Christmas casting call is closer than you think
Every November, brands fight for the most valuable attention of the year. 2026 is no different. M&S is building a joint fashion and food ad around Lucy Punch, while McDonald’s UK is skipping a Christmas hero film for the second year running.
Different strategies, one underlying question: who carries the story? MN2S has put talent at the heart of festive campaigns for fashion houses, department stores, gaming giants, tech brands and retailers. Here is what those campaigns looked like, and what they reveal about doing Christmas well.
The ensemble film: Zara, “Le Dîner” (2025)
Zara’s 2025 Christmas film turned a dinner in an elegant Madrid restaurant into a short piece of cinema. Directed by Santos Bacana and Rogelio González, the cast included Rossy de Palma, Vincent Cassel and Chucho Valdés alongside Diane Kruger, Damson Idris and Dylan Penn, the three talents Mn2s partnered with Zara to deliver. On Zara’s site, each scene spotlighted one star, and every outfit was shoppable.
The lesson: an ensemble cast turns one ad into many. Each star brings an audience, and each scene becomes its own piece of content.
The nostalgia play: Twinkly x Chevy Chase (2024)
Smart lighting brand Twinkly cast Chevy Chase, a comedian forever tied to classic Christmas films, in a 30-second spot that showed off its lights through comedy rather than product demo. Announced in October 2024 to build momentum before the decorating peak, it ran across TV, digital and social, and was relicensed for the 2025 US holiday season.
The lesson: borrow the memory. When talent already lives in your audience’s idea of Christmas, the brand inherits that warmth. A strong spot can also work for more than one season.
The in-store spectacle: Nordstrom x Fran Drescher (2024)
Nordstrom’s “Wonder All the Way” campaign turned its New York flagship into The Blizz on 57th Street, a takeover of giant inflatable characters inspired by city staples. Fran Drescher voiced several of them, from a lost engagement ring to a worried traffic cone, with filmmaker John Waters as her co-star. It ran from 27 November 2024 to 5 January 2025.
The lesson: a voice is a performance. Talent does not need to be on screen to make a retail space feel like an event.
The franchise: World of Tanks Holiday Ops
Wargaming has made a celebrity the face of its festive in-game event, Holiday Ops, year after year. Arnold Schwarzenegger fronted it in 2021. For Holiday Ops 2024, Vinnie Jones quit as Santa’s naughty-list enforcer to become a tank commander. Then Jason Statham played Santa’s stunt double in a six-minute cinematic short for Holiday Ops 2025, shot at Warner Bros. Studios in London. Creative Bloq asked whether it was the most surprising Christmas ad of 2024.
The lesson: Christmas rewards ritual. A recurring celebrity slot becomes something fans anticipate, and every casting reveal is its own news story.
The live moment: Westfield Garden State Plaza x Judy Torres (2023)
Pop vocalist and radio personality Judy Torres hosted Westfield Garden State Plaza’s Big Santa Lighting in New Jersey, switching on a 48-foot Santa, performing, and fronting a show of 200 choreographed drones.
The lesson: a switch-on is a broadcast moment. The right host turns footfall into content.
The creator-led season
Not every festive campaign needs a hero film. Amazon’s #HolidayHaul used creators including dancer Rylee Arnold to recommend gifts through their own storefronts. Children’s TV presenter Andy Day narrated “Santa Loves STEM” for the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2020. That same December, DJ Jazzy Jeff played a virtual holiday party for Virbela. And this September, Nabela Noor kicked off hosting season for Secret, building the brand into her pre-guest routine.
The lesson: creators own the in-between moments: the gift list, the hosting prep, the party.
Tesco and Carphone Warehouse (2018)
Great British Bake Off finalist Ruby Bhogal joined Tesco on radio to promote its Festive Menu Helper, a Christmas dinner planning app. The same month, Sam Thompson re-enacted classic Christmas music videos for Carphone Warehouse’s “Quizmas” social countdown.
The lesson: match the talent to the job. A baker for Christmas dinner, an entertainer for a playful countdown.
What the best Christmas campaigns share
Look across them and a pattern emerges. The talent was chosen for what they already mean at Christmas, not just their reach. The format fitted the brand, whether a short film, a store takeover or a single Instagram Reel. And the timing started early: Twinkly announced in October, and Secret went live in September.
The strongest December campaigns are cast long before December. Whether you are finalising this year’s festive plans or already thinking about next year’s, now is the moment to decide who tells your story. Start your Christmas talent brief here.