And on the 1st day of Christmas, my true love (ahem, Winmo), gave to me…
With holiday cheer in full swing, we’re taking a break to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with our partner Winmo, our clients, and to appreciate the campaigns released this season.
Catapult is rounding up the top ads that made us smile, and we hope it brings you some cheer too.
1. Aldi | EBanana Scrooge
We can’t get enough of the fruits and vegetables in Aldi’s holiday ads. The retail chain takes a fun holiday spin on their core message promoting better-for-you options in order to reach health-oriented consumers. We love this year’s edition with a banana and a fun spin on the classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge. McCann WorldGroup gave us this campaign, and it all started with the iconic A Christmas Carrot ad and Kevin the Carrot.
What we’ve known about Aldi during the past two years is that it’s digital ad spend increased, and that trend has continued in 2021 and into the holiday season, according to Winmo Sales Predictions. Learn more with Winmo.
2. Amazon | Kindness is the greatest gift
If we learned anything as a collective group this year, it’s that empathy is the glue that keeps us together. The sentiment of this ad hits on emotion and feeling of belonging we’ve all craved during the holiday frenzy.
The agency Lucky Generals zeroed in on this emotion and communicated the value of kindness over materialism perfectly, showing us that there is a genuine place for this brand in our lives.
3. Disney | The Stepdad
The in-house team at Disney debuted the Christmas Short “The Stepdad” this season and it was a tear-jerker. All we can say is get the tissues ready.
4. Etsy | Give More than a Gift
The brand worked with 72andsunny to make a big marketing push for the holiday season, according to Winmo Sales Predictions. The message behind the advert reminds people that connecting with your friends and family is what makes the holidays so meaningful.
5. Home Depot | Does Santa Shop Here?
The Home Depot named BBDO as its creative AOR just this year, and within months released the brand’s holiday campaign. The ad features real retail associates from Alaska and showcases just how far their customer support will go to keep a customer happy…in this case by keeping Santa’s identity a secret. We love that they’ve kept this lighthearted and close to the brand’s mission.
The Winmo research team reported earlier this year that The Home Depot selected OMD as its media AOR as well. Winmo is predicting that with these two new agency relationships the brand will be increasing their media spend in the New Year. Learn more with Winmo.
6. Lego | Rebuild the World
Another beautifully crafted ad that shows how kids can build and rebuild whatever they want using their imagination with Lego products. The ad was created by Lego’s in-house agency and is another stunning spot for the brand’s Rebuild the World campaign, originally launched in 2019.
7. Macy’s | Tiptoe and the Flying Machine
BBDO New York created a loveable character named Tiptoe who we met during the Thanksgiving Day parade. They’ve brought Tiptoe back for the holiday season, this time in an advert where the reindeer realizes her dream of joining Santa’s Sleigh Team. It’s cute, it’s inspirational, need we say more?
8. Planters | A Nutty Holiday
Ok this one deserves a spot on our list because, well to put it simply, nostalgia. Or NUTstalgia as the ad cleverly puts it. The new work awarded to VaynerMedia after an acquisition by Hormel positions Planters, or what is more notably recognized as Mr. Peanut, as “A Nut Above”, the tagline introduced earlier this year. We’re loving the throwback.
9. Peloton | When Your Workout is a Joy, It’s a joy to workout
Another classic holiday favorite, the story of Scrooge, has been spun by the agency adam&eveNYC to share the joys of working out with a Peloton. Ahead of the New Year / New Me resolutions, this ad is sure to inspire those looking to boost their workout routine. And it really does look like fun, even for a Scrooge.
There’s a lot more activity ahead for the brand in 2022. Learn more with Winmo.
10. SNL + HomeGoods | What real moms want
I know, I know, not a serious advert, but the SNL skit was hilariously good and we couldn’t help but add it here. It really did make us smile. The family of brands HomeGoods, TJX, and Marshall’s tends to target women of most ages, and the skit so perfectly hits on the holiday dynamics between mothers and daughters.
11. Toyotathon | Bookstore
Saatchi & Saatchi put together a spot that shares a heartwarming story of togetherness and community with Toyota at the center. The agency has been leading the campaign for the new 2022 Tundra, which is prominently featured in the advert.
12. Wegmans | Happy Together
Lastly, we picked this cute advert from Wegman’s. It’s another advert that really shows the reason for the season, being together. The agency Optic Sky brought this one to life and shows us how Wegman’s brings people together during the holidays.
The message is clear this year, brands want to find a place in your life where you can make genuine connections with other people. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed putting this list together, and hope it brings you happiness this holiday season!