‘Monty the Penguin’ scored 84% on the emotionally compelling scale – a combined measure of how the ad scores on attraction, retention, engagement and impact. It was followed by Harvey Nichols’ “Could I be any clearer” ( 80%) ad on helping people avoid unwanted gifts. The Post Office’s ‘Get Christmas All Wrapped Up’ featuring Robert Webb and Pixie Lott was third ( 68%).

Mihkel Jäätma, CEO of Realeyes, said: “There are four elements to make an ad resonate emotionally: attract or hook the audience early; retain their attention; engage by invoking some form of reaction – the stronger the better – and finish with impact. Monty scored joint highest on engagement and impact with Harvey Nichols, but won because it was the best ad at retaining attention. However, both ads were very mid-table when it came to initial attraction.” 

Celebrities don’t guaranteed that an ad will be compelling. Littlewoods’ Myleene Klass ad had the second lowest overall score of all 25 ads and the lowest initial attraction score. H&M’s ad with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett had the fourth lowest score of all the ads measured. 

Jäätma said: “H&M had the second lowest retention score of all the ads, which meant by the time Gaga and Bennett appeared, audiences had already drifted off – an expensive mistake. Featuring them earlier could have made a big difference.”