Here at Marketing Dive, we like to keep a close watch over ads all year long—and the holiday season gets a special amount of attention. Brands typically bring their A-game filled with nostalgia, cute songs, and heart-warming messages.
So with only two more days until Christmas, we think it's a good time to distinguish our favorite holiday ads this year. Get ready to have your heart strings tugged and your funny bones tickled with our favorite holiday ads of 2014.
Apple “The Song”
Ask around the marketing community which ad was the winner this year and many will say Apple’s “The Song.” Apple – known for creativity and innovation in advertising – took a sentimental approach with this holiday commercial. It hits on themes of the season like family, traditions, generation gaps, and love – while still highlighting the functionality of Apple devices.
Gap “Mistletoe”
When we found out that Academy-award winning director Sofia Coppola was directing a series of commercials for the Gap – we were intrigued. The results didn’t disappoint as the four spots rolled out for the “Dress Normal” campaign. The spots feature a person who is a bit “off,” but is still surrounded by supportive people.
Our personal favorite from the retail chain is titled “Mistletoe” and features a young man inching toward an attractive older women standing underneath the mistletoe. There’s no dialogue – just a lot of awkward glances – but the spot is cute and touches on the more romantic aspect of the season.
John Lewis “Monty the Penguin”
British department store chain John Lewis had one of the standout holiday ads this year by showing us the season through the eyes of a child. In “Monty the Penguin,” a young boy spends his year with a pet penguin, but starts to worry that as the holiday draws closer, that his penguin could be missing something. It’s a heart-warming tale that makes us all kind of want a pet penguin too.
Samsung “Home for the Holidays”
For its big holiday spot this year, Samsung brought back real-life celebrity couple Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. The effortlessly charming duo helped Samsung achieve viral success with the spot earlier this year, “What You Really Need.” In the holiday-themed “Home for the Holidays,” a very pregnant Bell and Shepard over-do it on the decorations. It’s hard not to love these two and Samsung knows it.
