Sky Christmas ad plucks heartstrings with ‘Sing’-themed animation

Sky is launching its Christmas ad today (8 December), a two-minute, Phil Spector "wall of sound"-style musical spot starring animal characters from CG-animated family movie Sing 2.

The ad, which was created by Universal and Illumination and finalised by Engine Creative, follows nurse Angie leaving work to drive home to watch a Christmas special with her family. However, her journey is cut short when she breaks down in the snow. Her loved ones give up on her making it back in time, but to their delight, she suddenly appears on their Sky Glass TV, singing Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) alongside other characters from the film.

With the movie's writer and director Garth Jennings at the helm, the ad also gives viewers a preview of new characters who will appear in the upcoming sequel, Sing 2.

The ad will launch in multiple formats in the UK, the US, Germany, Austria, and Ireland, spanning cinema – during screenings of Disney's Encanto, and Spider-Man: No Way Home – TV, video on-demand, out-of-home, social and across all Sky's platforms. There are two-minute, one-minute, 30-second and 10-second executions.

Sky has also teamed up with OOH network C-Screens, Virgin Radio and The O2 for the campaign, while an augmented reality Christmas card experience is available at Sky's UK retail stores. It lets consumers create and share animated gif cards featuring Sing characters. Media was planned and bought by MediaCom.

Lyssa McGowan, Sky UK's chief consumer officer, said: "Bringing families together through world class entertainment and world class products is in the Sky DNA. Telling a Christmas story with the Sing characters this year brings that to life in a heartwarming and festive way that you can't resist singing along to."

Chris Meledandri, Illumination founder and chief executive, added: "With Sing 2 director Garth Jennings at the helm, the content introduces a brand-new character who unexpectedly finds themselves expressing themselves creatively through song. It's an honor to be able to remind people of the power of being together this Christmas through the world of Sing 2 and our characters."