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Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” 2026

Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” (2026) is a Sainsbury's commercial directed by Amber Cheung for New Commercial Arts. It won 3 awards, including Creative Circle 2026 Gold Visual Effects - Commercial Film (single).

A Sainsbury's delivery driver encounters a giant, initially greedy but ultimately friendly, who joins a family's Christmas dinner, emphasizing that there's always room for everyone.

Video: Sainsbury's on YouTube

Shot by shot

  1. A delivery driver in a winter hat and coat unloads groceries from a Sainsbury's truck on a snowy, decorated street at night.© Sainsbury's0:00
  2. Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”, shot 5© Sainsbury's0:11
  3. A woman in a floral dress with a towel over her shoulder stands behind a table laden with food, then walks away in a festive living room.© Sainsbury's0:21
  4. Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”, shot 11© Sainsbury's0:27
  5. A delivery driver, a Black man in his 30s, smiles while holding a crate of groceries and a box of breadsticks at a snowy doorstep.© Sainsbury's0:32
  6. A young woman in a pink hat is lifted in the bucket of an excavator, looking through binoculars at a house decorated for Christmas.© Sainsbury's0:36
  7. A diverse family of five, including a child, sits around a dining table laden with food, celebrating Christmas in a cozy, decorated home.© Sainsbury's0:42
  8. A stop-motion animated old man with large ears and a beard looks up from behind a fence in a snowy suburban neighborhood.© Sainsbury's0:47
  9. A young woman in a pink beanie and maroon jacket speaks into a walkie-talkie in a supermarket parking lot at night.© Sainsbury's0:56
  10. A female reporter in a red coat and earmuffs holds a microphone, surrounded by a crowd of paparazzi and camera operators at night.© Sainsbury's1:01
  11. A giant-like creature with large ears and a beard sits cross-legged on a snowy street, looking at a small girl in a pink hat, surrounded by Christmas lights.© Sainsbury's1:08
  12. A young woman with blonde hair and a pink beanie looks up with a hopeful expression, standing in the snow outside a store decorated with Christmas lights.© Sainsbury's1:16

Stills © Sainsbury's. Made by New Commercial Arts and Amber Cheung.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Giants and humans unite for Christmas dinner, showing there's always room.

Tagline: “Sainsbury's. Good food for all of us.”

unexpected guestmagical realismChristmas spiritfound familygentle giantcommunity inclusion

The cut

Length
90 s
Shots
42
Average shot
2.1 s
Format
mixed

What creatives use Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A delivery driver in a winter hat and coat unloads groceries from a Sainsbury's truck on a snowy, decorated street at night.© Sainsbury'sSainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”, 0:11© Sainsbury'sA woman in a floral dress with a towel over her shoulder stands behind a table laden with food, then walks away in a festive living room.© Sainsbury'sSainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”, 0:27© Sainsbury's
    Frames from Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A delivery driver in a winter hat and coat unloads groceries from a Sainsbury's truck on a snowy, decorated street at night.© Sainsbury'sSainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”, 0:11© Sainsbury'sA woman in a floral dress with a towel over her shoulder stands behind a table laden with food, then walks away in a festive living room.© Sainsbury'sSainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”, 0:27© Sainsbury'sA delivery driver, a Black man in his 30s, smiles while holding a crate of groceries and a box of breadsticks at a snowy doorstep.© Sainsbury'sA young woman in a pink hat is lifted in the bucket of an excavator, looking through binoculars at a house decorated for Christmas.© Sainsbury's
    Length: 90 s · Shots: 42 · Average shot: 2.1 s · Format: mixed

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a unexpected guest

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” is built on a unexpected guest. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    California Milk Board “Birthday”© California Milk BoardGeico “Reunion”© GeicoUnicef “The Good Guys Christmas”© UnicefDeliveroo “Unexpected Guest”© Deliveroo
    California Milk Board · Geico · Unicef · Deliveroo

More from New Commercial Arts

Award-winning retail commercials

Questions

Who directed the Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” commercial?

Amber Cheung directed it, for the agency New Commercial Arts.

Which agency made Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”?

New Commercial Arts created it for Sainsbury's (2026).

What awards did Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest” win?

3 awards, including Creative Circle 2026 Gold Visual Effects - Commercial Film (single), Creative Circle 2026 Gold Animation - Characters & Creatures (single) and Creative Circle 2026 Gold Animation - Digital 3D - CG in live action plates (single).

What is the tagline of Sainsbury's “The Unexpected Guest”?

“Sainsbury's. Good food for all of us.”

Sources for the credits and awards

creativecircle.co.ukcreativecircle.co.ukcreativecircle.co.ukdandad.org