Waitrose's Intriguing Christmas Mystery Advert

Waitrose has kicked off its Christmas ad series with ‘Sweet Suspicion: A Waitrose Mystery,’ launching its festive campaign with a suspenseful two-part storyline. The ad offers a fun twist on the traditional Christmas spot, featuring an all-star cast and an intriguing ‘whodunnit’ theme that will keep audiences guessing until the concluding part in a few weeks.

Created by Saatchi & Saatchi, the story centers around a food-loving family preparing for Christmas Day. However, a surprise twist soon arises when their centerpiece dessert mysteriously vanishes.

Succession star Matthew Macfadyen plays an earnest amateur detective who’s eager to solve the mystery. Is the culprit the exasperated grandmother, or could it be Samira, the frazzled hostess? With a lively cast of suspects, viewers are invited to piece together clues to uncover who committed the festive ‘crime.’

The mystery will continue later this month with a second installment that will reveal the culprit, marking the brand's first serialized campaign. The campaign also expands into social media, where suspects share humorous alibis. There are outdoor displays designed as evidence boards; in-store activities where customers can hunt for clues to solve the mystery; and a partnership with top crime writers and The Times newspaper.

Directed by Lucy Forbes, known for This is Going to Hurt, the ad focuses more on storytelling than on pushing the product—a refreshing approach for a supermarket brand, especially compared to other Christmas ads so far this year.

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