Turkey day has come and gone, and we’re in full holiday mode over here at DesignRush -- that means carols, mulled wine, and plenty of holiday videos.
Now that it’s, ahem, more acceptable to enjoy the Santa-based part of the year, we thought there was no better way to fill the gap between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday than rounding up our favorite holiday commercials.
Some are hilarious. Some are heartwarming, So get ready, because you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll likely hit the mail (or do some online shopping) after. Here’s to some Happy Holidays with the 20 best video advertisements.
1. WestJet Christmas Miracle - real time giving
WestJet put together their Christmas video with the help of 175 WestJet volunteers, three airports and Santa himself -- and they made 250 Calgary-bound flyers 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 destinations, they were greeted with an epic surprise...
2. Kmart's "Ship My Pants"
“Ship My Pants” is everything we want from a holiday ad. It's short, it's quippy, it's strangely informative, and it's a little juvenile. With a smart play on words and silly storytelling, "Ship My Pants" made sure to stick in every consumers' head, ensuring this video was engaging on all fronts.
3. Come Together - directed by Wes Anderson starring Adrien Brody - H&M
This quirky throwback to Wes Anderson's signature style encapsulates the holiday spirit in a retro 1960s vibe. Anderson and Brody capture the stress of holiday travel aboard as we see various passengers on a train. As Brody, the conductor, relays various messages to the passengers throughout the trip, we eventually see the real end goal of the workers through the eyes of a child -- a beautiful Christmas party for all holiday travelers, showing that Christmas is a time for unity and love, even between strangers.
4. 1914 | Sainsbury | Christmas 2014
The Sainsbury’s Christmas ad in 2014 was made in partnership with The Royal British Legion and inspired by real events from 1914 during the First World War. In the nostalgic, emotional video, we see humanity shine through the Christmas truce between rivaling militia. On Christmas day, men laid down their weapons and celebrated the reason for the season together through feasts, football and non-traditional family.
5. English For Beginners - Allegro
Allegro’s ‘English for Beginners advert follows Robert, a Polish man, who is preparing to meet his grandson in England for the first time and he wants to learn English before he goes. He purchases "English for Beginners" on Allegro and practices non-stop before traveling to America to meet his grandson for the very first time, ending in a touching reunion of family at the holidays.
6. Temptations - Keep Them Busy
Cat lover or not, you'll certainly identify with Temptations' "Keep Them Busy" ad from 2016. In this video, curiosity didn't kill the cat, but it did ruin a beautiful Christmas scene, as energetic felines climb atop trees and scratch open packages. The message is clear -- keep them busy with Temptations to save your decor.
7. Tiffany & Co. - Holiday 2016: Make The World Sparkle
The Tiffany & Co 2016 ‘Make Them Sparkle’ campaign was aimed at promoting warmth and generosity through your gifts at Christmas. Fill with elegant black-and-white b-roll, quintessential Christmas-in-New-York shots and a smiling child, it’s a cheerful, spectacular and surpisingly sparkly 60 seconds!
8. Anna Kendrick in #missadventure: The Waiting Game (s1) | kate spade new york
Women’s fashion brand Kate Spade New York picked the holidays to launch their digital video series #Missadventure. 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.
9. A Coke for Christmas
The lights are tangled. The snow is slippery. The baking four is strewn everywhere. Decorating for the hap-happiest season of all is, well, less tha hap-happy.
Enter: Coca-Cola.
A young boy carts around bottles of coke, delivering them to his neighbors and showcasing the spirit of giving throughout the holidays, even if it's a somthing as small as a soda pop. It's the thought that counts -- and Coca-Cola's thought is grand.
10. M&S: Paddington & The Christmas Visitor
Paddington is back for another adventure! This 2017 Marks & Spencer ad ‘Paddington & The Christmas Visitor’ tells the tale of how Paddington Bear managed to convince a would-be burglar that there’s more to the festive time of the year than just presents. Who needs Home Alone after this story?
11. Amazon Christmas Advert 2017 - Give 60
Amazon's holiday video showcases the ease of the e-commerce powerhouse and the joy of giving through cleverly animated boxes that utilize the flexible logo. As people complete purchases easily on their smartphones, their gifts sing along to Roger Hodgson's anthem “Give a Little Bit” as they journey to their destination, spreading joy along the way.
12. Walmart: Rollbacks That Rock the Show
We all know Walmart is all about the rollbacks, and this video transforms its iconic deals to the holidays. Excited children are seen celebrating the epic deals their parents scored. Meanwhile, the well-known symbol has been transformed to resemble snowflakes, and is sprinkled throughout the video to reinforce the wintry feel.
13. Macy’s: Lighthouse
Macy’s poignant Christmas commercial sets a similar tone as the holiday ads from U.K retailers like John Lewis, who capitalize on heart-wrenching emotion and are often the most anticipated throughout the season.
In this video, a young boy signals to his neighbors -- who are suffering a loss -- through a lighthouse to come join him and his family for the holidays, extending much-needed care and compassion throughout the latter part of 2017.
14. Audi: Parking Lot
This Audi commercial speaks to anyone who has gone Black Friday shopping. Two Audi Sport drivers face off on the ultimate holiday battlefield: the mall parking garage. It’s a story we all can relate too -- but hopefully can avoid replicating this year...
15. L.L. Bean: Holiday 2017
In what begins as a modern-day Grinch tale, L.L. Bean's 2017 holiday campaign capitalizes on the element of surprise -- for viewers and the kids alike. Two young children wake up on Christmas morning thinking all has been lost, only to find a snowy surprise outside. This advertisement marries a touch of nostalgia, a bit of humor and the great outdoors to fit perfectly into L.L. Bean's well-known rugged brand.
16. Heathrow Airport: Heathrow Bears Christmas 2017
Following their 2016 success, the Heathrow Bears are back for another holiday season! The iconic Heathrow Airport transports viewers through the bears' loving romance over the past 70 years, demonstration their growing family. Eventually, the bears are reunited with other family members at the airport at Christmas, giving us real Love Actually meets Berenstain Bears vibes.
17. John Lewis Christmas Ad 2017 - #MozTheMonster
A young boy named Joe befriends a noisy Monster under his bed, but the two have so much fun together that he can't get to sleep, leaving him tired by day (much like adults and their tech gadgets...). For Christmas, Joe receives a gift that finally helps him get a good night’s sleep. This video showcases unconventional friendship in a unique twist on a holiday ad.
18. Waitrose Christmas TV Ad 2017 | #ChristmasTogether
There are so many "be together with the ones you love" advertisements around the holidays because they speak what's at the center of everyone's hearts -- and the 2017 Waitrose ad is another perfect reminder that Christmas is the time of year to gather 'round and spend time together (while also enjoying some delicious food!).
Throughout the video, we see that frightful weather is no match for a warm home filled with love and joy -- and it certainly doesn't stop the festivities.
19. eBay | Don't Shop Like Everybody Else
The 2017 eBay campaign ‘Don’t shop like everybody else’ showcases the often lazy habits that many of us fall into around Christmas time. After all, we all Google the same "Best Gifts for Mom/Dad/Brother/Sister/Grandparent/Pseudo-Boyfriend" and click "buy" on the same middle-of-the-road products each year.
Instead of taking the road more traveled and shopping at the same place as always for your gifts, why not try eBay for something new, nearly new, or that suits the person you’re buying for? Be different. Be unique. Be eBay.
20. Best Christmas Ever | Asda Christmas Advert 2017 - Imaginarium
The 2017 Asda ad lets you step inside the ‘imaginarium’ of Christmas at Asda to discover the magic behind all the Christmas food and gifts they create. From stacked waffles to delicious tacos, this enchanting video gives us seriously savory (and less creepy...) Willy Wonka vibes.
Now that the holiday season is in full swing, tap into your inner holly jolly (and get some major gift giving inspo!) with the funniest and most heartwarming commercials from past and present.
What holiday ads warm your heart (or open your wallet...)? Tell us below!
