Christmas commercials come and go, most try to pull at your heart strings and give you a warm and cozy feeling, and others make you wonder who gives someone a new car for Christmas, and how did they hide that purchase from their spouse, yet I digress. This year the Force 5 team would like to share with you our favorite Christmas commercials, some are old, some are new, and one even references Santa’s poo. Enjoy.
Deb DeFreeuw / Beth North – Joyride
My favorite Christmas Ad of this year is Amazon’s “Joyride”, for many reasons and because it is for Amazon, is not one of them, but that is a story for later.
I love the Beatles song and the childlike joy the ladies find in sledding. I recall sledding when I was a young girl and the thrill of it. We would go up and down the hill until my mom was frozen and stayed by the fire. We always said “just one more time” and would scurry up the hill and fly down it again – if we were lucky, not hitting another sledder.
The reason I love this ad is the meaning it has to me, never lose your inner child and at what better time than Christmas to rekindle it!
Sal Malisita – The Bear and the Hare
John Lewis Christmas ad from 2013 titled “The Bear and the Hare.”
“The Bear and the Hare” from 2013 by John Lewis is my absolute Christmas ad gem. It’s like a warm hug wrapped in animation, breaking away from the usual ads to share this sweet tale about Christmas magic and spreading joy with your pals. Picture a bear that’s the ultimate nap enthusiast and a hare that’s always buzzing with energy. When the hare discovers the bear’s been missing out on Christmas because of its long snooze, it hatches this plan to wake it up just in time for the festive fun. It’s like planning the surprise party of the century! John Lewis totally gets it – Christmas isn’t just about gifts but making sure your buddies feel the love.
Now, throw in a quirky twist: instead of the typical Christmas scene, the bear wakes up to find a bunch of giant sunglasses and starts breakdancing like it’s on a disco mission. The hare, rocking a disco ball suit, joins in, and suddenly, the whole forest turns into a dance floor. Squirrels doing the worm, birds spinning – it’s a woodland disco, and it’s downright hilarious. This comical spin on “The Bear and the Hare” is like the holiday dance-off that’ll have you giggling, proving that sometimes, the best Christmas memories are the ones that come with a side of laughter and a funky dance floor in the forest.
Nicole Nusbaum – Hershey’s Kisses Christmas Bells
My favorite holiday ad is a classic: the Hershey’s kisses, as bells on a tree, ringing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” that has been running for 100 years. There are SO MANY great new ads every year that I love, but this one is quintessentially comforting in its simplicity and the fact that they roll it out every year, year after year. Also, this commercial will never age out. AND, while I love actors and believe and support them in booking a national commercial that will pay the bills, I appreciate the fact that this ad agency will never have to pay anybody residuals.
Joe Hektor – Even Santa Poops
Those more proper and highbrow than me should turn away now.
In a very humanizing commercial, the good people at Poo Pourri illustrate an embarrassing situation Santa Claus has when he has a bathroom emergency in the middle of Christmas delivery. However, as soon as Santa finds the relief of a bathroom and can finally relax, he is approached by first one, then two, then three children who begin berating him with cleverly worded complaints about the smell… along with some light blackmailing.
This is a fun commercial that was able to push boundaries due to being digital and earn viewership by capitalizing on its viral nature. This was one of many ads in the Poo Pourri campaign and is a great example of viral marketing and thinking outside the box.
Ok, here is the dorky backstory part.
This commercial came during a sort of gold rush of viral video advertising, that entertained viewers and inspired digital marketers. This was Poo Pourri’s second commercial, with their first one being “dropped” the year before in 2013.
The whole digital campaign was created out of necessity. After years of success, company founder Suzy Batiz noticed slipping sales and competition starting to emerge. Realizing she didn’t have the budget for a large broadcast commercial campaign, she knew she had to gamble on a digital campaign. After coming across a funny digital ad for Orabrush she reached out to the creators, the brother team of Jeffery and Daniel Harmon, whose credits also include the Squatty Potty and Lume Deodorant. After some considerable work, she convinced them to help. After a two-day brainstorming session, they came up with a campaign that features a fancy, proper British lady talking about pooping which resulted in a successful viral campaign and comedy gold. Within two weeks their first ad “Girls Don’t Poop” had over 10 million views and resulted in $4 million in backorders.
Without further a-“doo”, here is Even Santa Poops.
We hope you enjoyed these commercials with us. If you would like to reach out and talk to us, and who wouldn’t, give us a call at 574.234.2060. And have a Happy Holidays!
