With the festive season fast approaching (can you believe it?) Australia’s most memorable Christmas campaigns aren’t just a nostalgic trip down memory lane – they’re a masterclass in creative effectiveness.
According to new research from creative measurement consultancy Cubery, the ads that stand the test of time do more than tug at heartstrings.
They both build, and reinforce distinctive brand assets that last well beyond December.
How emotion powers recall
Cubery surveyed around 3,000 Australians, asking a deceptively simple question: Which Christmas ad stands out as your favourite of all time – and what brand was it for?
The findings show that emotion remains the number-one driver of attention. But for brands that want to stay top of mind, storytelling alone isn’t enough.
“It’s something we’ve seen play out like clockwork over the past decade,” said Cubery Senior Consultant Wil Logan.
“While tapping into family, togetherness and nostalgia is a surefire way to trigger an emotional response, if every other advertiser is doing the same thing, what will make your brand stand out?”
The top 10 brands of all time
Leading the pack was Coca-Cola, thanks to its iconic ‘Christmas is Coming’ campaign – a convoy of glowing red trucks and polar bears that have become seasonal shorthand for the holidays.
“It’s the perfect demonstration of branded memorability,” said Logan. “Coke isn’t just taking people back to their childhoods – it’s ensuring the brand is front and centre of that journey.”
In second place came Coles, with its bright, communal Christmas spreads showcasing family, food and festive cheer.
Logan noted the supermarket’s ability to tie emotion to its distinctive brand cues. “The red tablecloths, the cracker crowns – these visual elements reinforce Coles’ mental structures. And Curtis Stone, though missing this year, has become synonymous with the brand’s Christmas narrative.”
Australia’s most memorable Christmas advertisers
- Coca-Cola
- Coles
- Myer
- Woolworths
- Telstra
- Aldi
- Target
- David Jones
- Qantas
- Big W
Building brand magic that lasts
Across the Top 10, the unifying thread is long-term investment in distinctive brand assets, colour, tone, and recurring visual motifs, that anchor emotional storytelling in brand recognition.
Brands such as Myer, Woolworths, Telstra and Aldi have consistently grounded their festive storytelling in Australian realities: backyard barbecues, beach cricket, and family gatherings in the heat. “These are the campaigns that resonate,” said Logan.
“They reflect how Australians do Christmas, not how the rest of the world imagines it.”
Logan added that emotion without brand connection misses the mark. “To quote Professor Byron Sharp, ‘Emotion is the vehicle, not the destination.’ Whether it’s Christmas or any other time of year, advertising that endures links emotion inseparably to the brand. And in an economy where every media dollar has to work harder, that’s never been more crucial.”
What the research shows
Cubery’s nationwide survey captured a broad cross-section of Australians aged 18 and over, asking respondents to spontaneously recall a Christmas ad and the brand behind it.
While few could recall specific scenes in detail, the brand associations proved strong – a finding that underscores the link between emotional resonance and branded memory.
Emotion gets attention. But the brands that dominate Christmas consciousness don’t just make audiences feel something – they make sure people remember who made them feel it.