Top 10 Christmas drinks adverts

Festive adverts have become as much a staple of Christmas as mulled wine, presents and several more glasses of mulled wine.

This fact has certainly not eluded the alcohol industry, which has been churning out holiday television adverts for decades now.

Sure, some of them are tacky. Or lazy. Yet, the best ones manage to perfectly balance humour and originality.

John Lewis may be generally thought of as the gold standard for Christmas adverts, but here are 10 alcohol brands that have been giving it a run for its money.

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Stella Artois (2010)

Sticking with its unusual, fast-paced, slightly Wes Anderson style of filming, this Stella Artois advert depicts an ice carving competition in a small Alpine town.

Naturally, the person who chooses to carve a bar wins, and celebrates with a bottle of Stella and one of the judges.

This advert has such a sense of upbeat style; it’s a joy to watch.

Also, we feel we should add that ice carving is something you probably shouldn’t do while drinking…

Jack Daniels (2012)

This advert shows workers from the whiskey giant building an enormous Christmas tree out of 140 empty barrels. As you do.

It might be a strange idea, but the images of the smiling staff and the shots of the tree being constructed are charming enough to pull it off. Not to mention the stunning final shot of the 22ft tree.

Still, we’re jealous no one left 140 barrels of Jack Daniels under our tree last year.

Budweiser (2005)

Some might expect a beer advert to focus on, well, the beer.

Yet, in this 2005 advert, the actual product and the Budweiser logo are only onscreen for two seconds.

What does the commercial choose to focus on instead? Horses having a snowball fight. Obviously.

To be fair, the horses in question are the famous Budweiser Clydesdales. This video amps up the playfulness and tones down the advertising, and that’s ironically what makes it such a good advert.

Grey Goose (2011)

Grey Goose has always tried to market itself as classy, and this advert goes a long way towards that.

The black and white, the house party setting. Everything about this commercial is slick, smooth and still, somehow, festive.

Vodka probably wouldn’t be the kind of alcohol most people associate with Christmas, so Grey Goose faced an uphill battle to make an advert that fit the image of its vodka and of the festive season.

We say mission accomplished.

Guinness (2011)

Yes, another Christmas advert with horses.

This commercial actually follows an incredibly simple premise; what happens when it snows in Ireland.

Well, apparently it would look beautiful. Each second of this commercial is prettier than the last, and it all builds to a breathtaking final pan up to the gates of the Guinness factory.

No other advert succeeds so well in making its beer look classic, classy and part of a community.

Heineken (1989)

Have you ever wondered what Santa’s reindeer do on their day off? Or, to be more accurate, their 364 days off?

Well, apparently they kick back with a Heineken and watch TV. Or try to without their antlers ruining the reception.

No, we’re not entirely sure how antlers would affect a TV signal either. Still, this advert is sweet, silly and laidback. Even if the Rudolph in the ad looks like a rejected character from A Muppets Christmas Carol.

Ernest and Julio Gallo Wine (1987)

If this advert had any more Christmas imagery it would burst.

There are snow-filled fields. There are pine trees. There are family members getting along. Not to mention copious amounts of wine.

This old advert is sweet, wholesome and has definitely matured well with age.

Bailey’s (2013)

Bailey’s 2013 advert just has so much crammed in. At over two minutes long, it’s comfortably the longest video on this list.

Yet, every moment is still packed with motion, drama or humour. Like with the Budweiser advert the actual drink gets sidelined, but it doesn’t matter.

The memorable nature of this advert means that you’ll recall it every time you see someone pouring that dark, creamy liquid.

Corona Extra (1990)

If the Baileys advert grabbed your attention by being a frantic rush of activity, this one does it by being totally sedate.

Titled O Tannenpalm, this advert simply shows a cabin in the middle of nowhere celebrating Christmas.

At first the picture is just of the cabin, but after about 12 seconds a palm tree lights up, covered in fairy lights.

This commercial perfectly captures Carona’s chilled out image, while managing to add just a little Christmas magic.

Bulmers (2009)

Finally, an advert that touches on that most Christmassy of themes: bribery.

In The Chosen One, one man has the power to decide who will turn on the Bulmers orchard’s Christmas lights. Of course, he is constantly bombarded by letters, placards and pies, all sent by people desperate to be chosen.

In the end, an apple falls on the switch and turns on lights itself. This advert is light-hearted, fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously.