I know that I am in the minority, but the second September -hit, I want to break out the Christmas tree, play “Jingle Bells” and cover everything in balls and tinsel. One of the more recognized signs that the festive season is officially on us is when holiday marketing campaigns begin to ring in our houses, streets and devices, ring the bell and into our houses, streets and devices. Is it just Christmas when I don’t hear sledding bells every five minutes?
It is never too early to create a list and plan this year’s holiday marketing campaign (unless you read this in December. In this case you can get a lead for advertisements from the next year). In this post, I have summarized ten of the best holiday marketing campaigns from recent years to inspire their plans.
And if you are ready to cover your own marketing plans, read the Drift Kings Media guide to create seasonal marketing campaigns. I love too Campaign assistantA free AI-driven tool with which you can create a copy for your next ad, target page or marketing email.
The best holiday marketing campaigns
- Etsy: Where is Waldo/Wally
- Chewy: coal, the holiday surprise
- Chick-Fil-A: Legends by Evergreen Hills
- Kroger: Share your food, share your heart
- Disney: The boy and the octopus
- Hershey’s kisses
- Outback: Koala on Walla
- Gap: Vacation ’24
- LEGO: Hütten for the holidays
- Coca-Cola: Secret Santa
1. Etsy: Where is Waldo/Wally
Etsy pulls on all strings with this display. It is cozy, gives me hits of nostalgia and somehow captures a little of this fear that I searched for Waldo in the books. When I heard his inner monologue, I had the feeling of finally getting to know the stupid guy that I was looking for all the years and he was talking quieter when I thought!
Waldo or Wally, as it is known in certain countries, weaves the crowd of people in and out with its red striped sweaters and caps, who whispered, whispered and are happy that they have found it. In the end, he brings himself back to a café with his partner Wenda and says what may be my favorite slogan in recent years: “Sometimes you need someone who really knows her so that you have seen each other.” I mean, come. It’s just perfection.
What I like: I like how I felt this ad as much joy as it finally found Waldo in the books. It is also a bit of marketing genius on behalf of Etsy; You use this commercial to remind us of what it feels like when you get a gift from someone who only gets you. And hmm, maybe Etsy is a good place to find such gifts?
2. Chewy: coal, the holiday surprise
This can be the only time that I am sad that I don’t get any coal for the holidays. The display just starts enough. We see two girls who open their gifts at Christmas. You are confused that everything you get is coal … coalemotive gifts, that is,.
Then her mother wears a black puppy, a rescue, like Chewy in the video description, which is aptly called coal. Only seeing the little puppy eyes of Coal made me as excited as the girls in the video.
What I like: I like it that it is so cute in the comment area on YouTube that it is so cute to react to the fans of the display and critics. Chewy’s commitment really shows that they take care of their customers.
3. Chick-Fil-A: Legends evergreen hill
Chick-Fil-A was slow Build your own cinematic universeEveryone takes place in a magical wonderland called Evergreen Hills. In 2019 they introduced Sam, a little girl who only wanted to build a snowman with her family. The heart -warming two -minute display with the title ” Time business Encouraged the audience to give the gift of time. Since then, Sam, her family and her friends have returned with a new story about the holidays that expands the world of Evergreen Hills.
Sam is back in 2024, now a little grown. This time her new adventure unfolds in five, 22-minute episodes in the newly started Chick-Fil-A Play app.
The app, which marks the expansion of Chick-Fil-A in conversation, contains exclusive animation series, podcasts and games. As part of the start of the app, Chick-Fil-A published the first episode on social media as well as clips and stills to advertise the show and the app.
This series is not only part of a holiday marketing campaign that promotes Chick-Fil-A in the restaurant, but also part of a long-long marketing storyline that takes place in several platforms and ultimately culminates with the start of the app.
What I like: I have to give you props for your commitment to build this cinematic universe and the seamless weaving of this story thread through several platforms.
4. Kroger: Share your food, share your heart
This ad has a lot of history in a minute. Set in America’s song Lonely peopleIt tells the story of a boy who notices that his apparently grumpy older neighbor is quite lonely during the holidays. Then he gets the idea of ​​sneaking some food from his family’s vacation meal and leaves a small plate of snacks and festive delicacies on your doorstep.
His family sees his friendliness and then offers to share their entire meal with the neighbor who invites them to their house. The slogan “Share Essen. Share love” and then appear when we see how the family chats with their neighbors.
What I like: If she does not make this stop to scroll and step outside to talk to some people, I don’t know what will be.
5. Disney: The boy and the octopus
Hot Take: This short film is much more magical than any film that Disney has released in recent years. Under the direction of Taika Waititi, this story focuses on a little boy who comes home after swimming in the sea with a spun and stubborn squid on his head.
They become quick friends and the boy introduces the squid of the world in a dry country, while a gentle, acoustic version of the little mermaids is Part of your world Play in the background. The octopus is fascinated by what dry land has to offer.
One night after seeing a Christmas classic on TV, the squid wants to stop a ride with Santa Claus and see more of the world, so
These short short properties of the beloved Disney properties in history, from a Buzz Lightyear action figure to a star Wars lights to the Mickey hat, with which the boy hides the squid when you visit yourself in the city.
What I like: I think this short film only hits all stains. It’s fun, it is lovable and only serves the magic for which Disney is known.
6. Hershey’s kisses
I have to use a plug for this classic. This simple advertisement debuted for the first time in 1989 and plays the kiss of Red and Green Hershey, which double as bells and games of the Carol. We wish you a Merry Christmaswhile it is carried out by a silver kiss.
While there have been some small changes over the years, this display remains mainly the same year after year and is very popular by Merredmakers across the country. Even the grin at R/Commercialsihat Subreddit like this ad.
What I like: I like that this ad has permanent strength. It has not lost its charm at all and has become an American vacation tradition.
7. Outback: Koala on Walla
Speaking of traditions, I love outback steakhouse’s vague alternative to eleven on the shelf: Koala on Walla. The Jingle about this sweet bag animal says: “He knows all of her secrets. Every rule that you defy.” This koala always looks at and refuses to steak when they were bad.
I personally rooted Koala on Walla to finally switch off the mischievous elves that seem to decorate every shelf.
What I like: Despite its threatening nature, Koala is just too sweet on Walla, and I would definitely not mind having him in the house in the house, even though his crooked eyes could spy on me from the washing machine.
8. Gap: Vacation ’24
This display is not striking, but your simplicity makes it so effective. For this campaign, GAP put together a diverse choir of talented musicians and social media stars. Again together A cappella.
It is a great memory that sometimes you don’t need unusual animation or a detailed action. A simple display can just as well swing.
What I like: I like how they brought together different voices and styles and how beautiful the song was arranged to make every singer shine.
9. LEGO: Hütten for the holidays
LEGO did not make a vacation film this time, but if you do it, think it would be the goat, that is, it would have litable (LEGO) goats.
While some brands for their holiday marketing campaigns, including some on this list, made beautiful cinematic masterpieces, Lego has made a trailer for a film that does not actually exist. Called Herding for the holidaysThe fake film tells the story of a city assets that go back to the farm to become a goat-getter, and it has a strong Hallmark Christmas film vibes. Lego, it’s not too late to achieve this!
What I like: Tons and tons of goats and Lego. What is not to be loved?
10. Coca-Cola: Secret Santa
A list of the best holiday marketing campaigns would not be complete without talking about the AI-generated advertisement that Coca-Cola 2024 published. Although I would not say that this advertisement in terms of technical or frankly aesthetics is the best, it was one of the best to determine commitment, albeit largely negative.
The ad was inspired by an advertisement from 1995 in which real trucks and real people were used. This latest advertisement was a collaboration between three AI studios and used four AI models. According to Forbes. And yet the result is a number of clips that sounds as exactly as well on the cliff over the scary valley.
The counter reaction to the ads was quick. Article after Article spoke of the setback that the company was exposed to after the publication was published. Critics called the advertisement “soulless. “”
What I like: I like that it is a real-time test of the old saying: “There is no bad advertising.” When was the last time the news cycle was recorded by a Coca-Cola display? While all of the negative advertising is probably not really immersed by the sale of Cola, I look forward to seeing whether you will hire a human Santa Claus for the next holiday campaign.
What I don’t like: One could argue that AI is only one step over CGI, but the technology is not yet there. Zoom, and you can see that the trunks look so shaky that some of the bikes didn’t even turn. Even the Coca-Cola logo itself is switched off in some places. I think it is unfortunate that the three companies and the four AI models could not perfect the logo in every shot.
Go here and be happy
As these examples show, there are many ways to involve holiday celebrations in their marketing campaigns. Vacation ads no longer fit into a shape, but as kitschy as it sounds that the most effective in common is the heart.
Think about what makes the holidays so special for you and tell this story. I am pretty simple, so I am usually displaying that have a reference to the nostalgia of the 90s or a magnificent family. You know that I made notes from Kroger’s advertisement and this year makes beef Wellington.
Note from the publisher: This post was originally published in December 2015 and updated for completeness.