Sainsbury’s 1914: Christmas in Wartime

In 2016, H&M took the ad world by storm with their branded film from Wes Anderson, but not to be outdone was Sainsbury’s 1914, which debuted two years prior. The ad, exquisitely shot and masterfully made, detailed events on the no man land of WWI. In the supermarket chain’s ad, British and German soldiers hunkered down for a cold, frigid night in the trenches when the sounds of “Silent Night” rose through the air, leading the sides to meet for a brief Christmas armistice. It was a beautiful, semi-fact-based piece filled with holiday sentimentality, but not to the point of beating one with it, but rather keeping it at a comfortable, approachable distance. The ad’s power still remains, reminding viewers the holidays can be a time for common ground and understanding, which can guide to a new, better year and future.