Unlike their UK contemporaries, Aussie retailers don’t tend to take too many risks with their annual Christmas spots.

However, the exception to the rule has to be BMF’s work for German budget grocer ALDI.

Previously, we’ve been served up surfing Santas, cheesy Americans the Tinkletons and last year’s hungry neighbours iteration. Which leads us to Christmas 2018 that debuted across TV screens last night.

Titled ‘Santa crashes Christmas’, the clever spot sees Santa ditch his malfunctioning sleigh in the outback and have to acclimatise and learn some smarts with the locals.

It’s a little bit dystopian – a little bit Mad Max – but it works in selling ALDI as an alternative to the majors this Christmas. Check the spot out below:

Alex Derwin, executive creative director at BMF, said: “‘The More the Merrier’ is an idea that places ALDI right where it should be at Christmas: between the Aussie generosity of spirit and the reality of not blowing your budget sky-high. It’s our second year executing the platform and this time we’ve told a deeper story across more channels.”

Paul Coles, general manager of the ALDI account at BMF, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the Christmas campaign this year. It’s a quintessential Aussie Christmas story with an abundance of food, family, friends and Santa – all set against a beautiful backdrop of the Australian outback.

“With an impressive range of quality Christmas fare, at the lowest possible prices, it really is the more the merrier with ALDI.”

Mark Richardson, marketing director at ALDI, said: “Each and every year we work tirelessly to improve our incredible Christmas range and quality so that our customers can enjoy their Christmas, spoil their loved ones and all for the lowest possible prices.

“Our aim this year was to use the more the merrier platform to tell a great Christmas story and at the same time showcase our amazing offer. We’re really proud of the outcome.”

The new campaign officially launched on Sunday across all channels including TV, online video, social, website, weekly catalogue, digital display, in-store POS, radio, outdoor and press.