‘Tis the season to re-watch amazing Christmas car ads
As the holiday season approaches, we are reminded not only of the joy of giving and spending time with loved ones but also of the clever and heart-warming campaigns that have captured the magic of Christmas in automotive advertising. Each year, several automotive companies will decide to end the year with a festive project, and it has become something to look out for from both global manufacturers and smaller, more specialised dealers, too. These Christmas-themed ads bring emotions of joy, humour, or touching family stories, and here are some of HBPR’s favourite Christmas ads of the past.
2018 Audi presents new Santa RS5
In 2018, Audi took a whimsical approach to Santa Claus’ image in its Christmas advertisement. The story revolves around Santa’s realisation that he needs a change in his life as he struggles to get down the chimney (yet again). With the assistance of his trusty elves, Saint Nick therefore embarks on a fitness journey reminiscent of Rocky Balboa as the commercial condenses 364 days of Santa’s dedicated training and dietary adjustments into a short, comical narrative. The end of the commercial reveals a modern and professional-looking Santa, complete with a sleek haircut, trimmed beard, stylish glasses, and a well-fitted red suit, ready for his night of gift-giving. To top it off, the elves and Mrs Claus surprise Santa with a red Audi RS5 – the perfect sleek sleigh replacement for this now-modern Millennial Santa. Audi beautifully blends tradition with humour in this classic Christmas story, and it’s well worth a watch.
2022 BMW a bit of humbug and a bit of joy
Despite the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, BMW (Middle East) managed to spread laughter with its Christmas commercial. The narrative follows renowned actor Christoph Waltz as a modern-day Scrooge, flatly refusing to attend the BMW Christmas celebrations as he “hates parties”. Throughout this humorous adventure, viewers encounter various cameo appearances from stars such as British television presenter Alexa Chung to Supercar Blondie. Still, in a comical twist of fate, Waltz ultimately ends up at the party he was trying to avoid. Slowly getting into the spirit of the holidays throughout the party, Waltz is finally whisked away in a red BMW iX electric SUV when departing, leaving him to remark that Christmas might not be so bad after all. This advertisement seamlessly blends holiday cheer with brand promotion, all while maintaining a light-hearted tone.
2019 Lamborghini’s heart-warming tale
In 2019, Lamborghini touched hearts with a truly heart-warming Christmas story. The commercial introduces viewers to Xander and his father, Sterling Buckus, from Erie, Colorado, USA. Xander and his dad bond over a driving simulation game where the young boy always chooses the Lamborghini Aventador. Inspired by his son’s passion, Sterling decides to embark on a year-and-a-half-long project to build a 3D-printed Lamborghini Aventador with Xander. To their surprise, Lamborghini reaches out with an unexpected Christmas gift: a real Lamborghini Aventador. The heart-warming ending sees the father-son duo driving off in their dream car, leaving viewers with warm emotions and a sense of sentimentality – the perfect feel-good advert for the season.
2015 Land Rover going beyond this Christmas
Land Rover delivers holiday cheer while showcasing the off-road capabilities of the Land Rover Discovery Sport in its 2015 Christmas commercial. The advertisement portrays a group of carollers journeying deep into the countryside to sing a harmonious rendition of ‘Silent Night’ for an elderly couple living in a remote cottage. This creative ad manages to highlight the Discovery Sport’s outdoor prowess while staying true to the traditional festive theme of the season.
Watch the ad here
2012 Mercedes-Benz puppy pit-stop commercial
In 2012, Mercedes-Benz captivated audiences with a concise but compelling 30-second Christmas commercial, the perfect example of short but sweet. The scene features a fleet of white Mercedes-Benz models, with a red Mercedes-Benz AMG GTS leading the way. The formation comes to a halt as the passenger door of the red roadster opens to reveal an adorable golden retriever puppy in need of a quick pit stop. Santa waits patiently as the puppy finishes its business before they are ready to continue its journey to the family who are waiting for their very special Christmas gift – pit stop and all! This clever advertisement effectively promotes the Mercedes-Benz sales event by replacing the traditional reindeer and sleigh with its elegant vehicles, and who needs reindeer when you have a whopping V8?
2018 Merry Driftmas and a Hethel New Year from Lotus Cars
In its 2018 Christmas advert, Lotus presented a unique holiday spectacle. The video features a Lotus Evora GT410 Sport transporting a Christmas tree to its Norfolk headquarters, Hethel, but this is no ordinary delivery. The tree, adorned with baubles, is securely fastened to the back of the powerful 404 bhp machine using carbon fibre and some welding magic. Upon entering the facility, the festivities kick off with a jaw-dropping drift around a roundabout. As the journey continues through the Elise production line, where a more delicate approach is taken, it encounters the iconic Lotus Esprit from James Bond’s The Spy Who Loved Me. The drift continues in a quality testing area with a perfect 360-degree spin. The tree remains fully intact as the Evora gracefully navigates the car park, circling other cars, before finally delivering it to the company’s main building, where it proudly takes centre stage. This entertaining video is a thrilling reminder to responsibly celebrate ‘Driftmas’, as not all Christmas trees can handle such daring manoeuvres.
2021 The Girardo & Co. Christmas Video
For those classic car lovers amongst us, the Girardo & Co. Christmas videos are always a highlight of the season, but the 2021 ad was one to remember. After a tremendously busy year at Belchers Farm (the Girardo & Co. HQ), Max (Girardo, owner of Giradro & Co.) finally gave the team the afternoon off. ‘Tis the season, after all. Just one person is missing from the festivities – and he just so happens to have everybody’s Christmas presents. Hilarity pursues as Santa comes to the rescue, with one exceptional ‘sleigh’ replacement.
These Christmas-themed automotive advertisements not only entertain but also capture the spirit of the holiday season. Whether through humour, heart-warming stories, or clever marketing, these ads have become unforgettable in the world of automotive advertising. As the holiday season approaches, let these campaigns remind us of the joy and magic this time of year brings.
As always, we here at HBPR appreciate all there is automotive, at any time of the year. We pride ourselves on focusing on project-based work, allowing anybody access to the world of communication without any scary retainers. If you’d like any more information about the industry, anything to do with PR, or just looking for an informal chat, please do get in touch at hannah@hannahburgesspr.com. Our door is always open.
