With iconic symbols reappearing every year, Christmas adverts have become as much a part of the festive season as mince pies. But behind the layers of goodwill, lights and snow, what do this year's adverts tell us about the meaning of Christmas?
Alex Gordon has worked as a cultural analyst and semiotician for 20 years. He is the founder and CEO of Sign Salad, a cultural insight agency specialising in semiotics and language analysis. He has led cultural insight projects across five continents for global blue-chip brands in sectors including food and drink, retail, technology, healthcare, luxury, automotive, financial services, pharmaceutical, personal care, and travel and leisure. Before setting up Sign Salad, he established the semiotics and cultural strategy division at Flamingo. He has a PhD in semiotics and identity politics and is a visiting fellow at Bristol University's Department of Marketing.