Waitrose is rolling out an ‘unglamorous’ Christmas TV advertising campaign, in order that it can donate more money to good causes.

The ‘Giving More this Christmas’ ad, which features Waitrose ambassadors Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal, is set in a largely empty studio with just a three-foot-high Perspex fixture filled with green Waitrose tokens as props.

Smith and Blumenthal explain that instead of making a “fancy TV advert”, the supermarket is to donate £1m to various good causes through its Community Matters green token scheme. This is on top of the £600,000 the retailer would normally donate during November and December. Both Smith and Blumenthal have waived their appearance fees in support of Waitrose’s plan.

Waitrose marketing director Rupert Thomas said: “At what is a difficult time for many people across Britain, we feel that Christmas is the right time to give more back to good causes in the communities we serve.

“There are no snow machines, no festive glitter, just an echoey studio stripped bare of Christmas trimmings. By cutting back on our production costs we can channel an additional £1m to local good causes.”

The campaign will make its TV debut during The X Factor tomorrow.

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