We’re continually surprised and delighted by the creative storytelling coming from brands, and the Holiday season has rapidly become the Super Bowl for a certain type of compact, emotional advert. Dubbed “sadvertising“, these are short narratives designed to wrest liquid from your tear ducts through the celebration of things like family, community, and being good and kind to your fellow humans. While undeniably manipulative, we admire their effectiveness, and their efficiency at making audiences feel bigly despite very short runtimes.

As mentioned in last year’s post on 3 Animated Ads to Melt Your Heart, this trend can largely be traced to the rise to blockbuster status of the annual John Lewis holiday ad, and in 2016 the genre feels quite mature. Indeed Pornhub can make a viral holiday ad where plot just references other holiday ads (SFW), and an animation student went viral, got a job, and was invited to do a bunch of morning shows for a fairly mediocre spec ad in the John Lewis-style. 

As competition heats up, it’s tougher for the established brands to measure up. We watched dozens of pieces this year, and our list has no space for John Lewis or Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Even Sainsbury, which made our list last year, fell short with its latest animation spectacular. Who made it in 2016? Find out below with our 5 picks as the best hyper-emotional holiday ads of the year. 

H&M “Come Together”

Dir: Wes Anderson (Riff Raff / The Directors Bureau) for adam&eveDDB

As one of the most recognizable directors on the big screen, Wes Anderson’s signature style and aesthetic is unmistakable in his heart-warming 4-minute branded film for H&M. A Short of the Week feature in its own right, Come Together makes our list for its ability to capture characters and story in a seamlessly dazzling display of production. Starring Adrien Brody as a train conductor, an unexpected delay thwarts the holiday plans of everyone onboard, but with a small amount of ingenuity, the trains’ occupants are able to save Christmas after all.

Allegro “English for Beginners”

Dir: Hubert Stadnicki (Social Club) for Bardzo

The next on our list of branded holiday shorts is a Polish Christmas advert about a grandfather who learns English by purchasing an ‘English For Beginners’ set through Allegro, an online auction website. The amount of character set-up in this short makes it easy to grow attached to the old man. As he sets out to become fluent in the new language, you will be charmed with the little Post-It notes he sticks around his home, and you start to pick up on the little quirks that make him a unique, realized character.

In the spirit of not spoiling the punchline, I’ll only tell you that if you’re a happy-crier like I am, get your tissue box ready. This short is an absolute tear-jerker, as millions of people around the world have discovered.

Alzheimers Research UK: “Santa Forgot”

Dir: Åsa Lucander (Aardman) for Freuds

Narrated by none other than Stephen Fry, and animated by site alum Asa Lucander (Lost Property), this fundraising ad for Alzheimer’s research goes head to head with some of the biggest consumer brands released this year as it fights to win our hearts. With gorgeous design, the films depicts a world where Santa Claus has dementia and can no longer visit children across the world on Christmas Eve. The way that this film places responsibility on those who are able to fight the disease results in one of the best call-to-action films in some time.

LYFT: “June”

Dir: John Kahrs with Broad Picture Films

A super-sweet holiday film about coming together from all walks of life through a ride-sharing app, this branded short by Academy Award winning director, John Kahrs (Paperman) is a feel-good, groovy music video with a sentimental story that will warm you to the soul! Featured on the site earlier this week, we forgive the film for featuring its product so heavily due to its amazing design, and the refreshing depiction of its elderly protagonist as strong and independent. 

Loterías y Apuestas del Estado “21 de Diciembre”

Dir: Santiago Zannou (RCRFilms) for Leo Burnett Iberia

There seems to be a trend of Christmas shorts starring grandparents, and 21 de Diciembre plays to all the feels. The out-of-the-loop and sometimes neglected elder family member motif will stir a number of sad emotions, but this promo completely flips that negativity on its head in a heart-melting story about family and community coming together to make an old woman’s dream come true.

The only brand from last year’s list to make it this time out, the Spanish lottery brought back notable independent filmmaker Santiago Zannou for this year’s film, after he established their holiday bona fides with their viral 2014 Christmas ad.

The character growth in this piece, particularly in the inattentive and dismissive grandson, is touching to the core as he goes out of his way to please his grandmother – something he wouldn’t have done previously. The absolute show of good character by everyone in this short is what makes the ending such a sweet payoff. I was not warned that watching this short would make me a blubbering bucket of emotion, so I’m warning you now. If you don’t want people staring at you on the subway like you’re a wreck, watch this alone.