Creative Corner: Waitrose serves up seconds, Arsenal's Christmas cracker and Penguin has the perfect stocking filler

It’s November, so I had to serve up at least one Christmas campaign before everyone gets uncomfortably stuffed with ad-fuelled merriment.

I’ve pulled out what I think is arguably the best of the ‘traditional’ TV ad offerings, a romcom sequel from Waitrose, alongside a rather lovely literary makeover from Penguin that, although not a Christmas campaign, would make a perfect stocking filler, and finally a festive offering from Arsenal that pains me to say, as a Chelsea fan, is actually pretty good.

Waitrose goes back for seconds with its Christmas romcom

If there was ever a time to indulge in second helpings, it’s Christmas. Second mince pie for you sir? Don’t mind if I do. But, as many an expanded waistband will testify, that hunger for more can sometimes get a bit too much. Thankfully, that is not the case with Waitrose’s second serving of last year’s rather successful Christmas romcom as it brings back Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson for a sequel to its festive love story.

Daubed, The Perfect Gift 2, it picks up where the original left off, with Knightley’s character heading for the altar, albeit with the decidedly less appealing Hugo Bunty-Griffin (Alex Hassell aka Rupert Campbell-Black from the TV show Rivals), leaving Wilkinson’s lovelorn Phil with one last chance to win her back. And what better way to do it than with a spot of culinary one-upmanship and a rather spectacular Beef Wellington?

At six minutes, this is no quick festive snack, it’s claimed to be the UK's longest supermarket Christmas TV commercial in history. 

Waitrose has also made sure there’s plenty more to chew on across its social channels, with behind-the-scenes footage, bloopers, cooking films, movie-style posters, and shorter edits befitting a Christmas classic.

To me, it dishes up dollops of pure Christmas magic, conjuring lazy, sofa-day, make-believe rom-com feels, all whilst getting the taste buds going in anticipation of the big day. It’s a second helping worth reaching for, and I think it has well and truly knocked John Lewis off its Christmas ad perch.

Penguin gives its classics a picture-perfect makeover

Not a Christmas campaign, but since a book of sorts will be on most people’s Christmas list, I thought I’d indulge you with a little creative makeover that caught my eye from Penguin.

The quintessential publisher has given some of the twentieth century’s greatest works a rather handsome new wardrobe. The Twentieth-Century Classics collection has taken five literary heavyweights, including East of Eden, In Cold Blood and The Outsider, and given them the hardback treatment with photography-led covers.

Befitting a great literary work of art, each photograph has been carefully selected to capture the spirit and themes of its respective novel, from Jack Delano’s evocative image of isolation for The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter to work by some of photography's most celebrated names, including Henri Cartier-Bresson and Richard Avedon.

Inspired by the familiar visual language of its Modern Classics range, the new editions are also bound in tactile eau-de-nil cloth, with black foil lettering.

It's a life-affirming example of how good creative design can breathe fresh life into established cultural icons without messing with what made them special in the first place. Pop one in your Christmas stocking.

Arsenal scores with its Christmas ad

Finishing this week’s Creative Corner with something that pains me to say, being a Chelsea fan, but Arsenal’s Christmas offering is pretty good.

‘Twas the Season’ starts out sounding like a familiar Christmas tale, with lifelong gooner Colin Firth waxing lyrical about anticipation, joy and togetherness as he wanders the fairy-lit streets of Islington. But (again, it pays me to say) there's a rather nice twist. What initially sounds like a celebration of Christmas turns out to be a retelling of Arsenal's historic 2025/26 season, which saw the club lift the Premier League title after a 22-year wait.

Created by the club's in-house Creative Studio, the film features cameos from Alessia Russo, Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhães, alongside the supporters who made the celebrations what they were.

It's smart brand building that puts fans, rather than merchandise, at the heart of the story. And with Firth's Fever Pitch credentials thrown in for good measure, the casting is spot on to deliver the festive message.

Football club brand building has come a long way from shirts, scarfs, hats and tracksuits and as well as doing great things on the pitch, the North London club has also arguably been one of the most successful clubs winning at life off the pitch, successfully building its brand beyond the confines of the Emirates.

With the likes of Italian club Como 1907 transforming itself into a luxury lifestyle label and now a manufacturer of its own kit, this is a trend that is going to continue to build in 2027.

That’s it for this week’s Creative Corner!

If you’ve seen something that caught your eye, or if you’ve been working on something you’re particularly proud of, please get in touch at paul.lucas@fanclubpr.com. I’d love to hear about it.