Waitrose has sparked an extraordinary reaction with its new Christmas campaign, with thousands of viewers declaring it the best festive advert of the year.
The four-minute romantic comedy stars Keira Knightley and comedian Joe Wilkinson, marking a complete departure from traditional supermarket Christmas campaigns.
Social media has erupted with praise, with viewers calling it “the greatest ad ever” and “utterly brilliant”.
The overwhelming response has seen people begging for a feature-length version of the mini-movie, with many saying they forgot they were watching an advert.
The supermarket has struck gold with this unexpected pairing and fresh approach to festive advertising.
The film, entitled ‘The Perfect Gift’, follows an unlikely romance that begins when both characters reach for the same Sussex Charmer cheese at a Waitrose counter.
Their relationship blossoms through shared moments over food, culminating in Phil recreating a special recipe from Keira’s grandmother that inspired the supermarket’s Festive Turkey Pie.
‘I got completely engaged in this gorgeous story. I forgot it was an advert for a minute’
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The campaign has already won approval from romantic comedy legend Richard Curtis, who called it “sweet as pie”.
Directed by BAFTA-winning Molly Manners, known for Netflix’s One Day, the film celebrates how food brings people together during the festive season.
One viewer wrote: “I got completely engaged in this gorgeous story. I forgot it was an advert for a minute.”
‘Don’t think I’ve ever committed to watching something so intently in my entire life – LOVE IT’
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WAITROSE
Another declared, “This has to be the best Christmas ad ever,” while someone else called it “quite simply the best advert [they’ve] ever seen”.
Offering the ultimate praise, one Waitrose shopper went a step further, revealing it was “the best thing [they’d] seen all year”.
The enthusiasm was infectious, with comments like “I’m sorry but a meet cute at the cheese counter?! BRAVO WAITROSE!” and “I need the feature-length version”.
Many viewers found themselves unexpectedly invested in the romance. “Don’t think I’ve ever committed to watching something so intently in my entire life – LOVE IT!” one commenter wrote.
“That’s beaten all the Christmas TV adverts,” another viewer concluded.
The heartfelt responses kept pouring in, with one person stating: “Move over, John Lewis. I’m bawling. Loved it.”
Others praised its feel-good factor: “A wonderful life in a Waitrose setting! Fantastic Christmas advertisement, Waitrose. I’ve goosebumps just watching it.”
Keira Knightley said: “I love food, and so when I received this script where I get to fall head over heels in love over a shared love of cheese, I couldn’t turn it down!”
Joe Wilkinson added: “It was great to be back with Waitrose for its 2025 Christmas campaign. This year, Phil got to enjoy both the love and the food he truly deserved.”