Christmas officially starts when department store group John Lewis unveils its festive advert. And this year was no different.

Christmas officially starts when department store group John Lewis unveils its festive advert. And this year was no different.

John Lewis’ £7m ad took up the entire break on ITV’s X-Factor to launch this year’s creative feast to the nation. And it is a move on for the retailer – it’s a cartoon – but essentially it’s the same message.

There are no doubt millions of fans of the bear and the hare, and many who will be reduced to tears when the bear finally makes it to Christmas.

But for some, it is the usual story from a trusted John Lewis, and while the ad is beautifully made, it isn’t hitting all the right Christmas buttons.

Then this week along came Sainsbury’s. While most shoppers would struggle to remember Sainsbury’s Christmas campaign from last year (12 days of Christmas) and John Lewis’ last three campaigns are probably still logged, this year Sainsbury’s has hit the mark.

The campaign, a documentary-style ad by producer Kevin Macdonald featuring shoppers’ home videos, hits the right balance of comedy and tear-jerking moments.

On the one hand you’re laughing at someone unwrapping some radiator keys they received for Christmas, and on the other even the most cynical will be warmed by the soldier making it back from Afghanistan for Christmas Day hugging his surprised children.

While most shoppers probably won’t log on to YouTube to watch the full 50-minute documentary, it doesn’t matter. The three and a half minute ad tells shoppers all they need to know – Christmas is fun for all kinds of different reasons.

What Sainsbury’s delivers is an uplifting experience. And certainly in this climate, shoppers want to laugh as much as they can.

John Lewis delivers a moving story, but no laughter. And it’s the laughter that shoppers will want to remember.