Aldi, M&S, National Lottery and McDonalds among biggest winners of shopper attention during past three festive seasons

Aldi, The National Lottery and McDonalds have come out as the top winners of Christmas advertising in a study released by Lumen Research and TVision.

The report shows that a strong plot, purposeful messaging and an absence of Christmas music will help advertisers win and hold audience attention throughout the festive season. 

John Lewis’ reign as the immovable force of Christmas advertising has come to an end. Just one of its ads made it into Lumen and TVision’s list of the top 50 most attention grabbing commercials from the past three years.

Instead, Aldi and M&S have stolen the throne by embedding attention grabbing “icons” throughout their ads. The data shows Kevin the Carrot and Dawn French are becoming magnetic for audiences, proving that stars and icons can engage viewers with brands' own traditions over multiple Christmases.

The report shares five key learnings from the “attention winners” of the past three Christmases: 

• Tell a story, not a sizzle reel – story driven ads don’t just grab attention, they hold it. Plot driven ads, including the National Lottery’s “Train Ride” and Aldi’s “Home Alone” from 2022, outperformed montage style features, captivating audiences from start to finish. 

• Old school bangers kick out Christmas crackers - audiences' musical preferences are changing. Viewers responded far better to ads overlaid with timeless classics, upbeat originals and new tracks, whilst tuning out overused Maria Carey tracks, and acoustic Britpop anthems. 

• Icons are for life, not just for Christmas – audiences are drawn towards returning characters and celebrities, and switched off to the brands trying to reinvent themselves. 

• Create a unique sense of christmas magic – ads creating their own visual language of Christmas performed as well, if not better, than those simply buying traditional iconography. Tesco’s “How Bizarre” and McDonalds’ “Wish List” both won attention by putting a unique spin on household Christmas traditions. 

• Don’t be afraid to do some good – purpose led ads that highlight generosity or social impact, like O2’s campaign on data poverty, strike a chord with audiences feeling connected with the meaning of Christmas. 

Mike Follett, CEO and Founder at Lumen Research comments:  “A great Christmas ad isn’t made in 60 seconds - it’s built over years. From the tear-jerking stories audiences watch on repeat to the soundtracks they hum along to, campaigns with recognisable, iconic assets can drive engagement and build strong brand associations.” 

“But to win Christmas 2025, advertisers must understand what is capturing audiences' attention, and how times are changing. The mellow, snowy ads that have dominated the 21st century are losing popularity. The brands that recognise attention data correlates with ROI will ultimately stay ahead of these evolving trends and unlock impact this Christmas”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

AdTech will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.