Dive Brief:

• Etsy launched its holiday marketing campaign, “Give ‘I get you’ gifts,” with a media plan that includes TV spots, out-of-home placements and social media, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
• A 60-second anthem spot features Waldo, of “Where’s Waldo?” fame, as he’s greeted all over the world but only moved upon returning home and receiving a personalized gift from Etsy. The character then uses the platform to buy holiday gifts.  
• Throughout the season, Etsy is engaging with consumers through podcasts and experiential activations, like a recent holiday pop-up shopping experience in New York City, a first for the brand. Etsy’s latest campaign sees the business continuing to position itself as an online marketplace for gifts made by real people. 

Dive Insight:

Etsy’s latest marketing push positions the platform as a thoughtful and personal choice this holiday season and is built around the insight that people want to be seen. The campaign is designed to appeal to a variety of consumers, with plans for hundreds of versions of ads meant to speak to unique experiences. Additionally, Etsy’s “chief gifting officer” Drew Barrymore and tennis star Naomi Osaka will highlight their favorite gifts as part of the effort. 

Etsy, a platform known for goods made by independent artisans, has long put creators at the center of its advertising. Given the diversity of creators on the site, the new holiday campaign uses different spots and tactics to reach different demographics.

While Waldo is the star of the anthem spot, another video doesn’t feature the character at all. Instead, it shows a seller creating an ornament for a family spending their first Christmas without their beloved dog. The tagline “Give ‘I get you’ gifts” provides the wide assortment of creative with a throughline.

Etsy this week reported Q3 revenue increased 4.1% year over year to $662 million. During an earnings call with analysts, executives called attention to the platform’s strategy of avoiding steep discounts, which sets it apart from many big-box stores and retailers that are focused on lowering prices this year.

“We’re choosing a different direction, choosing to double-down in the things that make Etsy markedly different and markedly better as the best path to restarting our growth engine,” said Etsy CEO Josh Silverman during the earnings call.

Etsy’s holiday approach is the latest attempt by the seller to differentiate itself by putting human craft front-and-center in its marketing. It is part of a larger awareness push this year that previously featured Etsy’s first Super Bowl commercial. 

Over the summer, Etsy also introduced a new brand mission that addresses the rise of artificial intelligence and mass manufacturing. TV ads, social media videos and billboards profiled real Etsy merchants. Around the same time, the company appointed Brad Minor as its first chief brand officer.