Amazon releases its 2024 Christmas advert: Online retailer joins Aldi, Asda, Morrisons and Shelter with festive films

The festive season is officially upon us as British retailers begin the battle of the Christmas adverts. 

Today Amazon shared their emotional festive production which was directed by award-winning director, Wayne McClammy, followed by Asda, Morrisons, Shelter and Aldi. 

Amazon’s heartfelt advert, exclusively revealed today by Femail, tells the story of a theatre janitor whose hidden vocal talent is discovered by his colleagues during his shift. 

Encouraged to sing on stage, the talented janitor gives a touching performance of the beloved 1965 Bacharach-David classic What the World Needs Now Is Love. 

Meanwhile Shelter created a world of make believe for a little girl stuck in temporary accommodation over Christmas, and Aldi tasked Kevin the Carrot and his wife Katie to save the Spirit of Christmas before it’s too late. 

AMAZON

Encouraged to sing on stage by the theatre staff, the talented janitor gives a touching performance of the beloved 1965 Bacharach-David classic What the World Needs Now Is Love

Amazon hope to showcase how small thoughtful acts can help to bring people together as the ad tells the story of a theatre janitor whose hidden vocal talent is discovered by his colleagues during his shift

With a little help from Amazon, the final touch is a swift delivery of an elegant black tuxedo jacket, enabling the humble star to step into the spotlight and, urged by his admiring colleagues, simply to ‘Sing’

Amazon’s Christmas advert opens with a janitor going about his daily tasks in the theatre, while quietly singing to himself. 

Then viewers get a glimpse of his lifelong passion for singing, as he opens his locker to reveal a picture of him as a younger man performing on stage. 

After his colleagues overhear his remarkable voice, which gently echoes through the empty halls of the building, they are moved to orchestrate a special surprise. 

Coming together as a community, they transform the ornate Sonnet theatre into a proper performance stage, complete with lighting, staging and, to his wonder, an instrumental backing track.

With a little help from Amazon, the final touch is a swift delivery of an elegant black tuxedo jacket, enabling the humble star to step into the spotlight and, urged by his admiring colleagues, simply to ‘Sing’. 

As his colleagues take their seats, the janitor performs a touching performance of the beloved 1965 Bacharach-David classic ‘What the World Needs Now Is Love,’ showcasing his spectacular and surprising vocal prowess.

The ad reflects how a seemingly small gesture can create meaningful moments and celebrate the courage it takes to share your talents.

‘Midnight Opus’ is a story that celebrates the joy from doing something special for the people in your life. I think we all know how wonderful it feels to be the recipient of even the smallest act of kindness – whether that be a thoughtful gift or an encouraging word – and we wanted to bring that ineffable emotion to life,’ said Jo Shoesmith, Global Chief Creative Officer at Amazon. 

ASDA

Retailers are busily showcasing their annual Christmas adverts – and Asda has certainly made an impression with its whimsical, animated adventure

Retailers are busily showcasing their annual Christmas adverts – and Asda has certainly made an impression with its whimsical, animated adventure.

In the pun-filled clip, two supermarket workers enlist the help of dozens of charming gnomes to get the store ready for the festive season after complaining that ‘every road between here and Sheffield’ is closed.

The advert, which will air for the first time on Wednesday, then captures a group of gnomes arriving at the store and helping stock the shelves with all sorts of Christmas goodies.

Another group of gnomes are tasked with decorating the store’s Christmas tree, while one clumsy animated ornament manages to break his leg – twice.

The advert, which will air for the first time on Wednesday, then captures a group of gnomes arriving at the store and helping stock the shelves with all sorts of Christmas goodies

Another group of gnomes are tasked with decorating the store’s Christmas tree, while one clumsy animated ornament manages to break his leg – twice

The advert is set to the tune of The A Team, a fitting backdrop for a busy night of decorating for the gnomes – Max, Gnibbles, Gnorma, Gnicky and Gnarla.

It opens with two Asda colleagues – Maggie and Bill – staring out of a store into a snowstorm, with Maggie saying ‘every road is closed between here and Sheffield, how are we going to get the store ready for Christmas?’

But Bill isn’t worried, simply picking up a nearby gnome and pressing its nose.

The advert is set to the tune of The A Team, a fitting backdrop for a busy night of decorating for the gnomes – Max, Gnibbles, Gnorma, Gnicky and Gnarla

The ornament lights up green, sending a signal to hundreds of gnomes across gardens, pub shelves and homes nationwide to burst into action.

 After a night of busy work in the store, chief gnome Max notices the sun coming up and declares: ‘It’s time to go gnome.’ 

The pint-sized heroes head home in Asda delivery vans, leaving the store perfectly prepared for the festive weeks ahead. 

MORRISONS 

Morrisons new Christmas ad celebrates the stars of Christmas – the chef’s who cook the nation’s festive feasts

Viewers are taken on a journey through a series of festive kitchens, where the gloves provide moral support to hosts preparing for the big day

A lone oven glove catches a spotlight and springs to life, beginning to sing the opening line of Give a Little Love

The festive advert opens on a snowy evening, with a Morrisons delivery van arriving at a home

Morrisons’ new Christmas ad celebrates the stars of Christmas – the family chefs who cook the nation’s festive feasts.

The festive advert opens on a snowy evening, with a Morrisons delivery van arriving at a home.

Inside, a lone oven glove catches a spotlight and springs to life, beginning to sing the opening line of Give a Little Love. 

The ad, by creative agency Leo Burnett, is set to the soundtrack of Give a Little Love from Bugsy Malone, recorded by a choir of 26 Morrisons colleagues at Abbey Road Studios. 

Directed by Michael Gracey who made 2017’s worldwide success The Greatest Showman – the ad combines the playful charm of the oven gloves with a theatrical flair.

The gloves, now fully animated with distinct voices, sing their support for the nation’s family chefs – encouraging them as they prepare an array of indulgent Christmas dishes. 

SHELTER 

The film opens in an imaginary world and shows a little girl Mia and her dad spacewalking across an alien landscape

The film ends with the tagline: ‘Love alone can’t protect a child from homelessness, but your donations could’

Homelessness charity Shelter’s film opens in an imaginary world and shows a little girl named Mia and her dad spacewalking across an alien landscape.

On their adventures the pair search the planet for the Space Palace, Father Christmas waves to them as he flies towards Earth and they high-five an alien octopus voiced by comedian, podcaster and writer Adam Buxton.

They high-five an alien octopus voiced by comedian, podcaster and writer Adam Buxton

Suddenly the harsh reality of living in temporary accommodation intrudes and brings them back to earth – because this is a world of make believe, created by Dad as an escape from the shocking experience of children living in temporary accommodation.

At the end of the film Mia and Dad return to the fantasy world, before a flicker of emotion on his face shows the constant stress he’s bravely hiding from his daughter, while trying to make her feel safe.

The film ends with the tagline: ‘Love alone can’t protect a child from homelessness, but your donations could.’

To inform the campaign, Shelter and creative agency partner Don’t Panic worked closely with people who have lived experience of temporary accommodation, including living with mould and damp, harsh and crowded living conditions, and the devastating emotional impact felt by families going through homelessness.

A number of filming resources were donated to Shelter in the making of the campaign. 

At the end of the film Mia and Dad return to the fantasy world, before a flicker of emotion on his face shows the constant stress he’s bravely hiding from his daughter, while trying to make her feel safe

The planet scenes were shot at the Mars Volume studio in Ruislip. The state-of-the-art stage included a virtual production screen, which meant the alien world could be created completely in camera. 

The special effects, including the alien octopus, Father Christmas and the rocket were added in by post-production house Rascal.

The film is scored with the magical vocals of German folk singer Sibylle Baier’s ‘Forget About.’ The beautiful track was recorded in the 1970’s, and in a twist of parent-child fate, it was only released in 2006 when Baier’s son discovered the recording.

‘World of Our Own’ follows the launch of last year’s successful ‘Good As Gold’ campaign, which featured a young child, Maddy, facing Christmas without a permanent home.

The film was directed by Nicholas Goffey and Dominic Hawley, who have previously worked with brands including Nike, Barnardos, Rightmove and M&S Food. 

ALDI 

The advert opens in a festive snowy village on Christmas Eve, but it soon transpired something is going on as a black and white van screeches into view

Using cunning disguises and a case with a ‘false bottom’, Kevin and his wife Katie carefully avoid a series of dangerous situations and ‘booby traps’ to try and save the day

Aldi’s advert opens in a festive snowy village on Christmas Eve, but it soon transpires something is going on as a black and white van screeches into view. 

A series of humbug characters appear to capture the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ before zooming off leaving the once glowing village in darkness.

Luckily, Santa has Kevin the Carrot on speed dial and wakes him to give him an incredible assignment — break into the Humbug Headquarters and outsmart Dr Humbug and her humbug minions to get the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ back.

Using cunning disguises and a case with a ‘false bottom’, Kevin and his wife Katie carefully avoid a series of dangerous situations and ‘booby traps’ to try and save the day.

It all culminates with the humbugs having learned ‘Christmas is better when goodwill is returned’.

A sweet festive poem which is narrated throughout the advert reads: ‘In the darkest and coldest of Christmas Eve the festive Spirit had been stolen by thieves, the very last thing that Kevin expected, an impossible mission would he choose to accept it?

‘At humbug headquarters in cunning disguise it was a race to the vault for our vegetable spies.

‘The Peril and danger they face while inside can never be told it’s classified. Our agents look doomed would they fail or succeed, then all of a sudden the spirit was freed.

‘Even the humbugs seem to have learned that Christmas is better when Goodwill is returned.’