I was reading through Ad Age's list of best Christmas ads for the year and noticed that all of them other than Macy's focus on the stress of the season, and how they can make it better. Best Buy actually takes it to a whole other level by trying to out do Santa. Sorta funny, but all of them left me feeling like the person who bemoans what the holidays have become—stress-o-shop-o-mania. All of them except Macy's, that is. I re-watched this spot several times after finishing the others, trying to wash the cynicism away, and it worked.
This spot reminded me that though it's our job as advertisers to solve customers' problems, there's a fine line between solving a problem and exacerbating the problem by embellishing it over, and over, and over again.
Sometimes we shop because we have a problem that needs solving. That's generally true everyday of the year. But that's not how any of us really want to think about Christmas. Even though Macy's campaign evokes the magical spirit of Christmas for children, it inspires all of us in the process to WANT to buy. Not have to. And under which circumstance would you prefer to bring people into your store?
The fact that they also built in an in-store magical red box that brings the inspiration (and customers) into the stores AND gives back to charity—win, win, win.
Watch, be inspired, shop, and Happy Holidays, all!
Jen Wright, Inspired Yaffe Account gal
