Argos’ 2025 Christmas campaign scooped Christmas Advert of the Year at the RG Excellence Awards 2026, thanks to its humour and toy-led antics. Connie and Trevor return for 2026, to help comedian and actor Richard Ayoade understand that the retailer offers more.
Titled Tales of Argos Past, the advert takes inspiration from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, with Argos mascots Connie and Trevor playing the ghosts who take Ayoade’s Scrooge-like character on a journey through the retailer’s history.
The story uses nostalgia to highlight how Argos has evolved beyond its traditional toy and catalogue heritage, showcasing its current range of premium gifts, technology and homeware.
Created by advertising agency T&P and directed by Declan Lowney of Merman, the campaign launches on 01 November across television, streaming services, cinema, social media and out-of-home advertising.
The advert features different versions of Ayoade as he revisits childhood memories of browsing the Argos catalogue, before being introduced to the products available to shoppers today.
The campaign also extends into outdoor advertising, with split-screen creative pairing nostalgic products, including the original Mr Frosty and Game Boy Colour, with contemporary alternatives such as Ninja Slushies and Nintendo Switch consoles.
It builds on Argos’ There’s More to Argos brand platform, first introduced in 2023, which aims to broaden customer perceptions of the retailer and encourage shoppers to consider its wider product offering.
The campaign follows the success of its 2025 Christmas advert, which starred Simon Bird alongside Connie and Trevor. That campaign won Christmas Advert of the Year at the 2026 RG Excellence Awards.
Argos head of campaigns Laura Boothby said the retailer wanted to build on the success of its previous festive advertising while giving its established characters a fresh storyline.
The latest campaign also reflects Argos’ wider ambition to use its heritage and brand recognition to attract shoppers looking beyond its traditional toy offering.
Speaking exclusively to Retail Gazette about its campaign focus, Argos stressed: “People know us incredibly well, but they don’t necessarily know the full breadth of what we offer today. Christmas provides an opportunity to showcase toys and gifting alongside tech, beauty and home, while reinforcing its promise to help customers get what they want, when they want it.”
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