Tesco and BBH offer Xmas realism, adam&eve’s John Lewis enters online stratosphere

Tesco’s fortunes under Dave Lewis are fascinating: it’s recovering sales and market share but there always seems to be a banana skin in the next aisle: latterly the huge hack of Tesco Bank, although it dealt with that well enough.

A couple of years ago it appointed BBH and the celebrated agency’s first work – featuring a somewhat dysfunctional family – was greeted with widespread derision.

But client and agency have persevered despite the brickbats and the family’s latest, somewhat reduced, iteration is inviting us to ‘Bring It On’ at Christmas.

BBH used to say “when the world zigs, zag” and this is certainly a zag in terms of Christmas advertising, rueful realism in place of festive cheer (although there’ll probably be some of that later).

Online audience measurement outfit Visible Measures has produced its first viral rankings following the Xmas ads outbreak and this makes the top ten (of any ads) with over five million “organic” (unpaid) and paid views. We don’t know if Tesco has paid for any.

RKCR/Y&R’s ‘Mrs Claus’ effort for Marks & Spencer is second with 12 million while adam&eveDDB’s trampolining wildlife is top (no surprise there). What is surprising is the number: 137 million. ‘Strewth.

This one from BBH and Tesco? It’s a campaign and credit for that. Interesting to see what else emerges.

MAA creative scale: 7.