The UK retail Christmas ad competition has begun. So far, it’s very musical.

Argos has Connie the doll dancing to classic disco hit, Le Freak by Chic. Marks & Spencer’s star-crammed commercial is set to Meat Loaf’s I Would Do Anything for Love, revamped by Ray BlK (although its message, paradoxically, is to do only what fills your needs this Christmas).

Argos’ Dancer, by The &Partnership, also stars Trevor, the toy dinosaur, voiced by This Country’s Charlie Cooper. Just Do Nothing’s Ruth Bratt is Connie as a dancer. The Christmas film builds on the brand’s toys come to life concept that launched with the campaign, There’s More to Argos, in May this year, in which Cooper and Bratt became Connie and Trevor’s stand-ins.

The commercial was directed by Stink Films’ Traktor and animated by Untold. It is running on TV in the UK, across broadcast video-on-demand, out of home, online, social media, radio and PR.

Meanwhile Mother has created a Christmas feast of UK celebrities for M&S – Hannah Waddingham, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Zawe Ashton and Queer Eye’s Tan France – for its Christmas commercial, directed by Ally Pankiw.

The campaign picks up on this year’s “self-health” theme – in contrast to the traditional Christmas ad “joy” of giving and doing for others. M&S encourages people to do what they want this Christmas, to put their own needs first and to experience the joy of an imperfect Christmas that doesn’t overwhelm.

Mother’s creative will run across TV, VOD (multiple platforms), dynamic digital billboards and print cover wraps. The TVC will also feature across several podcast sponsorships, including Table Manners, The Therapy Crouch, Help I Sexted My Boss, Sh*gged Married Annoyed, Closet Confessions and Spencer & Vogue.