It’s Christmas ad season! It’s a Football bonanza! So, what better way to judge the advertising efforts of the main players than to compile a post-match report. Supernova, our in-house creative team casts their eye down the team sheet to sort the star strikers from the super subs.
Morrisons – Committed to playing for their country, ‘Farmer Christmas’ has clear intentions about home grown festive food. A solid, ownable asset that will no-doubt be drilled to play well in all channels. A good touch for a big man. 8/10
M&S Food – Usually solid and reliable, they’ve leaned heavily on two creative midfield generals in French & Saunders, but ultimately haven’t quite made the most of their comedy potential. A great squad on paper but misses the target. 6/10
ASDA – Probably the most expensive player on the pitch, an ELF licencing deal will no doubt prove to be hugely popular with the crowd, but hard to see how it moves the brand forward long term. 7/10
Argos – As with their store, slightly out on the wing in terms of their offering. But this year they’ve tapped into something entertaining, truthful, fun to watch, perfectly cast and bursting with enthusiasm. 7/10
John Lewis – A welcome return to form from the star player of the game, proving that flashy deals with talent don’t warm the hearts of fans the way that solid, heartfelt family-values storytelling can. 9/10
TK Maxx – A surprise injection of some new and original tactics, stylish and light on its toes with a killer Grace Jones track, a weirdly wonderful successful shot on goal. 8/10
Sainsburys – An oddly flat performance this time around considering their history of breaking new ground each season. What feels like a high budget ITV pantomime misses the target a bit with too much narrative and not enough focus on anything to remember it by. Good looking but with none of the heart of their previous performances. They may have lost the dressing room with this one. 6/10
Sports Direct – With a World cup so unusually timed, it’s an open goal for SD this year. An entertaining use of some very ad familiar faces (Cantona/Henry) but with some new faces and some real wit on show from their writing/directing teams. Back of the net! 8/10
There are no easy games at this level, but luckily, it’s only 12 months until the next run out.
