The London team from global creative agency Wieden + Kennedy secured Sainsbury’s advertising account in 2016, with the supermarket retailer ending its long relationship with advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO (AMV BBDO).
As we head into the festive season, let’s take a look back at three of the agency’s most recent top Christmas TV advertising campaigns it has created for Sainsbury’s since winning the account.
A Christmas to Savour - 2021
A Christmas to Savour.
'A Christmas to Savour' - 2021
‘At Last!' - it has certainly been a long time coming as this advert is set to the soundtrack of Etta James’ moving song.
Marking the hopeful return to a normal Christmas this year for families across the UK, the two-minute advert celebrates the sentimental moments that make the festive day special.
Ending the advert with an important message, Stephen Fry says “It’s been a long time coming, so let’s make it a Christmas to savour'.
Nicholas the Sweep - 2019
'Nicholas the Sweep' 2019 Christmas campaign.
'Nicholas the Sweep' - 2019
Directed by award-winning director Ninian Doff in 2019, the agency created the two minute 'Nicholas the Sweep' advert which centres around Sainsbury’s family roots as it opened its first ever Sainsbury’s store in 1869.
Based in a Dickensian world, the advert follows the founders of Sainsbury’s as they encounter ‘Nick’ - Santa Claus - exploring his mythical origin story.
With over 6.5m views, the advert formed part of Sainsbury’s 150th birthday celebrations and Christmas marketing campaign, taking a look back at the role the supermarket has played during Christmas for the nation.
Gravy Song - 2020
The first of three TV ads for Sainsbury's 2020 Christmas campaign.
'Gravy Song' - 2020
When the UK was in the middle of lockdown in Christmas 2020 with the government-imposed lockdowns to control the spread of Coronavirus, the agency released a trio of sentimental and heart-warming adverts.
The first advert, ’Gravy Song’, dives into a snapshot of a family at Christmas with home-video-style footage peppered with references of home-cooked treats the family adore.
Two further adverts followed ‘Gravy Song’ in the series - ‘Perfect Portions’ and ‘Big Sarnie’.
Featuring a series of phone-calls steeped in nostalgia, each advert in the Christmas series focuses on a different story with a different family. The adverts follow a snapshot of the memories and festive treats families enjoy most when reunited together at Christmas.
At the time, Creative director at Wieden + Kennedy Darren Simpson said, “In a year when everything is a little bit all over the place, we were happy to create a campaign that reminds people about the power of food to transport you to good times.”