Tesco is shining a light on the awkward moments that make Christmas perfectly imperfect in its new festive campaign from BBH.

Moving away from one hero film, the campaign is made up of multiple standalone films to shine a light on the variety of Christmas experiences and make the whole country feel seen. 

Ditching the festive schmaltz to instead shine a light on the real, the campaign is born from the insight that for most people the festive period is full of funny, chaotic, unscripted moments that make Christmas, Christmas. 

‘That’s What Makes It Christmas’ features a series of standalone films in 10, 20 and 30-second formats as well as a longer cut that combines scenes from each. The films focus on different families but are united by a central theme of celebrating the weird and wonderful raw moments of Christmas.

From a relative rendering the dinner table silent with his unwarranted opinion to a drawing game that erupts in a fight between brothers, the series of vignettes show a range of familiar awkward festive scenarios. 

The films were directed by Jeff Low and produced by Biscuit Filmworks, with a soundtrack of track ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’Re and narration from comedian John Bishop. 

“With ‘That’s what makes it Christmas,’ we want to celebrate the wonderfully relatable chaos that fills homes across the UK. Tesco shows up for customers across the festive season in so many ways and we hope that the campaign resonates with the nation and Tesco helps everyone celebrate what makes it Christmas for them this year,” explains Becky Brock, Customer Director at Tesco Group. 

The campaign aims to spark cultural conversation around people’s own perfectly imperfect Christmases. Media led by EssenceMediacom includes partnerships to help ignite conversation, such as with Channel 4’s Gogglebox, where the television commentators will discuss the ads and talk about their own unique Christmas moments. Amid the festive moments, Tesco food and products are also at the centre of the campaign. The campaign shows how Tesco is there for its customers throughout the festive season with party food, Christmas snacks and main meals.

Alongside the campaign, creative elements of the campaign will be available in store in products such as Christmas cards from the estate of Robin Shaw depicting familiar chaotic Christmas scenes and F&F Christmas jumpers designed to answer inevitable awkward family questions such as ‘Yes, I’m still single’.

As well as OOH, AV, Audio, Press, Digital and Social the campaign features buses wrapped in paper that has run out, a Metro cover wrap Bingo card for ticking off chaotic Christmas moments and petrol pumps delivering tailored messages for people on the journey home for Christmas.

Tesco holds a mirror up to the festive season to celebrate Christmas in its entirety and be there for its customers no matter the moment.