You probably missed this Christmas ad but it might be one of the best

Nothing says Christmas time like the bevvy of festive ads that bombard us from early November. Advertisements are undoubtedly powerful; they can make us laugh, cry, evoke powerful, precious memories from our early childhoods and make us question whether we really needed to purchase that extra pair of shoes (the short answer is yes). This year, we’ve been blessed with some good ‘uns from the tearful John Lewis, to the brave children guiding Santa to safety for Dunnes Stores, to Lidl’s Kevin The Carrot (a national treasure, in my opinion).

By now you’ve probably seen them ALL twice over, but one beautiful ad has slipped completely under the radar. If there was an award for cutest Christmas ad Erste Group – one of the largest financial services providers in Central and Eastern Europe – would probably win it.

Called the #believeinyourself campaign, the short animation features an extraordinary production fuelled by the true meaning of Christmas; love, togetherness and friendship.

Directed by Kyra & Constantin, ‘First Christmas’ is a love story told in beautiful animation with woodland characters spreading the message. We follow Henry the Hedgehog as he starts at a new school. His spikes make it hard for him to fit in but luckily he has a friend, Squirrel, looking out for him. The CGI animation has been given a truly unique tactile and fuzzy feel, with Kyra & Constantin telling the story of love through the adorable characters.

This is the group’s first attempt at a large-scale festive ad and it’s a sheer delight to watch. Tissues at the ready.