Christmas Ads 2025 – Who Did It Better?

It’s turned into an annual tradition that all of the big supermarkets, food and drinks brands have an unspoken competition to see who produces the best Christmas advert. What started as John Lewis trying to bring us to tears with their moving mini-cinematics has now become something we look forward to every year. Everyone has their own favourite, and we love discussing the pros and cons of each one in the Fizz office! So, back for a second year, we’re here to find out who won the battle of the Christmas TV ads.

Meet the Contenders

Thousands of companies will have made festive adverts this year, and we couldn’t possibly talk about them all in one blog. We’d be here until next Christmas! So instead, we’re focusing on the heavy hitters – the supermarkets and big retailers. They’re the ones who are really involved in the Christmas advert battle and the one-upmanship it brings. So let us introduce this year’s top contenders:

John Lewis: If you can’t find the words, find the gift. Once again John Lewis has pulled out a fantastic advert designed to tug at the heartstrings. Set in a family with a father who misses his youth, but thanks to his son’s gifts, realises that the best times of his life weren’t clubbing, but raising his children. There’s no doubt that this advert has resonated with a lot of people (just check out the comments section on YouTube!), bringing themes of reconnection and giving deeply personal gifts. It’s a refreshing change that swaps the festive extravagances for quiet intimacy.

Argos: Comedian and actor Simon Bird has become the next target of the mischievous Connie and Trevor. Inspiring fear that forces him to drive to Argos pronto, they help him realise that Argos is about more than toys. It’s a clever move by the retailer, who has been struggling with being pigeonholed for a few years now, so they’re using their mascots to set the record straight.   

Asda: Asda have gone for a more straightforward approach and hired their old friend The Grinch to come alive within their store. Playful and steeped in nostalgia, the ad plays on the idea that every family has a ‘grinch’, but that Asda can beat the grumbles with their unbeatable prices. It’s a simple idea that showcases the idea that an affordable Christmas is possible, and addresses the very real financial pressures many of us feel head on.

Barbour: This is the third year that Barbour have teamed up with Ardman Studio’s, and it’s just as good as the last 2! This year we see Wallace and Gromit take to the screen, wrapping presents and getting up to hijinks with the Gift-o-Matic. A robot that can wrap up presents, give gifts and pull crackers (explosives not included) and even unwrap presents (and Wallace). To go along with their ad this year, Barbour have created a limited-edition run of re-loved Wallace and Gromit-inspired wax jackets, and all the proceeds will be donated to Oxfam.

Waitrose: This year Waitrose brings us a Love Actually-esque rom-com starring one of the Love Actually crew themselves – Kiera Knightly. This ad is one of the longest this year at 4 minutes, but it plays out the beautifully funny and heartwarming story of a widower meeting the new love of his life at a Waitrose cheese counter. It’s a gorgeously gooey, cheesy piece that wraps up all the wholesome feelings of Christmas.

Honourable Mentions

Before we get into who won, first we want to do some honourable mentions.

First goes to Sainsburys. There’s a bit of a theme of reviving nostalgic favourite characters this year, and Sainsbury’s is right on up there bringing back their biggest yet – the BFG! And he’s on a mission to make Christmas a ‘bit more fizz-whizzing’. He finds a friendly Sainsbury’s employee who helps him scour the land for the best produce, championing local all the way. A great message, but not quite worthy of the title

Second, to Aldi. Look, we love Kevin the Carrot, and having a mascot to look forward to every year is a fantastic way to get people hyped up. And this year Kevin has a surprise – he’s proposing to Katie! It’s a lovely romantic film that unfolds across three different adverts to celebrate 10 years of the mascot. It’s cute and cuddly, but not win-worthy.

And finally, to M&S. Their ‘Traffic Jamming’ ad features a festive classic song (Driving Home for Christmas), and a jolly Dawn French stuck in traffic. Transforming into the Festive Fairy, the M&S ad this year celebrates joyful indulgence and signature seasonal treats in a very classic way.

And The Winner Is…

This year is a tough one! And yes, it’s subjective, so you’re allowed to disagree with us. But this year we have to give the crown to John Lewis. All of this years contenders have realised that Christmas this year might be more stressful to many, and has responded by letting real life in. Rather than ignoring a lot of the worries and issues happening right now, these ads embrace them with open arms. We love the John Lewis advert particularly because it responds to the crisis of masculinity, showing that even though men may struggle to show or talk about their emotions (especially between father and son), it can be done in their own way. It speaks to the challenges of inter-generational male relationships, and how Christmas can be a time to come together.  

But here’s the big question – which was your favourite?