Some of the best ads of the year come out at the holidays. To get you into the spirit and inspire you for the brief-making New Year ahead, we wanted to share which ones we’ve been loving so far this season.
“Drawn Together” – Starbucks
Starbucks has always used a Sharpie to mark its cups with customers’ names. In this ad, they use it to playfully bring to life a story of two people coming together for the holidays. This magical use of graphics feels ownable to their brand, keeps their product the hero, and sells the story of togetherness in an unexpected way.
Don’t Get Them a YETI
This brand manifesto is a great example of one that gets its audience right. YETI’s tongue-in-cheek voiceover, raw visuals, and rapid editing play perfectly into their audience’s adventurous and rebellious nature, leaving the viewer wanting to buy a YETI this holiday, even though YETI advises against it.
“Home But Not Alone” – Home Instead
Knowing that many of Home Alone’s original fans now have aging parents, the 90s nostalgia angle of the ad grabs the audience’s attention and conveys a serious message with a touch of humor.
An Uber Holiday Story
This one gives all the feels while subtly delivering on its product benefit. As a young woman rides in an Uber, she reflects on her relationship with her father. This heartfelt look back at their story really delivers home when she arrives home, and is a great way for Uber to reinforce that their service reaches suburban customers.