Coke May Have Already Won The Holiday Ad Wars
I have no idea of how many brands have released their annual holiday ads to date but I can tell you they will be hard-pressed to beat Coke’s 2020 entry.
Of course we consumers are accustomed to being barraged by commercials of varying lengths, some telling stories, others just unapologetically sales pitches and of course what would the holidays be without automaker commercials with big ribbons on cars sitting in driveways?
And in case you were wondering — and not quite you were as why would you? — where all the giant bows come from:
Ok so now you where to get that humongous bow you’ve always wanted.
Heartstrings & Emotions
To me, and I am quite sure many others, the best commercials, be they for the holidays or otherwise tell a story that hits an emotional quotient while still delivering the required and expected brand reference and inference.
As the 2020 holiday ad wars shape up, here’s some of my favorites.
Hobby Lobby
Etsy
Amazon
Kohl’s
I like each of these for differing reasons but one thing they all have in common is they hit that emotional quotient; they tug on the ol’ heartstrings and around the holidays, that’s what consumers want and expect.
Of course they want to save money, too. But that’s inherent in ANY brand’s advertising/selling during the holiday season.
But perhaps even more so this year, consumers want to feel good; they want to be told AND shown a story; a story that lets them escape the reality of the world we are all living in right now and will be the foreseeable future.
By the way, did you catch the subtleties in the Kohl’s spot? Go back and watch it again. Stop at the 1:15 mark for one of them. Leave me a comment what you saw. I may have missed some myself from this spot as well as the others!
It’s the Real Thing
As good as the above spots are, they take a backseat to the Coca-Cola 2020 holiday ad. Why? Well, watch it first and then I will tell you.
So why do I think this commercial is the best holiday ad I have seen so far this year? Because of the story it tells. Because I am a dad. Because I have a daughter. Because I would go to ANY length to my baby girl happy.
Yes, it is a highly subjective reason but so what?
The other commercials moved me for sure. They “did their job.” But the Coke spot hit me where I live.
So, tell me what do you think? What commercial do you like the best so far in 2020?
What did I miss?
I didn’t see all of these commercials but touching for sure. My favorite in 2020 was a Toyota commercial where the daughter mailed a daily holiday message to her Dad serving in the military. On her last trip to the mailbox, her Dad greeted her. Their emotional hug warmed my heart. It instilled hope. This year, I’ve learned what it’s like to miss loved ones nearby and skip traditional holiday togetherness for a bigger cause and brighter future.
Hi Patricia! Thanks for the comment and I hope you had a wonderful holiday season! I too have learned this year to miss loved ones nearby and here’s hoping we are ALL together THIS coming year.