Netherlands’ 2024 Christmas Ad Campaigns: A Festive Review of Hits and Misses

About Patrick Severein

Patrick is a marketing and content strategist. Within iO, he is head of content marketing & video in our Utrecht campus.

But above all, Patrick is our CCO: Chief Christmas Officer. Patrick is a real Christmas fanatic, and is only too happy to combine his professional knowledge with his love for the holidays.

For several years now, he has been following and analysing, for Adformatie.nl and others, the various Christmas commercials broadcast on television in the UK, the US and the Netherlands.

Enjoy!

Is the Netherlands actually a Christmas commercial country? It’s with no small amount of festive cheer that I say, maybe it is now. More and more brands are going all in with targeted Christmas campaigns. And I say that with a lot of gratitude, as a fan of all things Christmas and advertising. Is it getting better? The non-supermarkets are already upping their games. Kruidvat and HEMA already have an established history of hitting the mark, and now an entirely unexpected brand like Schoonenberg is also raising their game. And the supermarkets? I’ve got mixed feelings about that. Below, my verdict on the Dutch Christmas ads of 2024.

The supermarkets

Jumbo

Yes! Jumbo! Finally. With no less than 4 commercials, they are throwing themselves into Christmas this year with aplomb. Each one of the series follows a different family member. Animals, Christmas trees, love, failed dishes, yes even snow, it’s all here. Simple, recognisable, cosy, in-jokes. And the icing on the cake: Robert ten Brink at Christmas dinner, who wouldn't want that?

Plus

Plus calling on their brand values (good!). Local entrepreneur sponsors musical (including funny advertising text). Beautifully made! To be honest, I’m a bit disappointed. Just not quite enough recognisable Christmas atmosphere here, I think. A little too far removed from the average Dutch family.

Aldi

Product and price. The magic words for Aldi. In the Christmas commercial as well too. A series of commercials focusing on low prices. Viewer has to guess the price. Boring and uninspired.

Albert Heijn

Wham! For this alone Albert Heijn have to be the winners of 2024. On the other hand: how many 50-year-olds have the same nostalgic feelings about that video as I do? This ad is precise. The storyline is nicely conceived, and of course beautifully made, but otherwise it doesn't do much for me. It’s a bit too far-fetched. Too little genuine emotion. And the hamster. (Of course a big shout-out to the one and only Andrew Ridgeley).

Lidl

Unfortunately, Lidl does not have a Dutch Christmas commercial (just like last year). They are using the international ad. Nicely made, nice approach. Nothing special (and very not Dutch).

The 'others'

Schoonenberg

'Christmas... you don't want to miss any of that'. Applause for the copywriter of Schoonenberg (or rather: of Indie Amsterdam). Spot on. And the rest of the Christmas commercial? Not bad. Is it ultra exciting? Nope. But it fits seamlessly with the brand, Christmas spirit, nothing exaggerated, hits the right note, well done.

Hema

After last year's direct hit, HEMA also scores this year with the Christmas commercial. Wonderful fact: you are never too old, for anything actually. Not even to play with Takkie and Siepie. Beautifully made. Barbra Streisand isn’t entirely necessary as far as I’m concerned but go ahead. Personally, I think the 'the Takkie-and-Siepie approach' is a bit too narrow. Maybe a little bit old fashioned? Or is that like swearing in church?

Kruidvat

We don’t see anywhere near enough connection of existing brand campaigns to Christmas, but Kruidvat does. With Lies, of course. She falls in love with her neighbour thanks to a dog. Cute! With dog cuteness too of course, but the dog acts completely out of his own interest (because the neighbour also has a nice dog). Nicely done, nice atmosphere, fits with the brand nicely. Storyline not very surprising.

Bol

Fix it. Thanks Bol. Nice approach for the campaign. Everything can be fixed. Including recycled scenes from the 2023 commercial. Not a very exciting proposition for a commercial.

Intratuin

Nice, Intratuin switches everything around (children ready to leave, mom wants to keep playing). That brings this commercial score to just above average. Otherwise well made, high production values.

Postcode Lottery

Singing doors, not to my taste. Plus one of the most boring McCartney songs ever. Not my favourite ad of the year. But the Postcode Lottery does have way above average production values for a Christmas/end-of-year commercial.

The Reading Coalition

Promoting reading with a Christmas commercial. It doesn't get any better than this for me. Alone... the Christmas commercial of The Reading Coalition is not a Christmas commercial (no clichés, no snow, no Christmas tree, no reference to Christmas). A hidden Christmas message (in the press release). That's it. But... The commercial itself is sweet and well done. Simple. Recognisable. And with a great goal. Let’s give this one the benefit of Christmas doubt.

Praxis

Praxis using the same hook as last year: a Christmas tree for Sinterklaas. Angle remains brilliantly conceived. But the commercial itself is far from exciting this year.

And one New Year's Eve commercial

Another miss. I'm not a big fan of hamsters, but I'm also finished with all the dogs. Next year, try something else please National Lottery! Tom helps sick neighbour. Dog ruins it and eats lottery ticket. Tom bends over backwards to solve the problem. Turns out to be a gift for him. Nice atmosphere, otherwise few surprises. Original choice of music (Gavin James).

The winner of 2024

This is last year that I will have more than one winner. Next year I would like one definitive winner, and I am curious if the crown will go to one of the supermarkets. The competition is closing in. Overall, the standard is getting better and better. Even if I’m disappointed, they’re all still very well made. Qualitatively, the Netherlands is rapidly becoming a serious Christmas commercial country. The winner from the supermarket category? Obviously, it’s Jumbo. In every way. The effort. The storylines. Atmosphere. Brand recognition. Albert Heijn and Plus are also on the podium. From the non-supermarket category, Kruidvat is the clear winner, closely followed by HEMA. And of course special mentions for Schoonenberg and The Reading Coalition.

Download our end-of-year guide