The Best Christmas Ads in Australia: Memorable Campaigns from Recent Years

In Australia, these ads go beyond just promoting products, they celebrate the season, and promote their brands,  with humour, heartfelt stories and unexpected twists. 

From John Lewis' moving The Boy and the Piano to Air New Zealand's quirky A Very Merry Mistake, these commercials bring the magic of Christmas to life. However, creating a memorable Christmas campaign, or any campaign for that matter, doesn’t require big spending - it’s about connecting with what your audience truly values. Often, combining simplicity with strategic creative hits the mark. 

Here are some standout campaigns from recent years along with key takeaways and inspiration for great creative that you can use for your next campaign - even on a smaller budget.

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John Lewis’ 2018 Christmas ad, The Boy and the Piano, featuring Sir Elton John, is a brilliant example of storytelling that transcends traditional Christmas themes. The ad highlights the power of meaningful gifts, such as how receiving a piano,  shaped Elton’s extraordinary life. Beginning with Elton playing Your Song, the ad takes viewers through key moments in his career before ending with a young Elton receiving the piano from his grandmother. Its emotional resonance, heightened by Elton’s presence during his Farewell Tour, made this campaign both topical and timeless.

Emotional storytelling, especially during the festive season, makes an impact. Focus on the emotional core of your message. Even a small, well-crafted story can resonate with your audience if it taps into universal themes like family, giving or nostalgia. Consider a unique format like stop animation or hand-drawn storytelling videos for interesting visuals when working with a modest budget.

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Air New Zealand’s A Very Merry Mistake uses humour to deliver holiday cheer. The ad follows Santa as he hilariously misinterprets Kiwi children’s Christmas requests—like “puggy bank” instead of “piggy bank.” With the help of Air New Zealand flight attendants, the confusion is resolved in a heartwarming conclusion. This ad’s fresh approach of balancing quirky humour and a festive spirit made it a hit for both Kiwis and Australians.

Use everyday observations from local culture to make your campaign relatable. Find inspiration in quirks and shared experience - clever humour doesn’t need a big bank.

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This nostalgic ad from Google puts a fun twist on the Home Alone franchise. Macaulay Culkin reprises his role as Kevin McCallister, now all grown up, and hilariously relies on Google Assistant to relive his childhood mischief. While entertaining Home Alone fans, the ad subtly addresses the idea of spending Christmas alone, creating a sense of inclusion. Google Assistant integrates seamlessly into the story, showing how tech can bring people closer to the holiday spirit.

Use nostalgia to place your current product offering in a setting that’s relevant today. Keep your product’s showcase subtle - this will make your campaign more organic and entertaining for your audience. For example, an oven company could contrast baking Anzac cookies today with modern appliances to how it was done when we saw our parents and grandparents do the same.

It’s also important to adjust your placement and ensure you’re targeting the right people with the right nostalgic memory - in Google’s ad, the people targeted are millennials and Gen Y who grew up watching the Home Alone movies. These people would be the ideal consumers for Google Assistant today.

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Coca-Cola’s 2020 Christmas ad is an emotional masterpiece. It follows a father’s determined journey to deliver his child’s Christmas letter to Santa. Just when the story seems to end, a heartwarming twist unfolds, reminding viewers of the joy and meaning of giving. Coca-Cola’s subtle branding shines a light on the story’s emotional core, beautifully capturing the spirit of home and family during the holidays.

Focus on selling the feeling your brand or product aims to invoke rather than the functional value of your product. This requires a solid understanding of who your brand is and what it stands for. Let the emotional aspect of your brand and product take centre stage and craft a story around it.

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In Spread the Merry, Australia Post delivers a story of kindness and connection through the journey of an inflatable Santa. When Santa is accidentally punctured, Australia Post ensures he’s repaired and returned to his owner, spreading joy along the way. This simple yet effective ad reinforces the spirit of giving and holiday cheer while cleverly tying into Australia Post’s core service of delivery.

Tie your message back to the value your business brings. Similar to the Coca-Cola blog, Australia Post focused on invoking a feeling through simpler visuals and a simple, more functional story that ties beautifully with the brand’s core offering - delivering. 

Simple visuals can be powerful for highlighting your brand if they tie up with your product in clever ways - such as using the iconic red and white themes of Christmas in a floating Santa, which are also the colours on Australia Post delivery vans and trucks.

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Arnott’s brings a touch of whimsy to the holiday season with Santa’s Big Night. The ad follows Santa as he navigates the challenges of Christmas Eve, only to delightfully surprise an adult who rediscovers the magic of the season. The story concludes with a family enjoying Arnott’s cookies and milk, celebrating tradition and togetherness. This charming ad combines playfulness with brand storytelling in a refreshingly nostalgic way.

Use playfulness and interesting twists to build a connection with your audience. After developing a creative outline or storyboard, ask your team: 

• What if the opposite happens?
• What’s something unexpected that could happen and change this story?

Looking for answers to these two questions can reveal some very interesting takes on your next creative campaign.

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Qantas’ Feels Like Home ad is a deeply emotional tribute to the joy of family reunions. While not explicitly a Christmas ad, it perfectly aligns with the festive spirit by showcasing the warmth and comfort of coming home. The ad’s powerful storytelling resonates with anyone who has experienced the longing to be with loved ones during the holidays, making it a standout campaign.

Real-life stories often have the most emotional impact - and they don’t require elaborate execution. For your next creative campaign, consider reaching out to your customers to find any unique stories of using your product that they might have - as previously suggested, you could use a hand-drawn, general animation or stop animation style to relay the story in an interesting way.

The holiday season allows brands to connect with audiences meaningfully, and these ads prove how creativity and emotion can make a lasting impact. Whether through heartfelt stories or lighthearted humour, these campaigns have captured the festive spirit in unique and memorable ways.