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TK Maxx Brings Back the Alpaca in Its First New Christmas Ad for Three Years
TK Maxx’s Festive Crossing revives the farmer, alpaca and goat from 2023 with Ciara’s Goodies. What returning characters do for a retail brand.
TK Maxx has brought back the farmer, the wife, the alpaca and the goat. “Festive Crossing” is the retailer’s first new Christmas advert in three years, and it revives the cast of 2023’s “Festive Farm”.
What happened
According to Ad Ranking’s 2026 Christmas ads tracker, the film was made by Wieden+Kennedy London, directed by Gary Freedman and set to “Goodies” by Ciara. It launched on 5 November, with its TV debut held until 16 November.
In the film, the farmer, his wife, an alpaca and a goat are stopped by ducks in new TK Maxx buys. The tracker’s view: one sight gag, familiar characters and a song that does the rest.
Why it matters
Three years is a long gap between Christmas films. Rather than start again, TK Maxx went back to characters people already knew, which means the ad does not have to explain itself. Familiar characters lower the cost of attention: the audience spends no time working out who they are.
It also fits a value retailer. A simple joke, a recognisable cast and a hit song is a low-risk way to be memorable.
What it means for your brand
- A returning character is an asset. Plan for a sequel from the start. See brand story examples.
- Keep the idea simple. One visual joke can carry a whole campaign. Our campaign thinking starts from a single repeatable idea.
- Let the music do some of the work. A well-chosen track carries mood without extra copy. Read how to write ad copy that converts for where words earn their place.
