It’s that time of year again! The world’s biggest and best companies are bringing out their 2020 Christmas adverts, and with the year we’ve all had, we could do with a bit of a distraction!

 

2020 has been... a lot, and this year is unlikely to be Christmas as we know it. That’s why it’s no surprise that this year’s festive adverts are packed full of kindness and care.

Instead of the cute creatures and cover songs we’ve come to expect from their Christmas adverts, John Lewis’ “Give a little love” campaign focuses on the impact that a small act of kindness can have.

 

Switching from live action to a variety of whimsical animation styles as we follow a chain of acts of kindness, the advert is inspired by the support that Brits offered friends, family and strangers alike throughout the pandemic.

 

While it’s easy to look after each other in times of shared crisis, this sweet advert shows us that a little kindness goes a long way. It ends with the words: “Together we can make a big difference”, and this isn’t just a warm and fuzzy line, with the John Lewis and Waitrose partnership backing this up through their work with charities Home Start and FareShare to support families in need.

Three

This creative advert is shot from the perspective of our phones and offers a lighthearted look back on our shared experiences of 2020.

 

Its whimsical Christmas carol-style soundtrack references what we’ve been up to on our phones throughout the pandemic, like family video chats and endless quizzes, and we see these play out through the phone’s camera.

 

The line “Your phone’s seen a lot this year” is pretty clever, as it plays on how much we’ve all seen this year without being bleak. It also highlights what important lifelines mobile phones have been for everyone during this time, and how much they’ve helped us to stay connected in ways we never would have imagined before the pandemic.

Coca-Cola

If you can’t be there, feel there. That’s the message shared by Portal, Facebook’s video calling hub.

 

The advert reminds us that even though we are apart, we can still share our lives with each other. From celebrating birthdays to sharing recipes and keeping up with our regular fitness regimes, the power of video calling enables us to keep going.

 

Finishing with the statement that “when this is all over, we’ll be closer than ever”, this ad tugs at the heartstrings. It makes you want to make sure that you don’t miss out on all those wonderful memories.

Amazon

Amazon’s festive offering this year is another that quite directly references the pandemic, with a focus on togetherness and community.

 

The ad features a young ballerina who’s practising for the starring role in her dance school’s upcoming performance. When she learns that the show has been cancelled, she’s understandably devastated, and many viewers will be able to directly relate to her experience, with so many events having been cancelled this year.

 

But family and community spirit save the day, as her younger sister organises an outdoor performance at their apartment complex and invites all the neighbours. At the end, we’re treated to a beautiful snowy ballet performance, with family and neighbours watching safely from their balconies. The ad closes with the line “The show must go on”.

 

It’s a really sweet moment, and there’s very little focus on consumerism. The only nod to this is the girl’s father purchasing a torch from Amazon, which is used as a spotlight in the final performance.

TK Maxx

“Did you buy the goat a designer outfit?” is possibly the most unexpected line to come out of an advert this year.

 

TK Maxx’s 2020 Christmas advert is a clever mix of absurd and relatable, referencing the collective difficulties we’ve all experienced without those feelings of gloom and despair.

 

As we see an incredibly stylish goat strutting her stuff through the snowy farm, the response is pretty reasonable: “She’s had such a hard year. She bloomin’ well deserves it if you ask me.” How many of us have thought this about friends and family this year? For those that have had a particularly tough year, it’s only natural to want to treat them to something really special this Christmas.

SuperValu

This sweet advert from Irish supermarket chain SuperValu is the DWH team’s favourite this year. It hits all the right notes, from being tear-jerkingly heartwarming to simply sharing a great message.

 

We see 7-year-old Conor getting ready for Christmas, decorating the tree and writing a letter promising to be extra good this year. As he asks his parents questions like “Is he still coming this year?” and “Did you get the one he likes?” we’re reminded that many children might be concerned that Santa won’t be able to bring them presents this year.

 

As we ramp up to Christmas Eve, with Conor having left out a glass of milk and mince pies, there’s a noise downstairs and he runs to greet the visitor. As he shouts “Granddad! I knew you’d come!” we realise that he wasn’t waiting for Santa after all.

 

With many people being unable to see their families this year, this advert really hits home, and it’s a beautiful moment to see a young boy so happy about family instead of focusing on presents.