In the spirit of fun for this holiday week, we thought we’d share with you our staff’s top 5 picks for our favorite holiday commercials. Some are timeless traditions and others are newer, but they all leave us smiling and feeling happy even in the midst of the stress of the season. In no particular order…
Hershey’s Kisses “Ringing Bells”
This timeless commercial debuted in the mid-80s. And even with all the advancements in technology for advertising now, this simple perfect commercial still stands the test of time. No sales pitch, no offer. Just a clever way to perform a holiday classic.
The Target Lady
We were first introduced to the Target Lady in 2010. With her relentless energy and excitement for shopping, she gave us a laugh at ourselves as we stress over the mountainous to-do lists we face over the holidays. We could all relate in some way to her manic approach at checking off things on our list.
Coca’s Cola’s “Buy The World a Coke”
Debuting in 1971, “Buy the World a Coke” portrayed a positive message of hope and love sung by a multicultural collection of people on a hill top. This short, simple, message about global unity evoked the true spirit of the season. In 1990, Coca Cola did a follow up version of this timeless classic, with most of the original cast as adults now with their own children.
Old Navy “Griswold’s”
Who doesn’t love Christmas Vacation, the 1989 third installment of National Lampoon’s Vacation series? The movie itself covers so many many things we can all relate to, from family overstaying their welcome and the mishaps that come with trying to make a perfect Christmas for your family. In 2012, Old Navy brought back the Griswold’s to advertise their line of colorful pants and sweaters recreating scenes from the 1989 classic with cameos by some of the original cast, included Dad, Mom and the many different Audrey’s and Rusty’s that appeared in the series over the years.
Wal-Mart “It’s Snowing”
!It’s Snowing!” the solider exclaims with delights as the weight of missing the holidays with his family darkens his mood. Unbeknownst to him, his son back home has asked Santa for this special gift for his dad. This commercial, by Walmart in 2009, pulls at our heartstrings and reminds us all of the importance of our loved ones, especially those fighting for our freedom.
What are your favorites? Share in the comments below. And Happy Holidays to all our readers!
