Dive Brief:

• Corona Extra USA launched a 2022 holiday marketing campaign built around its iconic “O’Tannenpalm” ad from 1990, according to details shared with Marketing Dive.
• As part of the effort, an augmented reality location enables users to place a virtual palm tree — decked out in holiday ornaments — in their own space and includes interactive elements. The brand will also give away five decorated 10-inch palm trees a day through Dec. 31 and support the promotion on Instagram.
• With this promotion, the brand takes big gulps of two key trends this holiday season: nostalgia and virtual experiences.

Dive Insight:

Corona’s Tannenpalm Tree Lot virtual experience takes its inspiration from a 32-year-old commercial in which a palm tree lights up for the holidays as a person whistles “Oh Tannenbaum” in the background. It is considered one of the more memorable holiday-themed commercials. Muse by Clio once called the ad, “perhaps the simplest distillation of a brand within a holiday context ever produced.” 

By taking the commercial into the metaverse and giving consumers a way to recreate a memorable ad from years gone by in their own homes, the brand is delivering a dose of nostalgia — an important theme this year as consumers pine for simpler times. Consumers have the chance to win one of five decorated palm trees given out daily by entering their information on the brand’s website through Dec. 31.

The brand also points itself towards the future by embracing virtual experiences, which could help it reach younger drinking-age consumers. The AR experience purports to transport users to a Corona-themed winter wonderland full of interactive holiday elements. The O’Tannenpalm Tree Lot virtual experience will be available on mobile through a link that Corona will release on social in the coming weeks. Corona joins Macy’s, Pacsun and other marketers in exploring virtual experiences this holiday season. 

This is not the first time the brand has distributed palm trees in recognition of its iconic television spot. In 2020, to celebrate the ad’s 30th anniversary, the brand distributed decorated palm trees to residents of Corona Del Mar, California. In addition to recognizing the ad’s anniversary, the stunt was also a tongue-in-cheek way to give a lift to those who had suffered through a year of having their “Corona” name associated with a deadly virus.

The Tannenpalm Tree Lot is also not the first time the brand has delved into AR. In 2021, Corona’s international arm unveiled “Plastic Reality,” which used AR to illustrate people’s individual plastic footprint and offered tips on how to reduce the environmental impact by reducing their plastic usage. 

Corona is owned internationally by AB InBev and in the U.S. by Constellation Brands.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include additional details from Corona about how to access its holiday virtual experience.