Spending on Christmas adverts in the UK is expected to reach record levels of nearly £6 billion this year, as retailers scramble to release their 2017 campaigns.
According to the Advertising Association (AA), spending has risen by 37 per cent since 2010, topping £5.9 billion.
“The Christmas season is a time when we see many of the very best, big-budget advertisements appearing in our media,” said Karen Fraser, director of think tank Credos.
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“As we forecast a record spend from advertisers, many people now see the official start of Christmas as when we hear or see a particular advertisement.”
John Lewis’s eagerly anticipated Christmas advert was released today, thought to have cost around £7 million including TV spots.
Numerous other heavyweight retailers have released their adverts this week, including Marks & Spencer, Argos, Debenhams and Asda, with Sainsbury’s set for launch this Sunday.
Nearly half of those surveyed in a recent study by the AA said they had been moved to tears by Christmas adverts, while a third said they looked forward to Christmas adverts more than any film release.
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