Adobe Stock and It's Nice That commission unconventional Christmas ad by Duncan Cowles

Web magazine It's Nice That and Adobe Stock have collaborated to commission a Christmas advertisement from Scottish filmmaker Duncan Cowles (b. 1990). Cowles was given access to Adobe Stock's archive of over 90 million assets—including photographs, vector illustrations, 3D animations, and HD video—as well as advice from advertising professionals. The resulting spot relies on editing and storytelling, combining stock footage with found footage and 8mm film from Cowles's family archive. A voiceover and evocative music create a melancholic yet ultimately positive narrative touching on disappointed expectations, the transience of life, and global warming, urging viewers to set aside resentments and enjoy what might be their last Christmas. The project was guided by a team of experts: Fred Taylor, art director at Wieden + Kennedy, advised focusing on footage of crying children and bored people to emphasize humanity; Anna Ginsburg, an animator who worked on John Lewis & Partners Christmas ads, recommended evoking childhood feelings; set designer Anna Rhodes sought a new way of doing Christmas; producer Laura Ruddock aimed to provoke emotions that create a rupture; and screenwriter Daniel Lewis stressed the importance of a compelling plot with a twist. The ad is described as an audacious and emblematic experiment combining childhood references, revealed emotion, and a personal, unconventional approach.