Almost nine in ten (83 per cent) of families say that they look forward to big brands screening their Christmas ads, with over half (54 per cent) suggesting that humour is one of the most important elements when it comes to creating a perfect Christmas ad.
The research by parenting site Netmums found that 23 per cent of families get gift ideas from the festive ads while one in five change where they buy their Christmas presents according to their favourite ad.
The survey of over 1,000 mums found that 47 per cent said that ‘lots of children’ helped to make a perfect Christmas ad, while 44 per cent said snapshots of perfect moments helped with this: the same per cent that said well-known songs helped to make a great Christmas ad, with a third of mums buying music just because it was featured in a seasonal ad.
To 34 per cent, using ‘real’ mums and not actors helped make a Christmas ad perfect, while 29 per cent thought that using cartoons or make believe stories helped. Only four per cent suggested that using celebrities helped to create a perfect Christmas ad.
Over half (55 per cent) said that Christmas ads help get the family into the Christmas spirit, with John Lewis voted as this year’s favourite Christmas ad by mothers.
Siobhan Freegard, Netmums founder, said: “For millions of families, the first screening of Xmas ads now marks the start of the Christmas countdown. Families love the festive feeling the ads create.
“The annual battle of the ads is getting bigger each year and becoming a national event. Although John Lewis is the winner again this year, the competition are closing in with popular efforts from smaller stores including Aldi – which proves it isn’t about budget but about how it makes mums and families feel inside.
"Mums also said they enjoyed the Asda and Morrisons ads showing they understand the dynamics of family life and how most families really run behind closed doors!
“A retailer who gets their festive ad right will ensure families warm to them and spend with them long after the festive decorations have been taken down.”