Scrooge would approve

How refreshing it is to see a Christmas commercial that doesn't extoll the festive virtue of goodwill to all men, but instead focuses on the less attractive human trait of spoiling ourselves rotten. Reminiscent of Steve Martin's famous Oscar acceptance speech (in which he declared: "Thank you all so much... It was all down to me, me, me... and nothing to do with anyone else..."), this commercial created by Adam & Eve DDB (who incidentally brought us the comparatively sickly 'Bear and Hare' for John Lewis) is a delight. The casting and timing of the performances are spot on. If this doesn't make you chuckle, there really has to be something wrong with you.

Campaigning for the homeless

How do you raise awareness of the plight of London's homeless? Creative Guerrilla Marketing has come up with an original and eye-catching solution - nicely dressed individuals carrying messages written on cardboard scraps in much the same way as the homeless advertise their own plight; only in this instance the messages tell the public that these collectors do have homes and meals to go home to. This form of reverse psychology is clever; it reminds us all of our own good fortune and makes it strangely easier to give donations. And by using social media to tell the story of this novel approach, the charity is managing to raise awareness further. Ample proof surely that creative and effective marketing can sometimes be achieved on a shoestring.

Brilliant use of the digital medium by BA

From time to time the advertising industry goes and does something really interesting with the media. Back in the 1980s, Araldite glued a real car to a 48 sheet poster to demonstrate the strength of its adhesive. Thirty years on, Ogilvy & Mather has achieved the equivalent creative leap in the digital age.

This brilliant digital poster comes to life every time a BA plane flies over it and a small child runs into view, pointing up at the aircraft. The headline even informs us where each individual plane has come from. It's a beautifully creative way in which to deliver the airline's key message: 'More flights to more destinations.' Thus making the promise both compelling and utterly believable.

Like the Araldite poster, this poster for BA is a wonderfully creative product demonstration. And like the Araldite poster, it deserves to pick up heaps of awards. If it doesn't, I'll eat my bloody hat.

How much schmaltz can you take?

After much speculation, the John Lewis Christmas commercial has arrived. It's a stunningly beautiful piece of Disneyesque animation featuring a bear and a hare. Interestingly, it has divided opinion quite dramatically. People seem to either love it or hate it. And no, the retailer isn't flogging Marmite.

Production values aside, it unashamedly goes for the cheesiest, sickliest form of overly sentimental schmaltz laid on thick with a trowel and served with a side order of schmaltz.

Whatever your view though, I have to say that the idea isn't as fresh or original as the two previous John Lewis productions created by Adam & Eve. But I guess that was always going to be a difficult trick to pull off.

Selling the charms of Paris

This TV commercial created by AMV BBDO for Eurostar appeals to our sense of adventure and the prospect of discovering the charms and delights of Paris. It takes the bold decision not to tell us anything about the train journey and everything about the destination. In doing so, the intention here must be to get more people to visit Paris - thereby getting more derrieres on seats. It might just work, because this delightful little commercial certainly does make you smile. I particularly like the French voice over and the mischievous sense of humour, all of which is very French. Full marks to a brave client and a creative agency.

Chrimbo magic for M&S?

At a time when Marks & Sparks is feeling the pinch, a lot will be resting on this new Christmas commercial to steady the boat and inject some life into its flagging sales performance of late. So the retailer's advertising agency RKCR/Y&R has pulled out all the stops in terms of lavish production values and big names.

This commercial pays homage to 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Wizard of Oz' , and employs the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Helena Bonham Carter to add a bit of glitz.

So have they managed to pull it off? Well, yes and no. While it's probably a great deal better than any recent M&S offering, it doesn't exactly ooze charm in the same way last year's 'Snowman' Christmas commercial did for John Lewis. It's all very nicely edited and put together, but I can't help feeling that the use of perfect models who clearly can't act, lets this commercial down, and gives it the feel of a commercial rather than an epic film.

But there's a more fundamental question to be asked here. Is the marketing strategy on which this commercial is based, credible? In other words, can we realistically be expected to buy into the end-line 'Believe in magic and sparkle' in the context of Marks & Sparks? Call me an old cynic, but I'm not convinced that anyone in their right mind will ever associate M&S with magic and sparkle.