Tesco launches Christmas advert featuring time-travelling delivery driver

Tesco has unveiled its 2019 Christmas advertising campaign, as it looks to drive customers into its stores for the key shopping period.

The UK’s largest supermarket has celebrated its 100th anniversary by sending one of its delivery drivers back in time, in a Back To The Future-influenced Christmas advert.

The retailer, which said the advert is intended to highlight its role “delivering Christmas to the nation for the past 100 years”, will launch the 90-second film during Sunday’s first episode of the new series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

In the advert a Tesco delivery driver called Joel, played by an actor, arrives with his lorry full of food in various years throughout the past century, after his van gets caught up in Christmas lights.

His trip sees him make deliveries to Winston Churchill at Number 10 Downing Street, Jim Bowen during an episode of the classic game show Bullseye, and arriving at a rave with mince pies.

Tesco would not disclose the cost of the advertising campaign, but said its focus was to “make the best use of the campaign to have the best possible effect when reaching customers”.

Alessandra Bellini, Tesco chief customer officer, said: “2019 marks 100 years of Tesco helping families up and down the country celebrate Christmas.

“With the help of a delivery van, a cast from across the decades and a little bit of magic, we’re telling that story.”

Tesco said its new Christmas campaign, which also includes a raft of new posters and 10-second adverts which will feature on digital platforms, is also intended to highlight new products in its Christmas range.

Tesco’s advertising over the year has highlighted its centenary through the use of figures such as Mr Blobby.

Tesco pulled the advert, but the singer later said the spat was the result of “miscommunication”.

The new advert comes days after John Lewis released its highly-awaited Christmas advert, which featured an excitable dragon called Edgar, while supermarket rivals such as Aldi and Sainsbury’s have also released their festive adverts.

Tom Drew, creative director at BBH London, the creative agency working on Tesco’s campaign, said: “Tesco have been helping the nation deliver Christmas for 100 years.

“That’s pretty magical. We just needed to add a little sparkle to the story.”