MktSoc's Favorite Holiday Ads

November 23rd, 2020

By: Pooja Anand

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing the Marketing Society’s favorite holiday ads! In each of the reviews, I will be commenting on why the ad is a favorite and then ranking it out of five in a few categories. The categories will include:

• Branding (do we understand the brand better and does the ad reflect well on the brand?)

• Purchase Probability (does this ad make us want to buy the product?)

• Storyline (does the story leave a positive impact on the viewer and is it memorable?)

Without future ado, here are five of Marketing Society's favorite holiday ads…

Nike: The Great Chase

Widen + Kennedy Shanghai --- January 2019

This ad by far has to be my favorite holiday ad of 2020! Nike released this ad for the Lunar New Year. They took a common Chinese tradition of politeness and turned it into a full-blown action-packed chase. I appreciated the fun music and the touch of modernization with the red envelope money transferring app. But, my favorite moment of the ad has to be the ending and the look of challenge on the auntie’s face. While we only got a few glimpses of Nike sneakers, I don’t think the main purpose of this ad was to highlight their product. This ad is full of comedic moments, beautiful scenery, and images of culture and tradition. But what really makes this ad special, is the feeling of belonging and joy it gives people of Chinese heritage.

Branding: 5/5

Purchase Probability: 2/5

Storyline: 5/5

Lego: And I think to myself…

Lego Agency --- November 2020

While this ad doesn’t have any sappy, tear-jerking content, it made me emotional, and most importantly, hopeful. As an adult, I often find myself so busy to stop and look beyond what’s in front of me. Children, on the other hand, don’t see the world for what it is, but rather, for what it could be. They are imaginative, creative, and fearless, and this ad truly portrays that. The part that really struck a chord with me was when the kids sang, “instead of walls we’ll have dance floors,” and then you see them watching characters and creatures of all sorts dancing together, even a police officer and a crook while singing “what a wonderful world.” Indeed, what a wonderful world. The ad ends with the powerful words, “rebuild the world,” which evoke hope and positivity. This ad is one of the best ads I’ve seen this year. Not only does it do a great job of sharing Lego’s product and its consumer value, but it leaves us with a message and with optimism.

Branding: 5/5

Purchase Probability: 5/5

Storyline: 5/5

Disney UK: From Our Family To Yours campaign ad

Flux --- November 2020

I’m not crying, you are! Disney is a master at tugging at people’s heartstrings, and they’ve done it once again. This ad does a great job of showing us the value of Disney in its consumers’ lives. Regardless of your age, Disney always holds value in your life; when you’re older Disney makes you feel nostalgia, when you’re younger it makes you feel magic. Disney is unique in that it’s a brand that not only has relevance across generations, but it connects generations too, which you can clearly see in this ad. Another powerful aspect of this ad is the portrayal of the unfiltered, pure joy children feel when they see Mickey Mouse. It is also relatable in that it shows an adult losing touch with their childhood, which many of us have experienced. But in the end, Disney works its magic and takes everyone back to their childhood!

Branding: 5/5

Purchase Probability: 4/5

Storyline: 5/5

This campaign was in collaboration with and support of Make A Wish. To read more about this campaign, check out: https://thewaltdisneycompany.eu/fromourfamilytoyours/

Amazon: The Show Must Go On

Lucky Generals --- November 2020

This ad is the first of the group that takes place in current times with the COVID-19 pandemic as the background. The ad’s message, “the show must go on,” reveals the importance of adaptability and perseverance in difficult and distributing times. And while everyone is in their own home, this ad portrays the support and togetherness of a community even with the distancing requirements of a pandemic. The ad also shows someone ordering a flashlight on their Amazon app, displaying the ease of using their app. Overall, this ad was heartwarming and well made.

Branding: 4/5

Purchase Probability: 3/5

Storyline: 5/5

Etsy: Gift Like You Mean It: Shiori

72andSunny --- October 2020

This ad connected with me, as I’m sure it did with many other people of diverse ethnicities. While my name is one of the common Indian names, I have still had people repeatedly pronounce it wrong, so I completely relate with Shiori. This ad also takes place with COVID in the background, which you can see in Shiori’s mask and remote school. This ad does a great job at highlighting Etsy’s strength: personalized and custom products. Even though Shiori is unable to find a souvenir with her name or even have it pronounced right by others, her necklace gets it all right. Etsy allows Shiori to find something that truly belongs to her and doesn’t compromise on the importance of her authentic identity. While this ad is short, it is clear in its message: “gift it like you mean it.”

Branding: 5/5

Purchase Probability: 5/5

Storyline: 5/5

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Pooja Anand is Marketing Society's 2020-2021 Co-Director of Professional Outreach and Conference Planning at NYU Marketing Society. She is a sophomore at NYU Stern, concentrating in Marketing and Sustainable Business with minors in Psychology and the Business of Entertainment, Media & Technology.