Millward Brown’s Christmas advertising study explores the performance of 18 of this year’s leading TV ads, testing them with consumer audiences using its AdExpress tool. Viewers reviewed and scored each on 12 factors proven to drive sales and build a brand: Branding, Involvement, Enjoyment, Made me love the brand, Sets the trends, Persuasion, New and different information, Relevance, Believability, Different from others, Meets my needs. The 18 ads reviewed are from brands and retailers: Asda, Argos, Boots, Burberry, Cadbury’s, Celebrations, Debenhams, dfs, John Lewis, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Mulberry, PayPal, Sainsbury’s, Sky Movies, Very, Waitrose and Warburtons.

1. ASDA ARGOS BOOTS BURBERRY CADBURY’S CELEBRATIONS DEBENHAMS DFS JOHNLEWIS LIDL
M&S MULBERRY PAYPAL SAINSBURY’S SKYMOVIES VERY WAITROSE WARBURTONS
18 Ads
Reviewed
TOP
THREE STARS
1.BESTALL
ROUNDER
3.MEETS
CONSUMERSNEEDS
INVOLVEMENT
7.16*
ENJOYMENT
3.73
DIFFERENT
3.65
MADEMELOVE
THEBRAND
3.57
ENJOYMENT
3.81
BRANDING
4.63
MADEMELOVE
THEBRAND
3.19
ENJOYMENT
3.51
MEETSMY
NEEDS
3.77
Viewers found it more engaging
to watch than any other ad, and
it was also more likely to make
them buy as a result of seeing it.
The second strongest overall
performer; most successful at
connecting with consumers on an
emotional level, generating the highest
levels of love, enjoyment and branding.
Performs well on emotional affinity,
persuasion and highest of all on
providing relevant and believable
information and meeting people’s needs.
2.MOST
LOVEDAD
1.STEPAWAYFROM
CHRISTMASTO
WINATCHRISTMASAds from Warburtons, Paypal,
Argos and Cadbury's feel different
and stand out for consumers -
there’s more opportunity for
brands to be bold and memorable.
Warburtons’ collaboration with The
Muppets captures the imagination,
is funny, entertaining and stands
out from the sea of sameness of
other Christmas ads.
Man on the Moon, Mog's Christmas
Calamity, The Giant Crumpet
Show…these ads tell stories which
move between reality and fantasy
and grab consumers' attention.
Footnote
Millward Brown evaluated 18 TV ads, testing them with consumer audiences using its AdExpress performance measurement tool. Viewers scored each on 12 factors : Branding, Involvement,
Enjoyment, Made me love (brand), Sets the trends, Persuasion, New information, Different information, Relevant information, Believable information, Different, Meets my needs.
*11 of the 12 factors are scored on a scale of 1-5, while ‘involvement’ is scored on a scale of 1-10.
THEUKSTARS
OF2015’s
Christmas
advertising
‘FREETHEJOY’
3.57
‘THEGIANTCRUMPETSHOW’
3.41
‘CHRISTMASTREE’
3.25
‘NOPRESENTS’
3.19
‘#BECAUSEITSCHRISTMAS’
3.13
‘FOUNDIT!(2015)’
3.09
‘MANONTHEMOON’
3.04
‘MOG’SCHRISTMASCALAMITY’
3.04
‘SCHOOLOFCHRISTMAS’
3.03
‘JUSTCAN’TWAIT’
3.00
‘DISCOVERMORE’
2.91
‘WHATMAKESYOURCHRISTMAS?’
2.90
‘THEARTOFCHRISTMAS’
2.95
‘THEJOURNEY’
2.83
‘STEPINTOTHEADVENTURE’
2.81
‘BILLYELLIOTT’
2.70
‘GUARANTEEDCHRISTMASDELIVERY’
2.69
‘MULBERRYMIRACLE’
2.45
MADEMELOVETHEBRAND(NORM=2.82)...
2015’sBIGGESTIMPROVER...
INVOLVEMENT
6.98*
ENJOYMENT
3.23
DIFFERENT
3.65
Improved across all 12 key factors: high levels
of involvement and enjoyment helped it to
convey its free same day delivery message
which was seen as distinct from competitors.
THREEKEYTAKEAWAYS
‘THEGIANTCRUMPETSHOW’
‘NOPRESENTS’‘FREETHEJOY’
‘JUSTCAN’TWAIT’
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eapu0RtW54E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eapu0RtW54E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiSaYVFWoTI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiSaYVFWoTI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtlwwfEVVRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtlwwfEVVRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=961k-cHjMLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=961k-cHjMLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va0NImPo2aY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va0NImPo2aY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-CiTy6T3Bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-CiTy6T3Bg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ju36RQjSTo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ju36RQjSTo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7lFa1R3YjY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7lFa1R3YjY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuz2ILq4UeA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuz2ILq4UeA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWVO_VDd2_8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWVO_VDd2_8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrYZEepTQ5M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrYZEepTQ5M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VilRHLu6K4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VilRHLu6K4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdu0WKIhjeU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdu0WKIhjeU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRn2S7iPNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRn2S7iPNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oF9SA25QIg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oF9SA25QIg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NhO6PGPLhg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NhO6PGPLhg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIjjO2uxkCM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIjjO2uxkCM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLfMrj74otA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLfMrj74otA
Click to view each ad
3.THECRAFTOF
STORYTELLING
ISKEY
2.MAKEYOURAD
DISTINCT–EVENMORE
SOATCHRISTMAS