The best Christmas commercials of 2025 took many different paths in the pursuit of creative excellence, according to creative effectiveness consultancy Cubery.
Tied in first place, the latest addition to Kmart’s embedded platform featuring simple but vibrant retail creatives was matched only by McDonald’s fun new collaboration with The Grinch.
In third place was TK Maxx, with the re-airing of the retailer’s 2024 earworm “Shut Up”.
“Kmart, Coca-Cola, and IGA all deployed entrenched assets to ensure the memories they left couldn’t have been mistaken for anyone else,” said senior consultant Wil Logan.
“Elsewhere, McDonald’s and Seek achieved this same outcome by making their brands the hero of the story.
“It’s a reminder that, whatever the strategy, by not treating the brand as a second-class citizen these advertisers then had the creative license to be more playful and to ultimately ensure they would be remembered for all the right reasons.”
Logan said UK advertisers typically lean more heavily on warmth and sentimentality during Christmas.
However, Australian brands tend to adopt a more laidback approach to the festive season.
“Kmart’s no-frills approach struck the perfect note in the current economic climate, McDonald’s tied its assets into a fun narrative that got people into the festive spirit and wider summer holidays, while Aldi’s now familiar quirkiness worked well to stand out and grab people’s attention,” Logan said.
The top 10:
1. McDonald’s | I’m Ruinin’ It
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Branded Memorability: 7.5 (New in 2025)
2. Kmart | Feel the Low-Price Love
Agency: Clemenger BBDO
Branded Memorability: 7.5 (New in 2025)
3. TK Maxx | Shut Up
Agency: Howatson+Company
Branded Memorability: 7.3 (+0.1 vs. 2024)
4. Coca-Cola | Holidays Are Coming
Agency: VML
Branded Memorability: 6.7 (New in 2025)
5. Woolworths | Make This Christmas a Classic
Agency: M&C Saatchi
Branded Memorability: 6.6 (-0.2 vs. 2024)
6. IGA | You Can’t Beat Local at Xmas!
Agency: Special
Branded Memorability: 6.6 (= vs. 2024)
7. Seek | Tis the Season to Find Your Next Job
Agency: Droga5 ANZ
Branded Memorability: 6.5 (New in 2025)
8. Michael Hill | Made for Memories
Agency: Clemenger BBDO
Branded Memorability: 6.4 (+0.5 vs. 2024)
9. Pepsi Max | It’s Christmas After All
Agency: In-house creative
Branded Memorability: 6.2 (New in 2025)
10. Big W | How Good’s Christmas
Agency: 72andSunny
Branded Memorability: 6.2 (+0.9 vs. 2023)
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.