Dive Brief:
- SharkNinja launched a global holiday campaign for its Ninja brand, entitled “Ninja the Holidays,” starring global brand ambassador and former professional soccer player David Beckham, per a press release.
- Central to the effort is a 30-second spot that shows Beckham scrambling to prep his home for a holiday gathering. The ad positions Ninja’s kitchen appliances as the means to help consumers complete their seasonal meals in record time.
- The campaign began airing Nov. 1 across streaming platforms and will also span social media, out-of-home (OOH) and other digital channels. Beginning Nov. 4, the campaign will also appear in regions including the U.K., France and Germany, among others.
Dive Insight:
SharkNinja is positioning itself as the cure to holiday hosting stress with “Ninja the Holidays,” a multi-channel effort highlighting its Ninja kitchen appliances. The effort could bode well this season, as shoppers are expected to drop an average of $1,778, an 8% increase from 2023, according to Deloitte’s 2024 holiday retail survey. Notably, consumers are also expected to spend 16% more on experiences, like holiday events, this year over last.
Key to the campaign is a 30-second spot that begins with Beckham pulling up on a motorbike with a Christmas tree in his sidecar before receiving a text that reads, “See you in 2 hours!” The star is then seen quickly deploying a series of Ninja kitchen appliances to streamline his holiday hosting preparations. In the end, a full seasonal spread is revealed as Beckham says, “What took you all so long?”
While playing into the convenience factor could help attract stressed out holiday shoppers, SharkNinja’s choice to enlist a celebrity like Beckham could also help propel the campaign forward. Earlier this year, the star also featured in a comedic Super Bowl ad for Uber Eats alongside his wife, Victoria Beckham.
“Ninja the Holidays” began airing in the U.S. Nov. 1 across various streaming channels and will be followed with additional high-profile placements, including during Thursday night football broadcasts. Beginning Nov. 4, the campaign will also appear across the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Nordics, Middle East and Benelux regions, per release details. The effort will also include OOH placements, including on billboards in New York’s Times Square, Los Angeles and Miami, among other locations.
SharkNinja, a global product design and technology company headquartered in Massachusetts, is headed into the critical holiday sales period on the back of a strong third quarter. The company reported a net sales increase of 33.2% to $1.4 million in Q3, per its latest earnings report. Behind the growth is its cooking and beverage appliances category, which saw net sales increase 21.3%, and its food preparation appliances category, which saw net sales increase 73.5% versus the year-ago period.
Ninja’s holiday campaign arrives as others similarly begin to ramp up their seasonal marketing efforts. Tomato sauce brand Rao’s recently revealed that it will be making its parade debut for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with its own Pasta Knight float. In October, Old Navy revealed a “Love is in the House” holiday campaign starring singer Jennifer Hudson.
