At a time when the adverts mean more than the advent, Deej Johnson looks at the season’s IP-driven commercials

It’s the first week of November. Perhaps inevitably, then, retailers are blasting Slade’s ghastly Christmas anthem into their stores and whacking up the heating as if no one knows how a coat works. They’ve also started the onslaught of their seasonal ads. And for those that aren’t using licensed characters to entice you to the door, it’s pretty much business as usual…

Somewhat surprisingly, amazon has simply resurrected their 2023 ad in which three old dears toboggan down a hill. Marks & Spencer have brought Dawn French back for the fifth consecutive year. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was the comedian’s last outing, however, following something of a backlash in the wake of some highly questionable comments. Perhaps M&S might be looking for a license that can’t put a foot wrong next year.

In terms of this year’s ads that feature licensed characters, there are three notable efforts to spotlight – plus an honourable mention for Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot… Much as I’ve come to despise the appalling scansion in these adverts, the character does seem beloved by the nation. That being the case, it’s the first ad I look at below…

Aldi – Kevin the Carrot
I’m not sure at what point Kevin the Carrot became a brand in his own right. This is the tenth year, though – yes, the tenth – that we’ve had an update on the ongoing goings on in the life of this particular vegetable. 2025 puts Kevin on his stag do in an advert that doesn’t showcase Aldi’s products particularly well… But that’s never really the point, is it? If you’ve enjoyed the previous nine adverts, I’m sure you’ll love this. It all ends on something of a cliffhanger, but the second instalment follows soon.

Asda – A Very Merry Grinchmas
The Grinch appears to be in unusually good spirits in Asda’s 2025 offering. No small amount of love and effort have gone into this and – as far as I can make out – it’s refreshingly low on CGI. Cheerful and pacey, the advert really makes the most of its license. While it’s difficult to expunge the memory of Jim Carrey in a near-identical get up 25 years ago, Asda does well not to let the central performance overshadow the production. Ultimately, it’s a fantastic advert that brilliantly showcases a licensed character.

Sainsbury’s – The BFG
From the word go, this looked to me like it had David Borne’s fingerprints on it – and that soon proved to be the case. As most of us know, The Big Friendly Giant is a much-loved Roald Dahl creation. Here, the huge character appears on the small screen in a pretty faithful interpretation of Quentin Blake’s original illustrations. While there is something a tiny bit snaggy in the animation, the one-and-a-half-minute piece wins points. How? By eschewing the mawkish tone that so many Christmas ads tend to have. Instead, Sainsbury’s mainly plays it for laughs in a busy, plot-driven ad.

Barbour – Wallace & Gromit
In something of a paradox, Wallace & Gromit more or less show that less is more in 90 seconds of unadulterated joy… On the one hand is the more: the sheer vastness of the effort it takes to make this kind of animation. On the other hand is the less! Unfettered by a supermarket’s need to show off a range of products, Aardman can just let Wallace and Gromit do what they do best… Gentle British humour with a simple plot, funny gags, whacky inventions – and the endless charm of the characters. Critically, it’s the only ad that actually made me want to go shopping!