John Lewis’ festive spot "Moz the monster" came out top in a list of retailer’s Christmas ads, followed by Aldi and Marks & Spencer in joint-second, as voted for in a survey of 1,000 mothers by Channel Mum.
However, five in six mothers (84%) reported the ads do not change where they shop, even though they like to watch the commercials. Only one in 20 said it would change where they shop if they like a store’s ad, while the same number said the same about a brand’s advertising all-year round.
John Lewis and M&S were the most popular ads for giving mothers a "Christmassy" feeling, the survey reported, while John Lewis was the favourite among children (33%) followed by Aldi’s "Kevin the carrot" (18%).
Siobhan Freegard, founder of ChannelMum.com, said: "Despite some ads taking a year to plan and costing a rumoured £7m each, this year’s festive crop have left families feeling rather flat. None have the seasonal ‘wow factor’ or special festive feeling that is always so eagerly anticipated by families.
"Considering the tough trading conditions and increased competition amongst retailers right now, we were expecting much more.
"However, could it signal a turning point? Stores may have realised that while the film-style epic builds immense consumer goodwill, this isn’t guaranteed to get the till jingling. So perhaps we’ll see a shift to spread spend more deep and evenly throughout the year. We won’t know until next year so we’ll all be tuning in eagerly again."
The survey was completed by 1,003 mums via ChannelMum.co.uk on 12 November.
Having previously existed as a YouTube channel, the ChannelMum.com website launched last year and is designed to harness the explosion of vlogging to create a platform for millennial mums.
Freegard, who sold Netmums over four years ago, set up ChannelMum.com as a standalone website after receiving the backing of ITV.
Survey results
Do the Christmas ads actually influence where you shop?
- Yes I change where I shop at Xmas if I like a store’s ad - 5%
- Yes I change where I shop all year round if I like a store’s ad - 5%
- No, I like to watch them but it doesn’t change where I shop - 84%
- No, I’m not that bothered about watching them and they don’t change where I shop - 6%
Which Christmas ad do you like best overall this year?
- John Lewis - 24%
- Aldi & M&S - 19% each
- Debenhams - 10%
- Very - 5%
- Asda and Tesco - 4% each
- Argos & Sainsburys - 2%
- Boots - 1%
Which ones gave you the most Christmassy feeling?
- John Lewis - 45%
- M&S - 44%
- Aldi - 35%
- Debenhams - 19%
- Asda - 16%
Which made you want to shop there most?
- M&S - 33%
- Aldi - 32%
- John Lewis - 31%
- Asda - 18%
Which one did your kids like best?
- John Lewis - 33%
- Aldi - 18%
- Argos - 13%
And which ones made you laugh?
- Aldi - 36%
- M&S - 22%
- John Lewis - 21%
- Asda - 10%
If you did cry or get emotional at an Xmas ad, why do you think this was?
- Because Christmas is such a special time of the year - 51%
- It reminds me of the good things about being a parent - 39%
- It makes me think of others not so lucky as me at Xmas - 33%
Where did you watch the Xmas ads first this year?
- On the TV - 66%
- On YouTube - 18%
- On a retailer’s website - 15%
- On social media - 1%
And did you do any of the following after watching them?
- Talked about it with your family - 72%
- Talked about it with friends - 48%
- Rewatched it on YouTube - 33%
- Talked about it on social media - 26%
- Shared it on social media - 16%
- Posted it to your profile on social media - 10%
- Talked about it at work - 15%
- Used the hashtag for the ad on social - 6%
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