IT’S CRISSSSPMAAAAAS! WALKERS PARTNERS WITH FOOD BANK CHARITY THE TRUSSELL TRUST AND LADBABY FOR LATEST CHRISTMAS AD

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With record need for UK food banks expected this Christmas, the ad has been created in partnership with charity the Trussell Trust, and forms part of Walkers’ pledge to help LadBaby raise more money than ever before for the charity this Christmas
In 2019 the social media star publicly challenged Walkers to give him this year’s gig, claiming he could show Mariah Carey a thing or two about how to eat a crisp following her famous 2019 ad appearance
Titled ‘A Sausage CaRoll’, the filmic, almost 2 minute ad features a number of festive tropes, including celebrity cameos from the likes of Aled Jones, East 17 star Tony Mortimer, and, of course, Gary Lineker
To celebrate the ad’s release, Walkers has created the first ever Sausage Roll emoji, which will appear whenever the hashtag #ASausageCaRoll is used on Twitter

Today, Walkers unveil its much-anticipated Christmas ad, starring sausage-roll-loving social media star, LadBaby – real name Mark Hoyle.

Created in partnership with charity the Trussell Trust, which supports a network of food banks across the UK, the ad forms part of Walkers’ pledge to help LadBaby raise more money than ever before at Christmas for the charity – building on the £1 million support already pledged by the brand earlier in the year. Indeed, in a year like no other, the much-loved crisp brand has opted for its first ever social-first festive ad campaign in a bid to spark an online conversation about the Trussell Trust and the work that they do.

Walkers opted to throw its support behind the charity after new figures revealed that the need for UK food banks soared to record levels this year, with fears it could worsen in the lead up to Christmas following the start of a second national lockdown. During the first lockdown in March, demand soared by 89%, with the charity recording its busiest week on record, and food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network are now forecast to give out one parcel every 9 seconds this winter.

Shot with trademark Walkers humour, the commercial – titled ‘A Sausage CaRoll’ – features several festive tropes from past and present, including celebrity cameos from the likes of Aled Jones, East 17 star Tony Mortimer, Carol Smillie and long-standing face of Walkers, Gary Lineker.

The ad – which is badged as a joint production from Walkers and the Trussell Trust – opens with LadBaby pulling into a festively decorated residential street in his red ‘Sausage Rolls Are Coming’ adorned transit van. The unlikely star is clad in a sausage roll emblazoned Santa suit, and sack packed with Walkers’ new sausage-roll-flavour crisps.

The YouTuber then proceeds to tour the close, singing a sausage roll-inspired carol with a team of carol singers, all called Carol – including former Changing Rooms presenter Carol Smillie. The group are then joined by Welsh singer and festive favourite Aled Jones and his snowman, and LadBaby’s wife, Rox, clad in a green elf outfit.

Next, LadBaby is joined by East 17 singer, Tony Mortimer – best known for the band’s much-loved 1994 Christmas no. 1 single, ‘Stay Another Day’. The singer, who is clad in the same outfit featured in the song’s iconic music video, enjoys a playful exchange with Hoyle about who’s had more Christmas number ones.

The ad ends with an appearance from long-standing face of Walkers, Gary Lineker, clad in a ‘Bah Humbug’ adorned Christmas jumper. With trademark humour, as LadBaby exclaims that Christmas is for sharing, Gary exclaims “…well maybe not your crisps’, while stuffing as many of the newly launched flavour as he can up his jumper.

To celebrate its release, sausage-roll fans will be delighted to hear that Walkers has even created the first ever Sausage Roll emoji, which will appear whenever anyone uses the campaign hashtag – #ASausageCaRoll – on Twitter.

Philippa Pennington, from Walkers said: “We’re trying something new this year, with our first ever digital-first festive ad campaign. With huge demand for food banks this year, we want everyone to get behind LadBaby and help to raise even more money at Christmas for the Trussell Trust – and have fun while doing it. There’s never been a more important time.”
The 1’48” ad was directed by Mike Baldwin, who has worked on previous ad campaigns for TV shows such as Britain’s Got Talent and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, as well as music videos for artists such as Olly Murs and Travis.
The TV commercial heroes Walkers’ new ‘The Power of Sausage Roll’ limited-edition festive crisps, which launched last month in partnership with LadBaby. In the ultimate spirit of ‘Crispmas’ giving, 5p from every pack sold will also be donated to the Trussell Trust, so the ad encourages viewers to grab a pack, and the Trussell Trust’s fight for a future where everyone has enough money for the essentials.

Mark Hoyle aka LadBaby adds: “I’m really chuffed that Walkers gave me the gig this year. I feel like I’m living in a dream. It was great to work with the likes of Gary, Aled, Tony and Carol – as well as my lovely wife Rox – and bring our little festive tale to life, to encourage people to do good this Christmas and support the Trussell Trust, all while eating our delicious new sausage roll flavour crisps. We’re simply asking everyone to buy them, enjoy them and help us raise more money than ever before for the Trussell Trust.”

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust said: “We’re so grateful to LadBaby and Walkers for their support during the lead up to Christmas. It’s not right that anyone needs to use a food bank, at any time of year. But this can change – we can build a future where everyone can afford the basics. All of the money raised will help us support our network of food banks to provide emergency help to people across the UK. We couldn’t continue to do what we do without this kind of support.”
As well as starring on the ad, LadBaby will also appear on packs of Walkers ‘The Power of Sausage Roll’ crisps, as well as on point of sale in stores in the run up to Christmas. Walkers new festive flavour is available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers now.
For those looking for other ways to donate to the Trussell Trust can do so by three simple ways: