The Christmas holiday is synonymous with joy, giving, and being with loved ones. Many businesses capitalize on the holiday season by reminding us of these concepts through their holiday ads. Regardless of what you feel about the holidays, some companies hit the mark with their holiday ads, tugging our heartstrings and reminding us of what the holiday is all about. That said, check out these holiday ad examples that will tug your heartstrings or remind you of the warmth that Christmas gives to anyone who celebrates.
Plus Supermarkets
Plus is a Dutch chain of supermarkets. This Christmas holiday ad shows that not having that ideal family that conforms to a cultural paradigm is okay. Marriage is an abstruse endeavor, and not a lot of couples will experience happiness after matrimony. But come Christmas, families can forget these differences and enjoy their time with one another.
This video shows a family of three, where the daughter juggles her time between her parents right before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, seeing that her father will likely spend Christmas alone, she left a small cast iron pan enveloped in a simple red wrapper after spending time at her father’s house.
When the father saw the gift, he immediately drove over to the other house, realizing it was an invite to spend Christmas Eve’s dinner with the entire family. The video ends with a catchphrase, “Christmas tastes better together.”
BBC One
Another societal family issue that one of us might be dealing with is ignoring the things that really matter. When we exchange our time with families for our careers, we miss out on a lot of priceless wonderful things. Here, BBC One wants to give us that nudge that work, wealth, and material things should come next to family.
This is a video of a girl who has a Christmas talent show coming up. She wanted to tell and invite her father so badly, but his work always gets in the way. Come talent show night, she lost confidence while on stage knowing she didn’t have her father there. Until unknowingly, her father appeared out of the blue and started dancing to encourage her.
Holiday ads like this point out how essential time is. If we let it pass, we might not gain back the moments we could’ve cherished forever.
Nordstrom
More often than not, we look up to celebrities and public figures for guidance. And Nordstrom knows how prominent Celine Dion is — on and off the stage. The online company partnered with the iconic serenader for their Christmas 2017 holiday influencer marketing campaign.
Starting by carrying a beautiful tune of Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song, holding one of Nordstrom’s handbags, you’ll instantly get the feels. They also did a brilliant job tweaking the lyrics, singing, “Chestnuts roasting in my new handbag.” Then she ends by hoping that holiday enthusiasts make plans with their friends and family.
Air Canada
Air Canada grabbed everyone’s attention when they played this 2014 Christmas ad brilliantly. Holiday ads can make you weep like a baby. The insightful messages and electrifying graphics will make you realize how important this season is for those who are separated from their loved ones.
Air Canada wanted to give back to Canadians who are living abroad, specifically in London. Canadians usually spend their time at this bar in London called Maple Leaf to experience a taste of home. One night, two Air Canada pilots entered the bar and announced they were flying everyone in the bar home to be with their families.
This stunning campaign from a multi-billion dollar airline had everyone tear up. But capturing everything on video was even more sensational. Flyers expressed their gratitude online with the hashtag #ACGiftofHome.
UPS
We may not get everything we wish for when Christmas comes. But UPS wanted to grant a few of the people’s wishes through their annual Christmas campaign called “Wishes Delivered.” By giving back to the community, the courier company also donated up to $100,000 to a chosen charity for every “Wishes Delivered” video shared on social media channels. Not only does this gain traction for your business, but it will garner social media mileage as well.
This campaign has been on a roll for five consecutive years now. Last 2018, they made four random people happy by granting their wishes. One was an active military woman who had sought comfort in an untraditional human-animal friendship in the Middle East. She rescued Kelby and soon parted ways when she came home to the US.
UPS wanted to bring the two together and brought Kelby home to Lily — a 4000-mile special delivery. As a dog lover, may we be reminded to be kind to animals, not only this Christmas but for the entire year. After all, they are part of the family.
Apple
When it comes to stimulating holiday ads, Apple knows what gripping graphics can do to move mountains. Take this Christmas holiday marketing campaign from 2018, for example. It focuses on how you should “Share Your Gifts” during the gift-giving season. It doesn’t have to be about money or material objects, but even sharing your talents will truly make an impact.
Featuring impeccable digital animation, it’s a story about a young talented designer named Sofia. While she enjoys creating design projects on her Mac computer all the time, she also keeps the projects to herself. One day, hard copies of her designs were swept throughout the entire city into the hands of passersby.
While she was rushing to retrieve the papers, she realized her designs put a smile on people’s faces. The gist of the story reminds us that we should share whatever it is we are good at to friends, family, and even strangers. Who knows, our talents might redeem someone’s spirit this holiday season.
Ikea
One of the top holiday ads in 2023 was Ikea’s “Take a Holiday from the Holidays.” In this ad, Ikea positions itself as a reliable furniture company for those in need of a quick respite during the holidays. The actors in the ad are shown lying down on furniture or using it to take a breather from the stress of the holidays. It’s a great way to showcase your brand without hard selling.
Amazon
Here’s a heartwarming ad from the eCommerce giant. Amazon’s Joy Ride reminds us that age shouldn’t hinder you from having fun and reliving old memories. It shows three women at a park, watching children sledding. Considering their old age, they probably won’t be able to join and enjoy sledding like they did back in the day. A woman ordered a seat cushion to make the activity more enjoyable and safer for the older women.
Asda
Check out this holiday ad from 2023 from the UK grocery store chain Asda. Singer Michael Buble appears in this ad as a manager of one of the stores. He oversaw what Asda offered in 2023. Of course, the singer sings at the end of the commercial along with a choir to promote Asda. It’s a great ad since it uses star power. Plus, it will make one hungry for what Asda offers to customers.
John Lewis & Partners
One of the most heartwarming holiday ads for 2024 is from John Lewis & Partners. The ad showcases sisterly love, with the main character looking for the best gift for her sister. John Lewis demonstrates that you can find the perfect present for your loved ones when you look in the right place.
Disney
Disney’s holiday ad is like a little movie but an advertisement for the entertainment corporation. The holiday short starts with a little boy swimming on the beach and getting scared of a small octopus. As the child emerges from the beach, the little octopus clings to him, and the new duo goes on different adventures together. This is an excellent ad for Disney enthusiasts since it shows characters and references items from its famous films. You can’t go wrong with Disney to bring a smile to one’s face and feel the magic of Christmas.
Etsy
Our final holiday ad example comes from Etsy. The online marketplace brought a beloved character to life: Waldo. He walks around a city where people recognize him as the character. Eventually, at the end, he meets his partner, who gives him a compass, a reference to the character’s whereabouts all the time. Besides that, Etsy shows the public that the marketplace has everything they need to give a gift that says “I get you” to their loved ones.
How to Use Penji for Your Holiday Ads
Now, most small companies do not have the luxury of time to create videos for the holidays. So you probably might ask, what would be the next option? We recommend creating multiple images to tell a story. But of course, we encourage that you hire the services of professional graphic designers to strengthen your message and to ensure that your market will appreciate your campaign.
Instead of doing it on your own, get the Penji team to do it for you. They have a pool of experts that can work on your graphic designs fast – not to mention effective.
Many small businesses enjoy using Penji because of the quality of work and efficiency. Check out their plans and sign up to enjoy unlimited graphic designs.
