Christmas Adverts 2025 Part 2: Our Take

Did Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson win Christmas? Or is Kevin the Carrot still your festive fave? Our CEO, Kamiqua Lake, was asked for her thoughts on this year's Christmas ads as part of PRWeek’s Xmas Panel, so we've been reviewing this year's offerings. Here’s part two:

ON THE WAITROSE CHRISTMAS ADVERT

“The Waitrose Christmas ad this year is warm, full of feeling and sprinkled with just the right amount of Christmas magic. For me, that’s the perfect recipe for a memorable festive spot.

The story is predictably festive but in the best possible way. You know where it’s going, but you're watching right to the end. What I really love is how Waitrose lets the food speak for itself. It never feels forced or overplayed. The visuals have that rich, seasonal glow, and the tone is on point - four minutes go by in a flash!

I love a Christmas campaign that celebrates food and warmth, and this one delivers both beautifully. Keira Knightley is a brilliant choice, bringing charm to a story that serves up the light relief many are craving this festive season.”

On the ALdi CHRISTMAS ADVERT

“I’ll never forget when my team were handed the PR brief to bring Aldi’s Legends Aren’t Born, They’re Grown Christmas campaign to life back in 2016. The challenge was to make the UK fall in love with Kevin by showing that legends start small, so we sent out packs of carrot seeds to journalists, allowing them to grow their own carrot-flavoured heroes. It was a simple but powerful way to bring the story to life and remind contacts that even the biggest icons start small.

A decade of homegrown storytelling later, this anniversary ad, built around Kevin’s proposal, is gold. It blends humour, heart and familiarity effortlessly. Aldi has turned a seasonal campaign into a national tradition, proving the long game in brand storytelling pays off.”

Kam’s thoughts were initially published in PR Week here