Why Emotion-Led Retailer Christmas Advertising Works!

It’s that time of year again! (earlier this year?) The Christmas ads literally began to drop on TV and streaming platforms the second the clock struck midnight on Halloween night. It made us consider just how important these seemingly non-item specific adverts are important to the advertiser. In a crowded retail landscape, adverts that simply list features or show stock pictures rarely cut through. What does cut through is emotion. Story-driven creatives that touch people emotionally don’t just build brand goodwill — it drives measurable commercial return. Every £1 invested in an emotionally engaging campaign builds a foundation for multiple future sales, referrals, and brand strength. Which is why reported figures like “£7.44 profit for every £1 spent” is cited from research. (Be The Fox) In short: when retailers tap into the viewer’s heart, they unlock their spending.

Marketing research underlines a strong link between ads that generate emotional responses and strong commercial performance. For John Lewis, the department-store’s Christmas campaigns have been described as their most profitable ROI. Their head of marketing noted that their creative, story-driven TV campaigns “make the brand over the long term” and deliver short-term commercial success. (Marketing Week)

What these findings show is that emotional resonance in adverts isn’t fluff — it’s measurable. When people feel something, they remember the brand, they share the content, and they act.

Here’s how emotional adverts drive return:
• Story over sales pitch: Instead of “buy this product,” the message becomes “this product helps you live a story.”
• Memory-hooks & association: Emotional storytelling triggers memory and associations. Audiences become more likely to remember the brand when the purchase moment arrives.
• Share-worthiness: Ads that stir emotion get shared, talked about, become cultural moments. That means more exposure at low extra cost.
• Channel synergy: In today’s media environment the emotional appeal of an advert can drive impressions beyond TV.

John Lewis

The John Lewis advert is always pivotal in the Christmas Campaign calendar and 2025’s ad doesn’t disappoint. Focusing on the Father-son relationship for the first time it has already evoked memories and resonated with male audiences particularly and created a talking point with these demographics.

These types of campaigns are their “most profitable ROI”, giving backing to the notion that this emotional investment pays off. (Marketing Week) Their 2024 campaign “The Gifting Hour” achieved 55.5% intense positive reaction among viewers — double typical levels of warmth and nostalgia

Majestic Wine 

• Majestic Wine’s 2023 campaign is a great example of emotions driving sales; their “There’s a Story Behind Every Glass” campaign followed a narrative: a daughter trying to find the exact bottle of wine her father once drank on holiday with his late wife — tying wine to memory, connection and meaning.
  • This resulted in their best-ever Christmas trading performance, with sales increasing by 8.1%, and generating over 60,000 new customers over Christmas.