The Best Holiday Ads of 2024

JD Sports

Sportswear retailer JD Sports overturns stereotypes of idealized families that are often present in holiday marketing. Created by Uncommon Creative Studio, the global campaign documents families and traditions of all kinds to create an authentic portrait of community. 

Target

An affable man named Kris is on hand to help Target shoppers navigate their holiday dilemmas. With a twinkle in his eye, he guides people through Thanksgiving turkeys, Black Friday deals, and finding the perfect gift. If you notice a resemblance between Kris and a certain red-suited, bearded figure, that’s intentional.

For the first time, Target is running two unique holiday campaigns, the second of which is “Kris from Target.” Target EVP and chief marketing officer Lisa Roath tells ADWEEK the goal is to stand out in a crowded landscape and match customers’ mindsets throughout the season.

Ketel One 

Patrick Schwarzenegger, a rising star who will appear in the next season of White Lotus, is Ketel One’s first “spirit advisor.” He stars in the brand’s campaign during the crucial year-end selling season. Unlike many booze competitors, Ketel One doesn’t have a history of celebrity endorsements; instead, the brand has relied largely on its founding family, the Nolets, to be the face of the premium spirit. The partnership with Schwarzenegger is intended to help Ketel One tap into pop culture and age down its audience

John Lewis

British retailer John Lewis goes in a different direction with its latest campaign by depicting an everyday, familial kind of festive magic. The nostalgic ad, by agency Saatchi & Saatchi, tells a tale of two sisters. When a woman visits a John Lewis store in a frantic search for a last-minute Christmas gift for her sister, she stumbles through a Narnia-like portal that takes her on a journey through memories of the siblings.