Like many other North Texans, the Glint team was iced in for part of last week because of Icemageddon. Being homebound for three days meant spending a lot of quality bonding time with our televisions. With the holiday season in full swing, so are the holiday commercials, and brands seem to be pulling out all the stops this year.
They make us laugh, they make us cry, and they get us into the holiday spirit. Some of the most memorable ads this season have sent us into a fit of giggles. The 16-second Pier 1 spot, featuring the “Glitter Penguin on Cupcake” from their Christmas line, has seen plenty of love via the “#smooshed” hashtag on Twitter. And who could forget the boxer-clad gentlemen doing a very ballsy (pun completely intended) rendition of the holiday classic in the K-Mart and Joe Boxer “Jingle Bells” commercial? Another noteworthy ad this holiday season is the Netflix treetop angel commercial, created by Deutsch, Los Angeles, which displays the holiday season in a humorous light and managed to tug at our heartstrings a bit. In an effort to show how their service can bring families together, especially for the holidays, the story is told from the treetop angel’s perspective as she reminisces about the holiday chaos she’s seen within the McDermott family for over 30 years.
We may adore these spirited holiday ads, but do they actually work when it comes to advertising and selling product? To an extent, yes. In 2011, the Jewelry Website Advisory Group found that Google search interest for jewelry rose 57% in the time period between October 31st and December 4th. On the list of top 10 search keywords, guess which company came in as the number 8 searched term? Holiday commercial virtuoso, Kay Jewelers.
Sales during the holiday season for luxury gifts, such as cars and jewelry, experience an increase regardless of the frequency of holiday commercials. While consumers may already have their minds set on a specific type of gift for their loved ones, holiday commercials and advertisements may help sway them toward a particular brand.
Peter Daboll, the CEO of Ace Metrix, has noted trends for the most popular advertisements of the season every year: “2012 was the Christmas of home improvement; 2011 was the Christmas of tech; and… 2013 looks to focus on emotion and simplicity.” This year businesses and advertisers are providing us with pieces that appeal “to the themes of the season – family, giving and not enough time.” Sounds pretty on point to us!
Let us know which ads and commercials you’ve most enjoyed this holiday season in the comments below! To learn about how Glint can help your business with seasonal advertising, and throughout the rest of the year, give us a call at (817) 616-0320 or shoot us an e-mail at digital@glintadv.com. Happy Holidays from everyone at Glint!
