Retailers battle for best X-mas ad

Britain's retailing giants are battling over the Christmas pound with new innovative advertising campaigns to appeal to consumer's heart and purse strings.

Earlier this week Debenhams unveiled it's Christmas advert, with the theme reuniting with your loved one, depicting a series of festive scenes set in different parts of romantic Budapest. The actors are dressed in brands including Jonathan Saunders, Patrick Grant and Aliza Reger. Sales of featured items can soar up to 400 percent, as was seen in last year's key item, a red coat by Jonathan Saunders.

Yesterday John Lewis launched its multi-million pound advertising campaign in the spirit of a hand-drawn Disney cartoon. The company's Christmas campaigns are considered one of the biggest advertising events of the year and this year it booked the first break during Saturday's X Factor to debut the full two minute version of the ad.

John Lewis' ads regularly receive millions of hits on YouTube and social media sites. Tapping into feelings of nostalgia, the theme is "Give someone a Christmas they'll never forget," with the story of a hare helping a bear not to hibernate through the most special day of the year.

One study suggests John Lewis' Christmas ads have increased sales by more than 1 billion pounds since its launch of the emotive campaigns in 2009.