What trends are shaping this year's Christmas ads season?

<p>Christmas has hit adland like a snowball in the face, with the festive ads coming in thick and fast, so what can be gleaned from the first phase of holiday advertising?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Campaign Podcast</em>, the editorial team break down the themes that emerged in the first batch of Christmas ads and the industry’s reaction to the campaigns so far. Tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley is joined in the studio by creativity and culture editor Gurjit Degun, deputy creativity and culture editor Charlotte Rawlings and editor Maisie McCabe.</p><br><p>This episode was recorded last week, and discusses the following ads:</p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/review-week-john-lewis-partners-spins-track/1938702" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Lewis & Partners “Where love lives” by Saatchi & Saatchi</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/sainsburys-bfg-help-defeat-greedy-giant-2025-christmas-spot/1938071" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sainsbury’s “The unexpected guest” by New Commercial Arts</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/dawn-french-returns-2025-m-s-food-christmas-ad-cameo-tom-kerridge/1938170" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marks & Spencer Food “Traffic jamming” (in-house)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/m-s-fashion-home-beauty-festive-campaign-moves-away-one-hero-ad/1938195" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">M&S Fashion, Home and Beauty "Give the gift" by Mother</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/farm-animals-look-fabulous-tk-maxx-festive-ad/1846092" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TK Maxx "Festive Farm" by Wieden & Kennedy London (2023)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/turkey-week-amazon-joy-ride/1847497" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amazon "Joy ride" (in-house) (2023)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/asdas-festive-ad-converts-grinchs-hatred-christmas/1938056" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Asda “A very merry Grinchmas” by Lucky Generals</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/boots-puts-puss-boots-centre-christmas-campaign/1937925" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Boots “Gift happily ever after” by VML/The Pharm</a></p><br><p>Further reading:</p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/christmas-2025-round-up-watch-festive-ads/1937880" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Christmas 2025 round-up: watch all the festive ads</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/john-lewis-christmas-ad-reaction-soft-nostalgia-middle-pack-copy-magic/1938602" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John&nbsp;Lewis&nbsp;Christmas ad reaction: 'Soft nostalgia', 'middle of the pack', 'copy magic'</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/we-made-music-gift-saatchis-john-lewis-nostalgia-emotion-1990s-bangers/1938281" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘We made the music the gift’: Saatchis and&nbsp;John&nbsp;Lewis&nbsp;on nostalgia, emotion and 1990s bangers</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/sainsburys-bfg-help-defeat-greedy-giant-2025-christmas-spot/1938071" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">'Brilliant brand fit' BFG stars in Sainsbury’s Christmas ad</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/think-first-wave-christmas-ads/1938957" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What do you think of the first wave of Christmas ads?</a></p><p><a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/hopes-years-crop-christmas-ads/1936597" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What are your hopes for this year’s crop of Christmas ads?</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>