Cute kid ✔︎ Cover of classic song by contemporary artist ✔︎ Loveable creature ✔︎ Heartstring-tugging story ✔︎ In-store range of tie-in products ✔︎
The John Lewis Christmas ad has dropped, heralding the start of the festive shopping frenzy and – at the time of writing – notching up 7 million or so views. It's all so loveable, Christmassy, heart-warming and, well, a little formulaic. Reception has been a little muted this year, so perhaps those heartstrings have been over-twanged? Let's take a look at this and the other 2017 Christmas ads we've seen so far.   

• Dynamic ads to target travellers.
• New polls feature.
• Messenger ads for everyone.
• Customer chat plug-in.

• Twitter
• Names up to 50 characters long. 
• Political ad transparency centre.
• Trump-powered lightning lamp.
• Instagram
• Branded content tool for all.
• The ability to follow hashtags.

• Pixel tracking for Snapchat ads.
• Pinterest reveals new research.
• Snap loses $40m on Spectacles.
• Snapchat redesigns imminent. 
• New Pinterest board sections.
• LinkedIn's geofilters for conferences.

• A Shazam for fashion.
• Amazon app lets you see products in your house.
• Musical.ly bought for $1bn.
• Adidas's shopping app.