Social-first agency Campfire has revealed its insights into the most discussed Christmas adverts of 2024 so far, using its new social listening tool, VibeCheck.
This sentiment analysis tool categorises social media comments into positive, negative, and neutral, providing a real-time snapshot of audience reactions to campaigns. The results highlight some surprising winners and losers.
Highlights from VibeCheck’s findings include:
- Boots faced the highest level of criticism, with a 61% negative sentiment, as the brand’s ‘non-traditional’ approach struggled to create a connection
- John Lewis’s The Gifting Hour sparked a mixed response, with 40% positive sentiment but a notable 33% negative sentiment, reecting the complexity of its emotional narrative.
- Coca-Cola’s AI-powered campaign, The Holiday Magic is Coming, received 41% negative sentiment, as audiences rejected the lack of authenticity and the uninspired use of the technology.
- Tesco wins, but Lidl was in close second with an incredible 92% positive sentiment and no negative feedback, thanks to its embrace of conventional Christmas aesthetic and unchallenging message.
The ads and responses were sourced from the brands’ official YouTube channels, VibeCheck then analysed all comments from each ad and categorised them as positive, negative, or neutral.
The percentages represent this proportion, but the data was then further refined by calculating a weighted score, factoring in the overall number of comments for each advert. Tesco took top spot on this basis, with a weighted positive score of +1.51 against a weighted negative of -0.02, or 1.49 total, with Lidl in second at +1.47 and -0.00.
Boots took the bottom slot by this metric too, with a weighted positive of +0.07 and negative -1.01. The pharmacy’s #MakeMagic campaign faced significant backlash, with many comments criticising the ad for being “the most un-Christmassy advert ever”, however comments also highlighted a general rejection of its modernisation attempts: “Can we not just have traditional Christmas adverts?” some viewers commented by tagging the ad as ‘overly progressive’ or dismissive of tradition.
Although Tesco’s festive efforts took top spot by weighted score, it was perhaps Lidl who stole the show with an astounding 92% positive
sentiment and zero negative comments, showcasing the brand’s mastery of festive storytelling through an ‘uncomplicated’ concept, a comforting aesthetic and light-hearted approach.
Those weighted scores in full:
