The holiday season is coming. That means it's time to roll out sentimental commercials that bring a tear to your eye.
Esty, who is on a roll thanks to face mask sales, has one video featuring the familiar scenario of bringing someone new to a family holiday celebration. And another Covid-19 inspired spot where grandparents can't see their family. Something for everyone. (Mahoney, 2020)
And here's one from Amazon...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQdLD6kk960&t=1s
Research tells us that all decisions are emotional. And that storytelling is particularly memorable. So this spot should hit all the right notes.
Does it? Can you identify the sponsor? Did you have the patience to watch the entire two minute video? How did the it make you feel? Did it make you want to shop more at Amazon? Why or why not?
Can you think of another storytelling ad that you find motivating? How about this one from M&M's?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1_jPveBfxg
Mahoney, S. (2020, November 3) Ecommerce Weepies: Amazon, Etsy Launch High-Emo Holiday Ads. mediapost.com. Retrieved November 4, 2020, from
https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/357484/ecommerce-weepies-amazon-etsy-launch-high-emo-ho.html?edition=120314
12 comments:
Is it just me, or are we feeling like covid ads are so March 2020? I feel like the pendulum is swinging and consumers are feeling the need to move away from this heavy mindset. With the holidays upon us, we are yearning for a taste of normalcy, an escape from the sad reality of the last 8 months and a focus on joy. I won't be buying based on emotional ads personally. I'm sick of them! bring on jingle bells, reindeer and some levity!
Everything makes me cry, especially as of late. I did wipe a tear from my eye at the Amazon commercial, and though it is sad to admit, I have bought more products (only about five, but five more than before) since COVID-19. I don't really anticipate buying holiday gifts through Amazon, but I do think "The show must go on" is apropos for the brand, and this time.
I think what Amazon is doing is smart. By tugging at consumers’ heartstrings and featuring predominantly black individuals, they’re trying to highlight themselves as an empathetic, caring company. That said, the first real mention of Amazon is too far into the ad. In my opinion, I’d rather a shorter, heartwarming ad (i.e. the Campbell’s Snowman commercial from 1993: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1WAa5pDi0) because it’s memorable and shareable too.
While I appreciate the brands that are taking COVID and the racial injustices into consideration, I agree with Jen that I’m tired of them. Let’s go back to the simple times with ads that actually make sense for the brand/advertiser.
I really like these ads from Amazon. It's clearly a time of the year in which consumers are focused a bit more on family and this ad plays authentically into consumer emotions. Also, given the emotional rollercoaster consumers have been on this year, I think they are unlocking a deeper insight around escapism. With the election, COVID19, racial tensions, protests, etc. Americans are realizing that the intangibles in this world like family, friends, self-worth, love, etc. are the most important things. COVID has given most people an opportunity to reevaluate and reflect on what really matters.
That being said, I don't think this ad has necessarily changed my buying behavior from Amazon. But I don't think that's the intention of this. There are transactional/functional ads that are focused on "buying and traffic driving" and others that are focused on "brand" - I think this is a brand focused ad. A company that does this really well is CVS. CVS is focused on...Above all else is health. I really like there commercials because they aren't focused on products or price points, but rather this idea that health is everything. It's simple and relatable.
Oh and I did not cry!
Although I don’t necessarily agree that all decisions are emotional, but I think this Amazon’s ad is effective and memorable. I can identify the sponsor from two spots, which are the Amazon app shopping scene and the smiling logo at the end. I did watch the entire ad because I think it is more like a story than an ad, which is interesting. I think this ad reminds me about people’s resilience during the pandemic. Although this ad would not make me want to shop more at Amazon, but it reminds me about the convenience and support that Amazon brings to me during the pandemic. At the end of the day, Amazon is still my first shopping place during the pandemic.
I remember watching an emotional storytelling ad with a campaign “Dads #ShareTheLoad”. This is an Indian laundry detergent ad from Ariel, rising up a question “why is laundry only a mother’s job?” by telling a story about family housework sharing. But for the M&M’s ad, the only feeling I have from watching it is that this ad is a little creepy with its dry humor.
I must admit that I do enjoy when commercial, or an in-person performance, short film, or movie make me cry. While I am not much of a crier, I do enjoy watching and listening to a story that stirs up these emotions. On the other hand, I don’t know if I would buy more gifts from amazon, solely on an emotional ad. I wonder if I am not moved by making a purchase from an emotional ad, because I work on closing a sale daily with face to face interactions. Functionality is very important to me, and perhaps if there were something, I needed that was a part of the ad, then in the moment of need, I would move towards making the purchase. Gifts, I find are an extension of your personality, and so if I wouldn’t buy myself a gift from Amazon, I’m likely not going to do so for the recipient of the gift I have in mind.
Indeed, emotions play a pivotal role in decision making. Not only does emotion apply when making a decision, but it also applies to your memory, based on the emotions experienced. Emotions are “often remembered with greater accuracy and vividness” (Lehrer, 2020). As it relates to the Amazon ad and its effectiveness, I personally believe that it is quite effective. I really enjoyed watching their two-minute ad: “The Show Must Go On”. It seemed to have reached more than just one target market. There were passion and elegance depicted by the ballet performer. Most importantly, the emotion was a central feeling throughout the ad. The genuine care and attention from the performer’s family and community solidified that we’re interconnected and people “connect over a variety of things sometimes in ways that surprise us” (Lehrer, 2020). That said, I do believe it makes the appropriate connection with tribes, and emotions and how that might affect your memory in a long-lasting way.
Certainly, watched the entire video! Although, as I was watching the video, it was interrupted by a safety announcement. My attention was entirely captured by the music chosen for the ad and the elegant ballet movements. Additionally, I thought that the overall message was captivating enough for everyone to identify with because we’ve all most likely have been disappointed in some way or another. If I am getting this right, the consumer insight was almost universal and targeting many different age groups, and beyond just one gender.
Jonathan Antoshka
When I watch an advertisement, I intend to identify the sponsor as soon as possible. Because I don’t want to be targeted without knowing who’s targeting me. It’s just like my personal habit. I do have the patience to watch the entire video only if the story interested me. For this ad, I don’t think I would shop more at Amazon. This girl has been preparing very hard for her dance show. But the performance was canceled due to the COVID-19 and she’s very upset about it. But her family and friends organized a special “show” for her in the neighborhood. It’s a good story but I don’t see much correlation with Amazon. I mean I also can buy a flashlight elsewhere. Personally, I prefer M&M’s Halloween ad. Although it’s only 15 seconds, it gives me a strong impression that motivates me to get M&M for Halloween.
Zhengbiao Ji
If done correctly building an emotional connection with the consumer through brand storytelling is effective. I personally appreciate a brand that takes the time to develop a story that they will believe will give a deeper meaning to the audience. I think this ad by Amazon is effective in making an emotional connection to the consumers. It is something that I will probably remember drawing closer to the Christmas festive. Another brand that I have encountered before with an effective brand story is the Airbnb “Breaking Down Walls” ad. First of all, the ad is based on a true story which adds to the authenticity of the ad. It tells a story of a woman who took her father to Berlin as a way of him getting closure with the past since he was a guard at the west side of the Berlin wall during the cold war. The person who would host them in an Airbnb coincidentally happened to be a man who was also a guard but on the East side of the wall. Then they would have been enemies but now they reunited as friends. This greatly helped the father gain the closure that he needed after so many years. Here Airbnb brings out clearly the ability of their service to connect people and build meaningful friendships.
Xiaoyu Zheng
That amazon commercial hit the right notes for me because I use to dance ballet and Christmas time is the most emotional to me. I do order from amazon- but only when I need something fast (Amazon Prime).
I think they're mostly targeting African Americans which is smart- not only because of the publicized horrific times we are in but there is also not that many African Americans in the Ballet profession. Gives little girls hope. I think they could've shown the little girl asking her mom to order paper or something to make the posters... I really only saw relevance with the boy buying a flash light.
I did have the patience to watch the whole thing because they made you curious right away with the happy setting but low tone music after- we knew there would be bad news. But needing a light for a show is super random... I can only see this helping amazon because people will share the heart felt commercial.
One of my favorite commercials has to be the one where a little boy father is in the military so he makes paper airplanes with letters to his father inside. He throws them across his neighbors fence assuming they'll make it to his father over seas. The neighboor finds all the paper airplanes on his grass and boxes them up and sends this as a package to the little boys dad. The dad receives the package, sends one back and the neighbor starts throwing them back to the boy over the fence in paper airplane form.
Although this commercial made me cry. I had to google it to find the youtube video and it turns out to be a commercial for a packaging company that's not UPS or FED EX.
I still remember it as my favorite commercial but clearly it did not impact me as a customer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mojTLSIMPBQ
Lorie
This ad hits the right notes because of how the story has been set and portrayed, making it emotional and extraordinary. After watching the video closely and attentively, I've discovered that Amazon has sponsored the story. One of the characters in the story shops from Amazon. The video is so catchy because of the excellent storyline behind it, which made me want to watch the whole of it. I was so eager to know how the story ends, hence patience. Watching how persistence and determination might be crashed with a few words, I got so emotional, yet strong. Getting to do what someone loves is so encouraging; it needs perseverance and fighting without giving up, just as portrayed in the video. I'd want to do more shopping at Amazon. I want to do more of my shopping on Amazon because they are convenient and deliver what is ordered. Another ad that I find motivating and with a good story is the "Cola-Cola – Brotherly Love." The story is emotional because of the love the characters show, portraying that a brother can never let their siblings get into trouble as they watch. The ad from M&M'S is not emotional, and I can't get to trace the story behind it.
I think Amazon did a great job with the ad where they entitled "the show must go on" which is more of a general statement targeting people from all walks of life. Because of COVID-19 everything has changed and people had to push themselves from maintaining their usual schedule and Amazon came up with this concept showing people that you still can continue from wherever you are and you will find everything on Amazon in order to move forward.
Targeting people emotionally always play a big role when it comes to decision making, however, I do not usually buy things if it's not something necessary but I always recommend the product to others if I get to find out they are looking for something similar because of that emotional part.
Amazon has shown that the show must go on by delivering packages through the pandemic. The ad was epic it did not only showed that family warmth, but it include a whole community. The music definitely helped at the end to give that boost of confidence and hope. This is the right ad for the right time, the holidays are all about family and emotions.
The M&M ad is humorous and comic, short, and very transparent to the message. How irresistible is M&Ms, everytime M&M's ads come one I feel guilty eating them, why do they give them a persona. HAHA!
Rairis Morrobel
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