Not every Christmas ad lands the sleigh. For every perfectly pitched tear-jerker or nostalgic banger, there’s always a couple that veer off course, usually somewhere between the strategy deck and the celebrity contract. So, in the spirit of festive fairness, here are two that made the nice list for effort… but maybe not for execution.

Burberry: ’Twas The Knight Before…

Burberry’s 2025 Christmas film throws one hell of a dinner party; Jennifer Saunders hosts, Naomi Campbell arrives, Ncuti Gatwa smoulders, and everyone’s wrapped in impeccable trench coats and very expensive lighting. It’s visually stunning, endlessly star-studded and, somehow, narratively… not much at all.

My take:
In my opinion, when you’ve got that calibre of cast, you need a plot, or at least a discernible idea. This one looks gorgeous but feels a bit like an afterparty without the main event. The last few years of Burberry’s work have been razor-sharp and culturally on point, so this softer, style-over-substance turn feels like a missed opportunity. Still, it’s Burberry, beautiful to watch, but you leave wondering what the story was meant to be.

Sephora: It’s Time

Sephora’s 2025 Christmas spot sees Mariah Carey in angel-wings mode, confronting an elf played by Billy Eichner who declares “Christmas is cancelled” because elves are striking, and he’s pawning Mariah’s Sephora goodies to afford “elf therapy”. Carey reclaims the moment, reinstates glam and floats off in a sleigh, backed by her signature “It’s Time” energy.

My take:
I think this is what happens when a brand spends its entire media budget on Mariah and forgets to brief the planner. It’s glossy, over-the-top, and weirdly empty, like buying an advent calendar and realising all the chocolates are gone. If you’re going to pay that much for a Christmas icon and a killer song, at least give her something to do besides saving Christmas with great contouring. Beautifully shot, utterly baffling, and, in a way, iconic for that reason alone.

Final Thoughts

So here’s the thing, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The best Christmas ads don’t shout the loudest; they simply make sense. And in a season built on storytelling, even sparkle needs substance.