here: the eggs come from branded chicken coops going to ASDA for further distribution.
Why is this ad so great? ASDA’s marketing team sets up a holiday scene with a welcoming and homey vibe, while also sneaking in just the right amount of branding and retail.
7. Kmart’s Ship My Pants (2014)
Kmart’s “Ship My Pants” is everything we want from a great holiday commercial. It's short, quippy, strangely informative, and a little juvenile. With a smart play on words and silly storytelling, "Ship My Pants" sticks in every consumer's head, making it engaging on all fronts.
The commercial plays around with the phrase “ship my pants,” which sounds like a profanity. In the ad, several customers express their delight and surprise at being able to ship items bought from the brand’s online store directly to their doorstep. Kmart really captured the essence of “being funny” with this one, showing that the brand appreciates a good joke — a great example of humanizing a brand.
8. Allegro’s English for Beginners (2017)
Allegro’s English for Beginners ad follows Robert, a Polish man preparing to meet his grandson in England for the first time. He wants to learn English before he goes, so he purchases "English for Beginners" on Allegro and practices non-stop, even in the bathtub. The ad culminates in a touching family reunion during the holidays.
This ad touches upon the importance of family and highlights the lengths family members go to show their affection toward each other, or in this case, make a good first impression.
9. Kate Spade New York’s Anna Kendrick in #Missadventure: The Waiting Game (s1) (2014)
Women’s fashion brand Kate Spade New York launched their digital video series #Missadventure during the holidays. Season 1, which stars actress Anna Kendrick, humanizes the luxury brand and helps it appeal to a younger millennial audience through quirky brand-building and realistic Christmas fails we can all relate to.
The online series, which follows the misadventures of the madcap heroine, is a great example of compelling, effective storytelling through video. It’s also a great way to keep customers and leads engaged, creating more meaningful relationships with the brand.
10. M&S’ Paddington & The Christmas Visitor (2017)
Marks & Spencer’s 2017 ad, ‘Paddington & The Christmas Visitor,’ tells the heartwarming tale of how Paddington Bear convinced a would-be burglar that there’s more to the festive season than just presents. Who needs Home Alone after this story?
The theme of helping somebody see the error of their ways on Christmas is a classic, and M&S executes it masterfully in their funny and relatable commercial, making it memorable for viewers of all ages.
11. Walmart’s Holiday Rollback Get Savings Beyond Belief (2022)
Walmart’s rollbacks have been around for over two and a half decades, and this ad combines the retailer's iconic deals with the holiday spirit. In the ad, Rollback Man and the Walmart Teddy Bear roll back prices together in a giant store.
This ad displayed a perfect mix of humor and pretty direct marketing, and while Walmart did not necessarily reinvent the wheel with this video, it did add another witty commercial to its long roster of rollback ads, featuring their iconic holiday Teddy Bear.
12. Macy’s Lighthouse | The Perfect Gift Brings People Together (2018)
Macy’s poignant Christmas commercial sets a similar tone to other memorable holiday ads in this list.
In this video, a young boy signals to his neighbors, who reside in a lighthouse and are grieving a loss, to come join him and his family for the holidays, extending much-needed care and compassion.
The sends a simple, yet heartfelt message: holidays are meant to be spent in togetherness, showing compassion and love, even during the most difficult times.
13. Heathrow Airport’s Heathrow Bears Christmas (2017)
Following their 2016 success, the iconic Heathrow Bears returned for Heathrow Airport’s 2017 ad, which recounts the bears' loving romance over the past 70 years and their growing family. Eventually, the bears are reunited with other family members at the airport during Christmas, giving us real Love Actually meets Berenstain Bears vibes.
What makes this holiday ad great? It highlights the important role that Heathrow Airport plays during the holiday season, helping families and friends see each other physically — a reminder that digital connection still can’t replace the joy of being together in person.
-preview.jpg)