Our final Campaigns of the Month this year takes aim at five Christmas crackers from Telstra, Woolworths, Aldi, AAMI and Myer. The ads were released in November.
Previously, B&T has taken a look at the best performing ads from around the world and found that Aussie spots fare pretty well against global rivals, but the UK’s top ads outperformed the rest.
B&T has also provided a round up of the best Christmas campaigns, and today will focus purely on the five Aussie Christmas ads that have made an impression on the industry.
System1 has run tests on each of these ads to see how they performed with a live audience. B&T has also asked two top creatives – Howatson+Company creative director Jared Wicker and Havas Host CEO Gayle White – to run the rule over the work.
Telstra
Report: Test Your Ad
Telstra strikes a festive chord with its humorous and heart-warming Christmas advert featuring a singing donkey. The story follows a donkey who accidentally swallows a phone and can’t stop belting out “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” on repeat. Humour, a rare element in advertising as highlighted by Orlando Wood in Lemon and Look Out, is even rarer in the telecoms category. This creative approach ensures distinctiveness and memorability for Telstra.
But the true magic lies in the advert’s emotional progression.
Donkey’s rise to fame as a one-donkey singing sensation doesn’t overshadow his love for family. The story concludes with Donkey returning home, gifting his owner a new phone to replace the one he swallowed. This narrative delivers what System1 describes as a “positive peak-end happiness,” leaving consumers feeling warm, fuzzy, and positively inclined towards the Telstra brand.
What creatives thought
Howatson+Company, creative director, Jared Wicker (JW): “Bear Meets Eagle has such a knack for creating a world in their films – and this one is no different. I’m a sucker for the rustic farmer-core modern 1920s Coen Brothers aesthetic they’ve got going there, and the donkey is so very charming. It’s also pretty clever how they’ve hidden an ad for long lasting battery life inside of a brand-level Christmas fable.”
Havas Host CEO Gayle White (GW): “Another cracker of a campaign for Telstra. The Singing Donkey has all the charm and magic expected in a Christmas ad, without leaning into any of the clichés or expected tropes. A playful film with cinematic storytelling, I think it’s a beautiful reminder of the importance of home, loved ones and connections over this period.
“I’m not sure how the campaign has been integrated across the Telstra ecosystem, but it entertains and there’s no reason that Singing Donkey couldn’t become a seasonal icon.”
AAMI
Report: Test Your Ad
This Christmas, AAMI taps into a universal festive nightmare: the chaotic aftermath of the big day. The ad opens with the jarring sound of bin collection trucks, as a man stumbles downstairs to face a storm of wrapping paper, leftovers, and festive clutter. Scrambling to gather the mess, he rushes to the kerb—only to realise the truck has already left. To top it off, his Santa ornament has smashed through his car’s back window.
It’s a polarising narrative, perhaps too close to home for some, but it brilliantly reinforces AAMI’s brand promise: they’re there to help. While the bins may have been missed, at least he’s insured. The ad closes with AAMI’s familiar jingle, reaffirming the brand’s identity and driving a strong fluency score. Balancing humour, relatability, and emotional engagement, AAMI delivers a festive campaign that’s memorable, distinctly on-brand, and cleverly attuned to the season.
What creatives thought
JW: “AAMI have managed to quite realistically depict the actual feeling of Christmas. It is messy and chaotic. There is a lot of cleanup. Uncle Alan does have too much white wine and passes out after a vaguely racist political tirade. But that’s a double edged sword. I live those things every year, so I’m not going to be particularly excited to see them on tv again and again, or seek the film out to rewatch online.”
GW: “AAMI have made an interesting flip by focusing on the aftermath of the celebrations rather than the build-up or the day itself. The post-Christmas mess is an anxiety most of us recognise, so this could be a strategic stroke of genius. Whilst it brings a realistic representation of the familiar mess and chaos at home over the Christmas period, it doesn’t cut through as much as the Telstra, Myer or Aldi work.”
Aldi
Report: Test Your Ad
Aldi has delivered one of the funniest and most memorable adverts of the festive season – a true reflection of their brand. By emphasising their commitment to low prices, the ad cleverly shows how customers can “go a little extra” this Christmas, using humour to bring the concept to life in a literal and entertaining way. The highlight? A human-sized gravy boat, revealed at 24 seconds, delivering a significant uplift in happiness. This use of exaggeration, one of the most effective comedic devices, not only delights viewers but also taps into long-term commercial impact through laughter.
Aldi’s festive campaign is a triumph, blending strategy with creativity and reaffirming their promise of low prices while keeping audiences entertained. A winning example of humour driving festive success.
What creatives thought
JW: “I’m a little bit obsessed with this ad. It has everything. A suspiciously straight-faced couple. A gravy boat that’s an actual boat. A failed christening with off-brand champagne. An epic action scene with completely emotionless heroes. But the one thing that really stands out is the track. It feels like it doesn’t just accompany the ad, but scores it – and will stand out from all the sentimental piano covers of “Silent Night”.”
GW: “Save the turkey!” has been ringing in my ears since I first saw this ad. Aldi continue to set the benchmark for supermarket Christmas ads. This year they manage to pull on the truths of the pressures of preparing the celebratory lunch with authentic humour and joy. They definitely pushed the boat out to ensure the campaign idea went beyond the 60 sec TVC, with equal charm in the 15sec hero product executions and the Festive Extra-Nator on the website. It’s fun, festive and unmistakably Aldi.”
Woolworths
Report: Test Your Ad
Woolworths has delivered the top-scoring festive campaign this season by embracing features identified by System1’s Orlando Wood in Lemon and Look Out—elements like characters with agency, betweenness, a clear sense of place, and a narrative that unfolds naturally.
While the storyline takes centre stage, Woolworths subtly weaves their products throughout the advert, seamlessly integrating them into the narrative. The campaign follows a child rallying family and friends to create a giant carrot for Santa to spot from his sleigh—and sure enough, he does! This simple yet enchanting narrative taps into universal themes: family bonding, children’s excitement for Christmas, and the magic of the season.
The use of recognised music, relatable moments, and a subtle product presence makes the advert deeply engaging, delivering a “peak-end happiness” that leaves viewers feeling warm and festive. Woolworths’ approach highlights how storytelling and brand integration can work together to create a campaign that truly captures the spirit of Christmas.
What creatives thought
JW: ‘They managed to show a family eating around a table for the better part of a minute, while also telling a cute story. That’s no small feat. It’s a really lovely concept, but the casting, grade and set were all a bit safe, and I worry it won’t stand out from all the other food and grocery store ads with the same aesthetic.”
GW: “Woolies have certainly made a classic Christmas TVC containing all of the key ingredients of a typical grocery TVC – a child worried that Santa won’t stop at her home, a community pulling together to build a solution, ending on a long family table laden with festive meal time favourites.”
Myer
Report: Test Your Ad
This Christmas, Myer takes an unexpected turn with a bold and unconventional campaign featuring a mischievous animated monster. The playful creature wreaks chaos across a small town until his antics come to a halt after he injures his foot on a broken ornament. In a surprising twist, a young girl—who has been watching and enjoying his escapades from her bedroom window—shows unexpected kindness by gifting him a new pair of shoes.
Delivering the message of “sharing joy”, the campaign celebrates generosity and the Christmas spirit in a fresh and memorable way. The choice to feature an animated character is a distinctive move, and as behavioural science suggests, it’s likely to boost engagement and memorability. With its mix of humour, heart, and a touch of the unexpected, Myer’s campaign stands out as a festive delight that resonates long after the credits roll.
What creatives thought
JW: “A cranky cgi monster with a redemption arc is a tried and true formula. It’s the grinch, but in a different skin. And the rug pull at the end really made me grin. I like the ad, but I wonder what it’s saying about Myer, other than they have monster-sized doc martens. I can’t help but think they should lean into what makes them special: being an iconic fashion curator and style house.”
GW: “One of the first to air, this simple story is told with a lot of warmth. It’s refreshing to see some mischief in a Christmas ad, and I’m sure it brought a knowing smile to the faces of the Humbugs out there. Hopefully people can buy their own pink fluffy Humbugs in-store – it seems like the perfect gift for the festive season haters.
“Although the trio of lines in the end frame leaves me a little overwhelmed, it doesn’t spoil an entertaining spot and it’s great to see Myer bringing fun into the work at this time of year. If this is the last campaign Clemenger partners with Myer on, then they’re parting on a high.”
Check out our previous Campaigns of the Month in partnership with System1:
September: Gags Go Gangbusters For Uber Eats & Toyota, Telstra Needs To Make The Logo Bigger
August: Petbarn’s Near-Pawfect Performance, Paralympics & AFL Underwhelm For Bupa & AAMI
July: Movember & NRMA Insurance Star In B&T’s Revamped Campaigns Of Months With System1
