There’s no need to be afraid… Although it is 2020 so who knows what will happen!

This year has been a challenging year in all industries but you’ll certainly have felt it if you work in Marketing or Advertising… How do you create content to connect with an audience who are broadly feeling overwhelmed and anxious and operating totally out of their comfort zone on a daily basis? This year’s Christmas adverts were hotly anticipated, we were all waiting to see how the giants would revamp their cosy, comforting and ‘tug-on-the-heart-string’ Christmas adverts at a time when uncertainty and the unknown is still ahead. 

When most of these Christmas adverts were premiered, we still didn’t know if we’d be spending Christmas with our loved ones or telling 2020 to do one at a party filled with all of our favourite people… So how did they do? We’ve picked our top Christmas Adverts for 2020, let us know in the comments if you agree with our picks, we’d love to know!

So in no particular order (and other Christmas adverts are available…!)

Coca-Cola: 

https://youtu.be/yg4Mq5EAEzw

The advert begins with a father saying goodbye to his daughter before he goes to work on a wind farm at sea over the Christmas period. As he pulls out of the driveway, the little girl runs after him with her letter for Father Christmas that he needs to post. Cue dad sat on a wind turbine chugging a glass bottle of coke (is that really practical in a lunchbox?!) and finding the little girl’s letter just as the Postal Boat is pulling away… Why on earth did he put it in his lunchbox in the first place though?! 

Anyway… The father then proceeds to battle the elements, a broken-down boat, scale a mountain, escape a pack of wolves and deliver the letter to the North Pole… But – never fear it’s 2020 so of course, this didn’t go off without a hitch… Father Christmas’s workshop is closed! Hang on a minute, the Coca-Cola Christmas truck is here to save the day! The dad climbs into the truck and he’s delivered home, but checks his pocket and still has the letter… Doh… Lucky for him, he opens it and finds out that all his daughter really wanted for Christmas was for him to be home. Cut to the driver of the Coca-Cola truck – it’s none other than Mr Christmas himself!

What we genuinely loved about the Coca-Cola ad this year though was that you can 100% relate to this if you’re a parent. You would literally walk to the ends of the earth for your angelic offspring (when they’re behaving anyway…!) and this Dad does it all for his daughter. Plus, it proves that Father Christmas is truly magical (with a little help from the global giant Coca-Cola of course…!).

Lidl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2waeUenMzYY

We love it when brands show a little personality, that’s what we’re all about at Rebellion! And Lidl has done just that this year, a little bit of sass and a bit of poking fun at their Aldi opposition has created a pretty catchy jingle this year, “We don’t need cutesy characters when carrots taste this good”. Eeeek, sorry Kevin! It’s got brutal honesty, food to make our mouths water and a bit of humour. It’s brilliant! We particularly like the part when they take the mick out of the usual crop of Christmas ads we get each year “There’s usually a moment where we want you to feel sad… But we don’t have time, Look! Sparkling wine!” That really is a Christmas that we can believe in!

McDonalds:

https://youtu.be/QJntbYytPz8

We’ve all been there, either as ourselves or with our children. Traditions aren’t cool anymore, there are more exciting things to do at Christmas time like sitting on the PlayStation all day, message our mates or shove earphones in and block out the irritating parents. But we really like the way McDonalds has depicted the inner child. You see it in your children’s faces for a split second, something that reminds them of joy they felt once upon a time reignites that feeling. But it lasts only seconds before they groan and stomp off… 

After a hearty Happy Meal, the mum in this ad takes her chances and lobs a snowball at her son and it works! The inner child is finally in control and the pair celebrate their favourite traditions of putting decorations up and crack open a bag of McDonalds’ Reindeer Treats to leave out for Rudolph. This hits home because don’t we all wish our kids would stay little just that tiny bit longer – perhaps we need to take them to McDonalds!?

Tesco:

https://youtu.be/8CfrpexaCwg

Tesco brings the ad that we all need this Christmas! After the horrendous year that we’ve had to endure (did we mention we’re so over 2020), Tesco is proclaiming that nobody is on the Naughty List this year!! We really like the concept, people nervous to admit that they didn’t take part in the things that have defined 2020 and worrying that it means Father Christmas won’t visit this year… Until one youngster admits that he didn’t donate to Sir Tom Moore and everyone is shocked, he is a national treasure don’t you know! But Tesco reminds us that we can have all the treats we want this year because there is no Naughty List – hooray! Pass us that tin of Quality Street, and then the Celebrations…!

So there you have it, Rebellion Marketing’s official Christmas Ad Run Down for 2020… We can’t wait to see what 2021 has in store. See you next year. Same time, same place?

Merry Christmas!