Every Christmas advert is a set of choices before it is a film. Who is it for, what mood does it need and what should the viewer do next? John Lewis, Tesco, Lidl and Argos appear to have answered those questions differently in 2026 but how have they landed?
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Argos launched on 1 November (Shopappy) so reaction is under a week old. OnePulse surveyed each advert within hours of its online release (OnePulse).
John Lewis chose a star and a family in tension
‘Gloria and Pickles’ is a three-minute film starring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as a grandmother whose grandchildren get cash in their cards. Her toy dog Pickles comes to life and sends her on a last-minute London shopping trip. She ends it by giving them a key to a ‘Gran Cave’ of lights, music and gifts (Reel 360).
John Lewis marketing and loyalty director Rosie Hanley says she has resorted to cash in an envelope for fear of getting a gift wrong and that the 20th advert was the moment to cast a star (Reel 360). We read three choices in that: a famous cast, a relatable fear and a family tension that the ending resolves.
How viewers read those choices
Criticism centred on the grandchildren. Mumsnet commenters called them ‘awful’ and ‘brats’ (Reel 360) and Sarah Vine called the grandmother ‘another cliched out-of-touch grandparent’ (Britbrief).
Money drew a second line of criticism. The Independent’s Katie Rosseinsky called the campaign ‘tone deaf’ and wondered whether John Lewis could have recognised tighter household budgets while others pointed to the large London home. Substack reviewer Kathryn Case wrote that the closing line feels like a push to spend (Kathryn Case).
System1 read the film differently. They score it 5.6 stars (the maximum is 5.9), the strongest John Lewis result since 2019, and 61% of viewers felt happy (Advanced Television). The article does not state a sample size.
Kantar’s Lynne Deason praised the casting but said the film lacks ‘the emotive punch of previous years’ (Britbrief). In our view the film asks viewers to wait for its payoff. Those who reach the Gran Cave feel happy and those who stop at the cash scene do not.
What the other brands chose
These are our readings of each brand’s choices and not their stated intent.
- Tesco chose friendship. ‘The Wrong Address’ follows a delivery driver who meets an old school friend when a food order goes to the wrong house. OnePulse called it the most emotional ad so far and 28% welled up, yet half of viewers said they would have preferred Tesco spend the money on lower prices (OnePulse).
- Sainsbury’s chose continuity. The BFG returns for a third year and the film is the top supermarket ad in the OnePulse tracker at 3.8 out of 5.
- Lidl chose a cause and a laugh. Shaun Williamson rewrites a Slade song and the film launches alongside a Toy Bank that collects toys from 5 November to 16 December (Famous Campaigns). OnePulse called it the funniest supermarket ad to date and 42% said it makes them more likely to do their Christmas food shop at Lidl.
- Argos chose their platform. Richard Ayoade plays a Scrooge guided by mascots Connie and Trevor, and Argos’s head of campaigns says the brand ‘would never really do a tearjerker campaign’ (Shopappy).
- Asda chose price and absurdity. Familiar Christmas scenes turn into full-blown raves (Creative Boom) and 32% told OnePulse it makes them more likely to shop at Asda.
Boots ran a series of mini ads. Case liked them, asked whether some were a bit suggestive and said they got her talking about Boots.
Where the choices repeat
Sainsbury’s have used the BFG for a third year and Argos have made the season’s second A Christmas Carol riff after Walmart’s US ad (Famous Campaigns).
Creative Boom’s writer called Tesco the frontrunner with ‘No contest’.
Four questions for your own Christmas plan
Reading adverts as choices gives you questions to ask of your own plan.
- Who is it for? A film that pleases a research panel can still frustrate the people who share it.
- What does your audience feel this month? A cash joke lands differently when households count every pound and half of Tesco’s viewers wanted lower prices.
- Does the ending carry the message? Some viewers will stop before the payoff.
- What should people do next? Lidl pair their film with an action and in our view a smaller brand can do the same with one post and a donation drive.
Frequently asked questions
Why did John Lewis get bad feedback on its 2026 advert?
Critics disliked the grandchildren’s attitude, the cash-in-cards scene and the large London home during a squeeze on household budgets.
Which Christmas advert scored highest in 2026?
System1 gives John Lewis 5.6 stars and OnePulse ranks Sainsbury’s top among supermarkets. The scales differ so compare each advert only within its own tracker.
What can a small brand learn from Christmas adverts?
Choose one audience, one mood and one action before you write the script. Check the ending carries the message if viewers stop early.
Choose before you write
Pick the audience, the mood and the action first and the script follows.
Nifty are a PR-led Worcester agency running PR, social and content for FMCG, D2C, B2B and consumer brands.
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