The carrot that keeps on giving: Aldi named most powerful Christmas ad in Kantar study

The spot is the fourth to feature the retailer’s vegetable mascot Kevin the Carrot. Kevin’s last outing was named the public’s favourite Christmas ad of 2018 in Campaign’s Adwatch of the Year survey.

Aldi’s ad, by McCann UK, scored the highest across the seven categories measured by LinkNow. It was ranked the most "different" and came joint top as the most "emotional" with two others: "Excitable Edgar", the joint campaign from John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners, and Marks & Spencer's "Go jumpers". 

Meanwhile, Walkers' "Too good to share", featuring Mariah Carey, was rated as the ad that generated the most brand love. Aldi was again second on this measure, with Amazon’s "Everybody needs somebody" third.

Lynne Deason, Kantar UK’s head of creative excellence, said: "To create advertising that really resonates with consumers, brands must understand what we’re thinking and feeling. Many are making a very deliberate effort to lift our spirits this year. 

"They’re earning attention by taking us on a dramatic emotional journey, using entertaining, cinematic stories that bring a magical sparkle and – hopefully – leave us feeling good. This year, lost joy will mean lost sales."