Morrison's Musical Mitts Take Center Stage in Heartwarming Christmas Ad

Leo Burnett crafts festive magic as animated oven gloves steal the spotlight, serenading hosts and chefs during their Christmas dinner preparations

By creative salon

03 November 2023

To spread the festive joy this holiday season Morrisons has dazzled viewers with animated oven gloves in its latest Christmas campaign set to air on 6 November during ITV's Coronation Street.

The heartwarming 60-second spot, created in collaboration with Leo Burnett, features animated oven gloves that come to life in kitchens across the country, serenading and supporting hosts and chefs as they prepare their Christmas feasts. Set to the classic power ballad 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' by American rock band Starship, the ad aims to resonate with viewers and emphasise Morrisons' commitment to being there for customers during the holidays.

"The trusty oven glove [is] the tuneful cheerleaders of the nation's Christmas chefs, and we hope they enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it," remarked Rachel Eyre, Morrisons Chief Customer and Marketing Officer. "We’ve once again placed marketing effectiveness front and centre across the whole planning and development process of this campaign with the aim being to get really emotionally engaging work that’s highly impactful. Nothing's gonna stop us making this Christmas the best for our customers."

The advertisement showcases the supermarket's dedication to providing quality and value through its Christmas range, including freshly prepared British food from its Market Street. The singing oven gloves play a dual role, offering moral support and entertaining tunes to ensure hosts have everything they need for a memorable festive feast.

The scene is set with a familiar image of a Dad, adorned in his Santa hat and pajamas, heading to the kitchen to preheat the oven on Christmas morning. Families are then seen joyfully preparing food, accompanied by their animated oven glove companions. The gloves dance in a choreographed routine, guarding treats from eager hands and offering silent support when a potato takes a brief detour to the floor.

"The humble oven glove is at the heart of every Christmas across the UK," said Mark Elwood, ECD at Leo Burnett UK. "Our singing oven gloves are there to support hosts up and down the nation whilst making their Christmas dinner special. Bringing a little festive joy to the nation with an 80s banger that everyone can sing along too. #GloveOke anyone?"

The climax of the ad sees the oven gloves checking on the delicious mains cooking in the oven, with Dad proudly serving up the turkey to applause from guests. The iconic 'More Reasons to Shop at Morrisons' jingle, given a festive twist for the campaign, adds to the overall holiday spirit.

Directed by Tim McNaughton from The Bobbsey Twins, the ad will be featured on network TV spots during popular shows like The Great British Bake Off, I'm a Celebrity, and Goggle Box. Additionally, it will grace cinema screens throughout the festive season before blockbuster films such as The Marvels, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.

As part of the holiday celebration, Morrisons is encouraging the nation to join the 'glove love' with an interactive oven glove karaoke competition on social media, labeled #GloveOke. Participants can post videos of their own singing gloves for a chance to win their Christmas shopping. The competition, spanning TikTok and other social platforms, will involve influencers, creators, and fans.

The broader campaign will extend across radio, press, digital display, social media, and out-of-home advertising, with ten 20-second ads highlighting great Christmas deals across TV and VOD and partnerships with Magic radio and Immediate Media. The hashtag #GloveOke is expected to gain traction, encouraging people to share their own festive kitchen sing-alongs.