By Heather Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, PopIcon
The holiday season just isn’t the same without Kevin the Carrot. Aldi UK’s spunky mascot has been a fixture in Christmas adverts for the last 10 years, dabbling in a bit of everything from riding in Santa’s sleigh to putting his own cheeky spin on classic films like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Home Alone.
To celebrate Kevin’s whimsical decade, we’re looking back on the three adverts where Kevin showed the greatest amount of bravery and won over the hearts of viewers everywhere. Maybe you can name all three spots where Kevin was at his most courageous — or you might need to refresh your memory with another rewatch.
3. “Get Into the Christmas Spirit With Kevin The Carrot” | 2024
Kicking off the ranking is last year’s Christmas advert in which Kevin is enlisted by Kris Kringle himself to get back the “Spirit of Christmas.”
A band of thieves led by the villainous Dr. Humbug have stolen the Christmas spirit, taking all the joy out of Christmas Eve and replacing it with cold and darkness. Luckily, Kevin and his longtime girlfriend Katie sneak their way into Humbug Headquarters. Clad in clever disguises, the pair of secret agents evade various obstacles to get to the vault and free the Christmas spirit.
Where does this Aldi UK adventure rank on a scale of 1-10? It’s a 10 for sure. Kevin has the unique distinction of being the first, and only, brand mascot to save Christmas to date. Even Santa himself calls Kevin to congratulate him on a job well done.
2. “Kevin’s Met Someone Special” | 2017
Aldi’s second Christmas advert in 2017 brought back Kevin and introduced Katie, his future girlfriend.
After seeing the outline of what appears to be Santa Claus on a train, Kevin dashes on board. Instead of Santa, Kevin sees Katie, another carrot relaxing amid a splendid Christmas feast. And it’s love at first sight.
Before their love story can begin, a “murder” occurs on this Orient Express. A champagne bottle pops open and a gingerbread man is left broken in half from the loose cork. As a commotion ensues, Kevin leaps into the air to protect Katie from the flying peas. It works! Katie is safe and the two carrots kick off the beginning of their love story.
Where does this Aldi UK adventure rank on a scale of 1-10? Once again, this spot is a 10 from us. Kevin managed to save Katie’s life before they even said hello to one another. It’s as heroic as it is romantic — the kind of story they’ll tell their kids about for decades to come.
1. “Kevin The Carrot and the Wicked Parsnip” | 2018
Our pick for Kevin’s most heroic holiday adventure pitted the icon against a rotten old parsnip named Pascal. He’s got Katie, and their two children, locked up in a cage, and Kevin’s paternal instinct kicks in to rescue them.
Where does this Aldi UK adventure rank on a scale of 1-10? Can you guess what we’ll say? We give this advert a 10 as it completes the Kevin the Carrot heroic trifecta: saving Christmas, his girlfriend, and his family.
P.S. Watch this space for a follow-up piece on Kevin’s 2025 Christmas advert!
Image Credits: Aldi UK
About the Author
Heather Taylor is the senior writer and editor-in-chief of PopIcon, Advertising Week’s blog about brand mascots. Got a pitch on brand mascots or want to wax nostalgic about characters? Drop her a line at howveryheather@gmail.com.
