Kantar, rather like its research rival System1, has found that re-used Christmas TV ads work just as well as new ones, with five of its 2025 top ten being oldies. Cadbury’s ‘Secret Santa’ was top followed by Coke’s positively venerable ‘Holidays Are Coming.’
This could also demonstrate that people in research groups are more likely to recognise and rate what they already know but opinion is doubtless divided. Good news for AI though.
Other strong performers included Aldi, which continued the adventures of Kevin the Carrot and M&S Food, which brought back its Fairy character. Asda was the only brand to break into the top 10 with an entirely new idea with its ‘Grinchmas’ ad from Lucky Generals.
Lynne Deason, head of creative excellence at Kantar, says: “In a cluttered season, brands reusing and evolving familiar assets are cutting through more effectively than those starting from scratch. That’s not lazy, it’s smart marketing. Our brains forget things easily and in today’s busy world, brands have to keep drumming into people’s minds what makes them different in a way that’s memorable and meaningful to cut through.”
Ace of Hearts for Save the Children
More big red trucks in the first work to emerge from Ace of Hearts, the agency founded by former adam&eveDDB creative supremo Richard Brim and others.
