Some of the most impactful Christmas stories have infused a little Christmas joy into a lot of other emotions – loneliness, stinginess and now sadness for a lost loved one. Tesco’s Christmas commercial by BBH London doesn’t keep its moments of Christmas joy until the happy ending as most do, but it is, nonetheless, intending to standout from its supermarket competitors with its different view of Christmas.

The story is told in a three-minute-long film about a man called Gary who is reminded of the death this year of his grandmother by Christmas’ moments, not least of which is the gingerbread tradition, which appears to have been his grandmother’s Christmas “signature”. People around him…and even a Tesco receipt, turn into gingerbread in the man’s imagination.

Ultimately, Gary and his grandfather rekindle their family’s gingerbread making tradition (with help from Tesco, of course).

The film was directed by Alaska, who also directed Tesco’s Christmas film last year, and produced by Iconoclast. Its soundtrack is On Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz.

To help the campaign bring people to Tesco stores, Tesco has pledged to donate 10p from every sale of gingerbread items, including Mini Gingerbread Men and Create Your Own Gingerbread House kits, to food distribution charities Trussell Trust and FareShare to help fight food poverty.

The campaign, made its debut on UK television on November 12 during The Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV and The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 . The full campaign includes social, online and cinema until December 23.

Credits:
Agency: BBH London
CCO: Alex Grieve
ECD: Felipe Guimaraes
Creatives: Ieva Paulina & Camila Gurgel

Production Company: Iconoclast
Directors: Alaska