10 Top Christmas Marketing Campaigns of All Time (and How to Apply Them to Your Brand)

The holiday season is here, and with it comes the chance to make your brand stand out with innovative Christmas marketing campaigns. Whether you’re seeking creative inspiration or ideas to boost customer loyalty, these campaigns showcase the art of engaging audiences in festive, memorable ways.
 

At White Label Loyalty, we specialise in helping brands create personalised campaigns that increase loyalty - ones that resonate with customers and keep them returning year after year.
 

Want to get ahead in 2025? Download our Loyalty Promotion Planner for a month-by-month calendar packed with tips, promotional ideas, and loyalty-building strategies.
 

Now, let’s dive into the campaigns that have set the bar for festive marketing excellence:
 

We asked our White Label Loyalty team: what are your favourite creative Christmas marketing campaigns of all time? Here's our list…

1 - Mercedes-Benz, 2013

Luxury meets simplicity in Mercedes-Benz’s 2013 Christmas campaign. Their minimalistic ad combined sleek car imagery with subtle festive cues - showing that even a premium, non-festive product can evoke holiday cheer.
 

Use clever yet understated design to tie your product to the holiday season. You don't need to be a Christmas-focussed business to get in the festive spirit. Pair it with a loyalty campaign that rewards existing customers for purchases during the festive season. 

2 - British Airways, 2007

British Airways captured the magic of the holidays with their 2007 ice-skating ad. The clever visual - a plane’s contrails formed from 2 ice skaters - perfectly captured the magic of the holiday season while reinforcing the brand’s core promise: creating unforgettable journeys.


What makes this campaign stand out is its ability to evoke both wanderlust and nostalgia. It subtly reminded audiences of the joy of reconnecting with loved ones over the holidays, all while keeping British Airways front and center as the vehicle for these cherished moments.

Simple, elegant visuals can make a big impact. Pair this with a loyalty program offering rewards like bonus miles or exclusive perks for holiday bookings to strengthen customer connections.

3 - Heineken, 2009

Heineken's ad struck the right balance between humour and a very important message. Heineken reminds consumers not to drink and drive, not to leave too much booze out for Santa, and not to overcomplicate marketing campaigns…

4 - McDonald's

McDonald's has gotten really creative with their product imagery and placements in the past few years. As well as making their food spooky at Halloween, McDonald's have successfully joined in the festive fun with creative ads, like turning their ice cream into Santa's beard. Fast food chains like McDonald's aren't brands you would typically associate with Christmas, so seeing how they keep themselves relevant during this season is a breath of fresh air. 
 

5 - Dulux

Like McDonald's, paint company Dulux has joined in with creative product placement ads. It proves again that even businesses that aren't particularly Christmas-focused all have a chance at capturing consumer attention by putting a festive spin on marketing. It's really simple, but it works.
 

Check out our Dulux Cashback campaign solution, which rewarded customers for purchasing Dulux paints.

6 - Coca Cola truck

We can’t publish this list without including the iconic and nostalgic ‘HOLIDAYS ARE COMING’ Coca-Cola truck - arguably the pioneer of Christmas advertising. That’s all we need to say.
 

You can also build nostalgia into your marketing to create an emotional connection. Brands using White Label Loyalty can leverage these connections with real-time rewards for loyal customers during the holidays.

7 - Hellman's Mayo

Do people eat mayonnaise with their Christmas dinner?  Even the most unexpected brands can make themselves relevant!

8 - Apple, 2013

When it comes to marketing campaigns, Apple usually focuses on products, but at Christmas, the company knows how to pull on heartstrings. This ad from 2013 is probably as relevant today as it was back then - a teenager seemingly glued to technology, suddenly reveals a project he’s been working on that brings the family closer together…
 

Emotional storytelling resonates deeply with audiences. Use loyalty campaigns to amplify this connection by rewarding customers for meaningful interactions, like sharing their own holiday stories on social media.

9 - Sainsbury's Silent Holy Night, 2014

This is a personal favourite! Sainsbury’s “1914” Christmas ad was released in 2014, marking 100 years since the start of World War 1. The advert recreates a truce, where soldiers meet, put down their weapons, and play a game of football. Combined with emotional music, the ad creates a particularly heartwarming impact by appealing to people's humanity.
 

A meaningful narrative can set your brand apart. Combine this with a loyalty campaign that donates a portion of holiday purchases to charity, encouraging customers to shop with purpose.

10 - John Lewis Piano, 2018

We finish with yet another John Lewis creation. The Boy and the Piano is a nod to Sir Elton John’s career; viewers watch glimpses of key moments in his life, from local performances to sell-out tours. The ad finishes with a young boy opening a gift on Christmas morning - a piano. The key message here is: “some gifts are more than just a gift”. You never know when you’ve inspired the next superstar…

Don't miss out! Get your free 2025 loyalty calendar! Packed with ideas and opportunities to engage your customers on special days and holidays throughout the year.