Holiday Ads 2022: Whimsy and Imagination

Holiday Ads 2022: Whimsy and Imagination

Advertising

In 2022, concerns about a looming recession prompted some brands to lean into sales and savings in their holiday ad campaigns. But, perhaps emboldened by the National Retail Federation’s forecast for holiday sales growth somewhere in the six to eight percent range over the 2021 season (lower than last year’s record leap, admittedly, but growth nonetheless), other advertisers have chosen a different path. For some brands at least, whimsy, humor, and imagination have emerged front and center in holiday campaigns. Let’s take a closer look at a few examples:

Speaking Your Pet’s Language

A fun spot from pet care brand Chewy underscores the humorous ways in which animals and humans try to communicate across the language barrier. The premise: just as we don’t always understand what that meow or bark might mean, our animal friends may be in a similar pickle as they try to make sense of the goofy matching pajamas and ugly sweaters we humans crack out at the holidays. But as the ad, accessible via social and the Chewy’s website/mobile app, points out, Chewy pet products help us speak a common language, one that our pets absolutely appreciate!

 

Kids’ Imaginations Power the Magic

Kids were the creative force behind a Lego ad featuring Katy Perry and a fantastical present-delivery vehicle made of Lego bricks. The film, which casts children from around the world, airs in a three-minute version on Lego.com, as well as on Perry’s social channels (shorter versions appear on TV and OLV channels). Before shooting the main film, the brand gave the kids boxes of Lego bricks and encouraged them to come up with their version of a perfect present delivery machine. Based on the kids’ ideas, Lego then built the vehicle and surprised the children with it; the kids’ reactions when they see the colorful, magical mashup (a fairytale castle is incorporated into the vehicle, as is a space shuttle, even a slide!) are completely genuine. Lego’s holiday ad campaign also incorporates videos of children interviewing Perry, and an online Lego Gift Finder helps consumers find the products that inspired the kids in the film.

 

Less Spend, More Tacos

When Taco Bell made its first TV ad for the U.K. market, it took an innovative approach. The brand paired up with YouTube creator AnOnymooose, who put together a 30-second ad that aired on television . . . exactly once. The spot also ran on social media, but the money Taco Bell saved with its streamlined run was then diverted into a taco giveaway on December 13: while supplies lasted, anyone in the U.K. could claim their own free Crunchy Taco at any U.K. Taco Bell. The humorous animated spot, in which restaurant reviewer Santa becomes nonplussed by a persistent, taco-loving swan, represents a fresh way to reward customers and have some fun working with an animator. (Fun fact: AnOnymooose enjoys 1.12 million subscribers and no one has seen them in real life!)

 

A New Kind of Yule Log

Resisting the idea of cranberry sauce as being a Thanksgiving-only treat, Ocean Spray has come up with its own take on the popular looping yule log video. In Ocean Spray’s version, three jiggling Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce logs enjoy a crackling fire while whimsically vocalizing. What does a cranberry sauce log say, you ask? Why, “jiggle” and “wiggle,” of course! The 10-hour-long feel-good video runs on Ocean Spray’s YouTube channel and as paid pre-roll placements.

 

Contact True Interactive

Looking to make your mark using digital? We can help you navigate holiday campaigns, and we can help all year long! Contact us.

Advertiser Q&A: Amazon Video Ads

Advertiser Q&A: Amazon Video Ads

Amazon

Earlier this year, advertisers complained in a Digiday article that Amazon lacked a robust video ad platform, which made Amazon less attractive to Facebook and Google as an ad platform. Amazon must have been listening. The company launched video ads as part of a broader reorganization of its ad offerings under Amazon Advertising. In recent weeks, I’ve been blogging about various Amazon Advertising products. Here’s a brief overview of video ads to help you understand them.

1 What is Amazon’s Video Advertising Solution?

Amazon’s video offerings are very similar to their display offering in the sense that they use specific audiences with custom creatives to target people on Amazon as well as Amazon-owned and third-party sites (such as Twitch) and devices. Unlike the display offerings, there isn’t a self-managed option – so you must work with a team throughout the whole process.

2 Why Would an Advertiser Use Video Ads?

Video ads are a great way to tell a story. They complement display ads by sharing the same sentiments but with the ability to expand beyond a single image to show the entire story. Video ads are mainly seen as a branding play, but by using highly specific targeting available on Amazon, video ads can also drive people to complete a purchase.

As reported in Digiday, Lego tested video ads in search results on the Amazon app in the United States in 2017. And Lego liked what it saw. James Poulter, Lego’s head of emerging platforms and partnerships, told Digiday, “The test reiterated the importance video and rich media can have when it’s part of the buying journey, especially when 70 percent of all purchase journeys start on Amazon. Surfacing your content in the same place that people are having those journeys has the potential to widen the funnel.”

3 Are There Any Limitations to Video Ads?

As with Amazon’s Display ads, the main limitation with Amazon video ads is the price. Amazon requires a $35,000 budget for both video and display ad campaigns. This hefty price prevents smaller advertisers from being able to test out these advertising features.

4 How Can Advertisers Maximize the Value of Video Ads?

Maximizing the value of video ads requires a goal, good story telling, and smart targeting.

  • Goals – Since most advertisers on Amazon are selling a product, getting a consumer to complete a purchase is the most obvious goal. Generating brand awareness and recall is another goal that would work well within the Amazon universe.
  • Stories – Visually show someone how purchasing a product will solve a problem for them. Walk them through a product demonstration, but without it feeling like a sales pitch. Showcase testimonials and reviews. Create an instructional video illustrating specific features of a product.
  • Targeting – Leverage Amazon’s targeting options to find highly relevant audiences. Take what you know about your customer and match that up with products they buy and shows and videos they watch. Be very specific to the product you sell.

If you’re interested in Amazon video ads, but don’t know where to start or need assistance strategizing and managing them, please reach out to us at True Interactive.

Here are the other posts in my series about Amazon: 

Advertiser Q&A: Amazon Display Ads 

Advertiser Q&A: Amazon Sponsored Ads