Church's Holiday 2025 Ad Campaign

Review of Church’s Holiday 2025 Ad Campaign by Creative Director David James with Photographer

Phil Poynter

Church’s steps into the holiday season with a campaign as polished as its shoes — perhaps a touch too polished. Directed by David James and photographed by Phil Poynter, the Holiday 2025 campaign invites us to a stately English manor for a tableau of festive rituals: croquet at dusk, carols in the stables, pudding by the fire, and a candlelit finale worthy of Dickens and a Savile Row wardrobe combined.

The cast — an impeccably dressed trio and their equally groomed dog — move through scenes of upper-crust revelry with all the precision of a well-oiled tradition. The shoes, naturally, are the true stars: from glossy Alexandra lace-ups and rugged Amberley Chelseas to velvet slippers and patent Oxfords gleaming beneath tartan trousers. There’s a reassuring sense of craftsmanship and continuity here; Church’s knows its heritage and doesn’t mind leaning into it.

The styling, with its Fair Isle knits, velvet jackets, and tweed overcoats, paints a portrait of Christmas through a particularly British lens — one filtered through afternoon tea, mahogany, and perfectly matched socks. But while the narrative is charming, it occasionally feels too choreographed, the spontaneity ironed out like a well-pressed handkerchief. Every candle glows, every button gleams, and every shoe — of course — is immaculately shined.

Still, there’s pleasure in its perfection. The campaign succeeds in reminding us why Church’s endures: its shoes are built for moments that feel timeless, even when staged. The overall impression is one of dignified warmth — a brand that doesn’t chase novelty but instead polishes nostalgia to a high shine.