An Early Christmas Present from GAM

himanshu105
4 days ago
5 min read

The last few weeks before 2025 ends, and there is much to celebrate! The ad world saw some of its best, we at Good Ads Matter inaugurated our very first Awards and kicked it off with numbers off the charts, and we hope, we all as a community and individuals grew in more ways than we thought we could—and for the better!

But before the year ends, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We will conveniently take this moment to talk about the magic of Christmas ads through the decade and do our bit of warming up for the festive season—never without some Good Ads Matter exclusive content, though!

Before we dive right in, let’s take a brief look at why the season means so much to brands and marketers:

The statistic. In the last 20 years—historically, if we may—holiday sales have gone up from $437.6B to $964.4B in the USA market alone.

Source: National Retail Federation

The psyche.

In 2024, Gen Z spendings between November and December went up by a staggering 37% while that of Millennials went up by 16%.

Source: PwC Holiday Outlook

The communication.

Christmas is the only time of the year when brands universally unite to wear a more human facade, tapping into both the consumers’ psyche and serving their own business goals.

This intersection is more than just marketing. It is human behaviour at its best. It is storytelling at its best.

Let’s have a look at 10 Christmas ads from the Good Ads Matter archives—and 10 lessons in successful storytelling.

In 2011, Apple released ‘Share the Joy’ and #1 Cherished the Power of Connection

According to a 2018 PwC report, 64% of the USA’s consumers and 59% of all consumers feel companies have lost touch with the human element of consumer experience.

Behind every brand brief and marketing goal lies the understanding of the consumer’s needs—both emotionally and tangibly.

In 2014, Sainsbury’s released ‘1914’ and #2 Paid History a Homage

According to the 2019 MAGNA and Twitter (now, X) report on ‘The Impact of Culture’, a brand’s cultural involvement makes up to 25% of a consumer’s purchase decisions.

There is no better way to connect with your audience than by showing a keen interest in their culture and history!

In 2015, John Lewis released ‘The Man on the Moon’ and #3 Transcended Time and Space

The London School of Business stated in its report that people retain only 5-10% of information when they are presented with statistics alone, as opposed to a 65-70% recall when it is done through an engaging story.

Storytelling lies at the crux of every motive—not only in advertising but in the very essence and meaning behind every decision we take and every bias we form every day.

In 2017, H&M released ‘Come Together’ and #4 Captured the Magic of the Season through Community

In a recent study by Sprout Social, it was observed that when consumers feel connected to brands, 57% will increase their spending with that brand.

H&M knows the art and science behind inclusivity and togetherness, and their holiday campaign was no different with its casual grace and celebration.

In 2018, Staatsloterij released ‘Frekkel’ and #5 Showed Love in an Unexpected Way

Hush.digital found in their 2025 reports that furry brand mascots and cute characters can increase profit and emotional connection with customers by up to 41%; and campaigns featuring these mascots are 37% more likely to increase market share than those without.

Language and understanding transcend human language, and a tale with a furry pal translates directly into increased brand loyalty and trust!

In 2020, DocMorris released ‘Take Care of Yourself’ and #6 Celebrated Family

Ipsos’ 2023 data states that consumers increasingly choose brands that reflect their personal values, rising from 53% in 2023 to 69% in 2024.

The brands a consumer uses are a reflection of their behaviour and tastes. Naturally, what a brand stands for and the stories it tells must align with the values of the masses as well.

In 2022, Penny released ‘The Rift’ and #7 Offered Empathy at a Testing Time

During the height of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, Edelman’s Trust Barometer report found that 83% of people needed a compassionate connection that communicated empathy and support with the struggles they were facing.

Empathy is the foundation of any meaningful relationship, and this goes beyond two individuals.

In 2023, Gustave Roussy released ‘A True Story’ and #8 Humanised a Hero

In the same year, the University of Southern California found that 31% of ads with emotional pull succeed versus a mere 16% success rate of ads that focus rather on rational thinking.

People love when a villain turns into a hero. What they love a little more is when a hero turns into a human. It is relatable. It is personal. It is real.

In 2024, Erste Group released ‘Your Spark Can Light Up the World’ and #9 Tapped into Nostalgia

Amazon Ads’ 2024 report, ‘From Ads to Zeitgeist', confirmed that 7 in 10 respondents want to see more genuine, real stories in the media that reflect different cultures.

There is probably nothing stronger than a dose of nostalgia that hits home—and when a brand gets it right, it can get closer and more vulnerable with its audience.

Bonus: Nike’s Iconic 1985 Christmas Print #10 Because there is No Christmas Without this Classic

Nike’s storytelling and marketing genius has been etched into time, and we simply can never overlook this relic every holiday season!

While we are at it, let’s see how brands are celebrating Christmas in 2025!

Tap on the images to play

You see, holiday advertising is more than just strategy; it is meaningful storytelling with an enduring vision. By exploring and tapping into the many aspects of human emotions, brands become a part of the celebration. They become less like logos and price tags, and more human.

An Advice from the Top 1%

This month’s exclusive industry insight comes from P. G. Aditiya’s (Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Talented) take on creative mediocrity at the Good Ads Matter Roundtable.

“

I don’t think mediocrity is a lack of skill. Mediocrity is a skill. Most creative people know how to do that. There are a lot of agencies that do very good work, there are very few agencies that never do bad work. If you are very sure that you want to be someone who never does bad work, you will forget how to do bad work. Mediocrity is a conscious decision. You have learnt it. You have to unlearn it.

— P. G. Aditiya

Watch the episode here

Now, now! Here’s a quick recap of the best of the month (some latest releases from brands and some from our timeless archives) before we go…