Aardman and Barbour on Bringing Christmas Chaos to Life with Wallace & Gromit
Giving the right gift at Christmas can feel like a daunting task, but Aardman has proved that Barbour has the season covered – both literally and figuratively – this year. Returning for their third festive collaboration, the two quintessentially British brands once again bring warmth, wit, and craftsmanship to the screen through Wallace & Gromit’s debut with the brand.
This year’s film centres on Wallace’s latest well-intentioned invention, the ‘Gift-o-Matic,’ which promises to take the hassle out of holiday shopping, only to end in predictably chaotic results.
Aardman producer Danny Gallagher shares how the team navigated the chaos to balance Barbour’s brand storytelling with Wallace & Gromit’s trademark humour and handmade heart.
LBB> What was the original brief from Barbour, and how did you and the team at Aardman decide to interpret it?
Danny> Barbour wanted a light-hearted Christmas film that was full of warmth and humour, but still rooted in that quintessential sense of Britishness they’re known for. The focus was on their Christmas tartan range – especially the scarf – and on capturing the spirit of giving at Christmas.
From our side, it was about finding a story that could sit naturally in the Wallace & Gromit world, rather than just placing the brand on top of it. The idea of Wallace creating a mad invention to make gift-giving “easier” felt like the perfect fit – it gave us the humour, the heart, and a lovely way to weave Barbour’s product right into the story itself.
LBB> Was it always clear from the outset that this year’s festive film would centre on Wallace & Gromit, and what made them feel like a good fit for this year's Barbour Christmas story?
Danny> Yes it was, Wallace & Gromit have that warmth, eccentricity and very British charm that sits so well alongside Barbour, as both are rooted in craft and tradition. The theme this year was about thoughtful gift-giving, and Wallace’s well-meaning but overcomplicated invention gave us the perfect comic setup. It felt like a natural way to tell Barbour’s story in a way that still felt 100% Wallace & Gromit.
LBB> You’ve now worked with Barbour across three Christmas campaigns, tell me about your relationship with the brand and how you've developed a creative shorthand and sense of mutual trust between you.
Danny> It’s been a really lovely relationship that’s grown over the past few years. Barbour understands the importance of storytelling and the craft behind what we do, which means there’s a lot of mutual trust and respect for our brands. They let us lean into what makes Aardman special – the humour, the warmth, the eccentric details – while keeping their brand message clear.
LBB> Tell us a bit about the pre-production process for this year’s spot, how long have you been working on it, and what are some of the key stages involved in bringing a stop-motion project like this to life?
Danny> The total production took around seven months, from the initial scripting stage to post-production. The most important part is almost certainly the scripting and animatic stage – this is when we craft the story, play around with ideas, and make sure we’re hitting all the right comedic beats, and the core messaging works for Barbour. From there, the model-makers and set builders get to work bringing everything to life – and in this one, a lot of time went into designing and building the Gift-o-Matic, so it looked like a genuine Wallace invention, but with Barbour’s tartan woven through it.
Once we start shooting, we have a clear plan of exactly what we need – with stop motion, every frame counts! It’s a precise and detailed process, but that’s what gives the medium its tactility. The final piece of the puzzle is crafting the music and sound design, which always adds so much character and warmth to the finished film.
LBB> Stop-motion animation is famously detailed and tactile. What specific considerations did you take to make Barbour’s products, like the tartan and re-loved wax jackets, feel authentic within Wallace & Gromit’s world?
Danny> The materials were a big focus for us. Barbour’s products are so distinctive – the wax jackets, the classic tartan – and we wanted to make sure that translated properly in miniature. The team recreated the tartan at puppet scale using printed fabric, which was then layered with wire to make it animatable. The Barbour woolly hat that Wallace wears was made out of real wool and knitted using tiny needles!
The main thing to get right when working at miniature scale is the proportion of the material. If you use something clearly human-sized, it reads as far too thick or chunky. The scale of the fabric is key – it’s what gives the clothing an authentic, believable look on screen.
LBB> Fans of Wallace & Gromit have come to expect the signature heart, humour, and craftsmanship. When creating a Christmas campaign for Barbour, what considerations did you have to make to keep the studio and the duo feeling fresh?
Danny> It’s always about staying true to the characters while finding a new angle or situation that feels fresh. This year, we wanted to do something that everyone can relate to – the joy (and chaos) of giving gifts – but through Wallace’s slightly misguided, but well intentioned, lens. The Gift-o-Matic gave us something new to play with visually and comedically, while Gromit brings the emotional grounding.
We also wanted to make sure it felt distinctly festive, but without repeating last year’s “keeping warm” message. It’s that balance of nostalgia and surprise that keeps it feeling fresh – and the ending, with Wallace in his undercrackers, I’m sure will be a surprise to most fans! The “We’ve got Christmas covered” tagline then felt like the perfect sign-off.
