Our Favourite 2023 Holiday Campaigns (So Far).

We’re almost done with Q3 now and you know what that means: those of us who love marketing have been having a ball thanks to the release of some of the highest-budget, most creative holiday campaigns of the year – from John Lewis to Bumble and beyond. So, just before we add “OOO” to all our email signatures and change into our onesies for the foreseeable, we thought we’d wrap up (no pun intended) the year with a breakdown of three of our favourite holiday campaigns so far. 

Amazon’s “Joy Ride” had us reaching for tissues. 

I’m not crying, you are. Unlike the many retailers that are doubling down on Christmas deals and value this year, Amazon’s “Joy Ride” brought the emotional house down with the remarkably touching story of three life-long friends. Scored by the Beatles hit “In My Life”, this is a celebration of nostalgia and childlike joy, seen through the lens of everyone’s favourite demographic. This, paired with clever product placement that winked at the versatility of Amazon’s product range sealed the deal on this ad as one of our favourites of the year. Was it a contender to John Lewis? That’s up to you. 

Bumble’s Christmas jumpers blended sarcastic fashion with relatable truthtelling. 

Ahhh, isn’t it nice when a festive ad doesn’t take itself too seriously? That’s exactly what Bumble’s Christmas jumper campaign – which was actually shot in our very own in-house studio – succeeded in doing by weaving witty copy like, “Yes Nan, I’m still single,” and, “Please don’t set me up with anyone,” into a limited edition series of classic Christmas jumpers. 

Shot editorially and posted across their socials, this campaign stunningly blends on point sarcasm with a truth that most people can relate to. It says: the holiday season can be difficult for single people, but it’s nothing a bit of humour (and an app like Bumble) can’t cure. It’s authentic, it’s funny, and it’s completely on the mark in terms of meeting Bumble’s target audience where they’re at.

Coca-Cola’s “Create Real Magic” harnesses the power of AI. 

Coca-Cola has always had a big stake in Christmas – we all remember the urban legend that the drinks company is the reason why Santa’s suit is red. But this year, they took it to the next level, incorporating a stunningly executed AI platform into their Christmas campaign. Alongside a charming hero spot named ‘The World Needs More Santas’, Coke released an in-app and online “Find Your Inner Santa” quiz which harnesses generative AI to generate personalised illustrations that can be shared on social media. 

But that was just the start. Soon after releasing the quiz, Coke launched “Create Real Magic”, a website that enables users to generate digital greeting cards by combining iconic Coca-Cola assets from past Christmases, in a way that only AI can do. Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola’s Global Head of Generative AI, put it best: “We’re connecting people as we have always done during the holiday season, but in a uniquely real and magical way by democratizing our creative assets and the latest AI tools.”

So, there you have it. Three drastically different approaches to a holiday campaign, and three of the most impactful moments in the marketing world’s busiest time of year. You thought Santa was the busiest person at this time of year? You clearly haven’t spoken to an Account Manager recently! Speak to our team today to rectify that and get started on your next Christmas campaign.