Top 10 Christmas Advert Countdown 2020

We all know that Christmas has started early this year (whether we like it or not) so I feel perfectly safe in sharing my top 10 Christmas adverts countdown with you in mid-November.

Here’s your rundown of the best adverts on your TVs this festive season. From the awkwardly funny to heart-warming, the tear-jerkers to border-line bizarre. Watch them here:

10. From Our Family to Yours | Disney

Trust Disney to give us a tear-jerker. Its everything we’d expect from a Disney advert: classic storytelling, a Mickey Mouse toy passed down through the generations and stunning animation that you can barely see for all the tears. Disney’s  2020 advert was giving me “UP” vibes the whole way through. My heart was in my mouth the entire time, go on watch it and you’ll see what I mean.

9. No Naughty List | Tesco

Tesco has taken a refreshingly different pace with its advert this year. “No Naughty List” is the corporate ‘Treat Yo Self ‘and ‘YOLO’ rolled into one neat Christmas Supermarket advert. It’s humorous, light-hearted, and strikes the right tone for the British Public right now. 2020 has been hard enough; we exercised with Joe Wicks throughout the first lockdown, we’ve stayed away from family and friends to keep them safe, and we’ve missed out on every big event and holiday imaginable this year. We deserve to let our festive season have as much sparkle as we can muster and we shouldn’t for a second feel guilty about it.

8. The Show Must Go On | Amazon

I like Christmas adverts that are political, controversial, and strike a deeper meaning. I don’t want to feel like someone has just tried to sell me something, even if that is exactly the point. “The Show Must Go On” is particularly meaningful to British audiences following the backlash of the UK government’s campaign to encourage those in artistic industries to retrain like Fatima the Ballerina and her exciting next job in Cyber Security… At least that’s what it made me think of. The advert itself is moving, beautifully shot, and a nod to the unpredictable times we are living in, leaving you feeling empowered and ready to tackle your own 2020 challenges. For a multi-billion dollar company, it does an impressive job of mimicking a close community spirit through its advert. Very touching Amazon but all I want for Christmas is you to pay your taxes.

7. Coca-Cola Christmas Commerical | Coca-Cola

This is perhaps the most ridiculous advert on the list. It’s been called heart-warming and moving. Sure, the relationship between a daughter and her father who works on an off-shore wind farm and will be away over Christmas might bring a tear to the eye. The Dad has one very treacherous journey after he is stranded on an inflatable dinghy and then ship-wrecked which is when he scales a cliff without any equipment or any prior knowledge that we know of for him then to have to wade through a river and trek through a jungle which makes no geographical sense at all.  He then paddleboards through an arctic landscape amongst other elaborate activities, all to make it to the North Pole do deliver his daughter’s Santa letter. All the while, I’m just sitting here wondering: where the heck is the freaking Post Office?

6. Aldi Christmas Launch Advert | Aldi

I have a soft spot for Kevin the Carrot what can I say? The fact that he is now a recurring character with his own self-conscious Hedgehog companion and dramatic Christmas adventure is everything I could have ever wanted from an advert. It is a homage to classic Christmas movies and all the best soundtracks that we all binge from the 24th of Dec until long after New Year is said and done. Frankly, I’m just waiting for Kevin the Carrot’s sequel and if the other carrots don’t leave him home alone while they fly off to Paris…I will be having words.

5. Inner Child | McDonald’s

I’m not going to lie to you, the McDonald’s advert made it to No. 5 simply because I, as a grown woman, want to justify my longing for a Happy Meal. Plus I relate too much to the boy at 00.11…he just spoke to me.

McDonald’s manages to acknowledge what has admittedly been a difficult year for all of us in a sensitive and non-depressing way. It taps into every adult’s deepest wish right now to let out their inner child and let go of all their stress and worries. The way you only can when you have steadily drunk your way through a Christmas day’s supply of Bucks Fizz. That’s what Christmas is all about after all.

4. Unwrap the Magic of Christmas | O2

If you need something to make you smile today, watch O2’s advert. It plays my heartstrings like every good Christmas advert does. It’s got the recipe don: Girl has a little blue robot best friend – girl goes ice skating with robot friend – they perform a sweet synchronised ice skating routine, and promptly curl up and watch Dinsey movies together. Or it might just be my dream…

3. The Lil’ Goat | TK Maxx

I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. TKMaxx’s advert is silly, daft, and colourful. Exactly the kind of 30-second escapism advert we have all been looking for. And the Lil’ Goat blooming well deserves that designer outfit and nobody can tell me any different.

2.Give a Little Love | John Lewis & Waitrose

John Lewis is the company to beat when it comes to Christmas adverts.  Year in, year out,  it more than earns its crown. And this year, its more than earned its No. 2 spot. Unfortunately for John Lewis and Waitrose, I might be in the minority with a lot of critics being frankly underwhelmed by this year’s attempt, especially considering the year we’ve had. Think of all the material there must have been! For me, I thought it echoed the trademark charm that John Lewis’ adverts are famous for. The music was moving, the animation extraordinary, and the storytelling was so captivating that you almost forget that someone is trying to sell you something in the first place.

*insert dramatic drum roll here*

1. Gravy Song | Sainsbury’s

AND THE WINNER IS…Sainsbury’s and the Gravy Song.

Sainsbury’s decided to release three adverts this year and this was the first one. It is a really pure and simple advert. There is no fanfare, celebrity endorsement or dramatic soundtrack. It doesn’t necessarily have a catchy slogan or wacky hashtag and it doesn’t look like it cost millions to make. It’s honest, heartwarming, and reflects the festive season that awaits us and our families. The kind of Christmas we long for and care about.

Since its release, it has been the target of truly disgusting racist comments and boycotting threats so as much as this advert has earned its No. 1 ranking on its own merit, Bah Humbug racists, this one is for you.

Written by Rebecca Carey

Featured Image courtesy of Joshua Herrera via Unsplash. No changes were made to the image. The licence can be found here.