A BIG win: Sainsbury’s 2024 Christmas campaign featuring the BFG picks up double award nods
The BFG amongst finalists at the IPM awards and UK Licensing Awards
Christmas in the UK isn’t just a season – it’s the moment in the advertising industry. Basically as huge as the SuperBowl in the US. In 2024, Sainsbury’s Christmas campaign delivered festive magic on a giant scale, featuring Roald Dahl’s beloved character, the BFG, alongside a real Sainsbury’s colleague, Sophie. Now, that giant-hearted storytelling has been recognised on the industry stage – nominated for not one, but TWO major awards: the 2025 IPM Awards and the 2025 UK Licensing Awards.
Why the campaign captivated audiences
The campaign followed a simple but beautiful premise: the BFG searches for a Christmas dinner that’s more “phizz-whizzing” than snozzcumber, alongside Sophie, a real colleague from Sainsbury’s. Together they journey to suppliers, uncover Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range in homes across the country, and end with a magical, food-filled feast in a dream cave.
It wasn’t just the story that captured imaginations – it was the craft. Directed by Sam Brown, the ad combined practical effects, impressive post-production by ETC, tactile set design and a heart-warming music score.
Creativity meets effectiveness
The creative didn’t just charm audiences; it delivered results. It became Sainsbury’s best-rated festive ad to date on System1’s Test Your Ad platform, scoring the maximum 5.9-stars across emotion, sales impact, and brand fluency. It was also crowned the official “winner of Christmas 2024” by Kantar, with the supermarket achieving 3.5% sales growth and its highest market share since 2019.
This is the power of character-led advertising: it connects instantly, it stirs emotion, and when executed with care, it moves the commercial needle too.
Award-nominated across the board
The campaign has now been shortlisted at:
The IPM Awards 2025, in the category ‘Best Brand Partnership (Dual or Multi-Brand)’
The UK Licensing Awards 2025, in the category ‘Best Licensed Promotions Campaign’
For Born Licensing, being part of a project that has landed on both shortlists is a proud moment, one that highlights the role of licensing as a creative catalyst. Here’s to more campaigns that prove characters aren’t just for entertainment – they’re for advertising history.
Read more about our work with the BFG.
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Sainsbury’s 2024 Christmas campaign, starring the BFG and colleague Sophie, has been shortlisted for both the IPM Awards and UK Licensing Awards 2025
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